Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood celebrates the 10th anniversary of the installation of its Pasi pipe organ with an anniversary concert on Sunday.
David Dahl, who was a consultant for the project and played the first concert in 1995, returns for a recital of music by Bach, Messiaen, Grigny and others. Dahl, professor of organ emeritus at Pacific Lutheran University, has composed a work titled “A Norwegian Suite for Organ” for the occasion.
Trinity Lutheran, located in the heart of Lynnwood, was destroyed by arson more than a decade ago, and when the congregation rebuilt they took care to make room for a new organ.
The Pasi organ is a 29-stop, two-manual pipe organ encased in a freestanding case of burnished walnut designed in the Italianate style. The organ was built by Martin Pasi Organ Builders of Roy, south of Tacoma, and its mighty voice has attracted some of the finest musicians in the world.
Martin Pasi still comes to tune the organ before a concert, said Penny Lorenz, and he’ll be at Sunday’s concert. Lorenz led the committee to replace the organ that was destroyed in fire.
With the rebirth of the church and the organ came the birth of Artists at the Organ, a concert recital series that showcases both the organ and some of the best organists in the world.
“This is a landmark instrument. We get people from all around the world to play it and to hear it,” said Lorenz, who runs the concert series.
Musicians are “just blown away” by the quality of the Pasi. “It’s so easy to play, it plays itself. They love the action, and the sound is so beautiful,” she said. “People like to hear something that is world class.”
Trinity Lutheran has become a magnet for musical groups drawn by the organ and the quality of the church acoustics. Last year, for example, the renowned Choir of Trinity College from Cambridge, England, gave a concert there.
The organ also plays an important role in the spiritual life of the church.
“Music, choral congregational singing are so important in the Lutheran church, it’s part of our tradition,” Lorenz said.
“It makes it so wonderful to sing hymns when you have the organ underpinning your singing.”
Cascade Symphony: Cascade Symphony wraps up its season with a concert Monday night in Mountlake Terrace.
“Tragedy and Victory” is the theme of the concert, which features music by Moussorgsky, R. Strauss, Saint-Saens and Shostakovitch. Music director Michael Miropolsky will be at the podium.
This season has been dedicated to “The Essentials” with concerts highlighting masterpieces of the classical repertoire and virtuoso soloists.
Monday night, the orchestra will play Moussorgsky’s “Prelude to Khovanchina,” the Strauss “Serenade for Winds in E Flat Major” the Shostakovitch Symphony No. 10 and Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto in G minor, op. 22. The guest soloist is pianist Mark Salman.
Note: The symphony makes a special appearance at Benaroya Hall in Seattle May 23 for a program titled “A Celebration of Edmonds” highlighting music by Shostakovich, Saint-Saens, Bizet and Tchaikovsky. A portion of this event’s proceeds are pledged to the new Edmonds Center for the Arts.
Christophoto
Trinity Lutheran Church of Lynnwood’s Pasi organ.
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