Inside the confines of St. John Catholic Church in Delphos, Ohio, a truly ethereal and inspirational house of worship, is the equally inspirational three manual, 27 rank M.P. Möller pipe organ. Built in 1929, the organ represents the definition of the warm, rich Romantic sound popular when it was built. Though modest in size, it boasts an impressive sound that fills the massive church space which echoes with five seconds of reverberation. In summary, a big sound for a big space. And like so many other pipe organs, this one has its own story to tell in its over 80 years of continuous service.

So come along for a journey into the world of big and old but beautiful. Baroque pipe organ lovers: follow along at your own risk!

Parish and Church History

St. John Delphos parish was established in 1842. The parish (and the town) was growing quickly around this time thanks to the business generated by the Ohio and Erie Canal which passed just a few blocks west of the church. The current church was built in 1874 and is the only Catholic church in the Toledo Diocese, other than the Cathedral in Toledo, to be listed as a registered historic landmark. It also is the 2nd largest church in the Diocese, also behind the Cathedral in Toledo.

The church was renovated in 1998. During the renovation the church was repainted, the altar area rebuilt and new pews installed. In addition, some work was done to the pipe organ (see below). 


Pipe Organs at St. John Delphos


In 1929, the current M.P. Möller pipe organ was installed at a cost of $18,000. The organ replaced a pipe organ whose age and builder is not known. The Möller organ was originally installed in the center of the loft as a single unit. Shortly after its installation, the pastor at the time disliked the fact that the organ blocked the large window in the back of the church. As a result in 1940 the organ was moved into two chambers on either side of the loft. Though it is not known for sure, likely M.P. Möller was the one who reinstalled the instrument in 1940.

Other than routine maintenance, the organ remained largely untouched until 1995 when a three rank Mixture was added to add some brilliance to the organ's romantic sound. Later, during the church's remodeling in 1998, the organ was completely rewired. In addition, the original console was retired and a new console installed. The chimes were also relocated from the Sanctuary Division to the Choir Division. The Sanctuary Division, which is located in the front of the church on the right side, was sealed and the air supply disconnected. The new console has no provisions for the division. The original console can be found at the Delphos Canal Commission Museum in downtown Delphos.

Today the organ is under the care of the Lima Pipe Organ Company of Elida, Ohio. It remains an excellent example of the Romantic Era pipe organ sound.

Sound Clips

Here are a few clips (MP3 files) of the organ for your listening pleasure:

"Prince of Denmark's March" by Jeremiah Clarke - More commonly known as "Trumpet Voluntary", this piece nicely illustrates the warm, smooth sound of the organ. The French Trumpet rank is what carries the melody.

"Come Sweet Death" by J.S. Bach - The first few measures are played, showing off the string and celeste ranks. Picture this being played in a dark church at night! Turn up the volume and hear the reverberation at the end.

Crescendo - In this clip, only the 8' First Open Diapason stop is selected and notes C, E and G are played (C chord). The bottom C is played on the pedal but not heard as nothing is drawn from the Pedal Division. As the crescendo pedal is depressed, additional ranks and pipes are gradually added, culminating in full organ plus Sforzando. This illustrates what the Crescendo can do, though it is rarely used in this capacity. Also hear the reverberation of the sound in the church at the end.

Blower Start - Hear the organ's three phase blower start (as heard from the console!).


Credits and Links

A big thanks to Tom Densel of Lima Pipe Organ Company for providing information about the organ and the parish, and for putting his musical prowess on the line for some of the sound clips. Thanks also to Clark Wilson for providing technical information about the builder.

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