Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1244 has been purchased by the Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, and will be refurbished by the Case Organ Co. of Madison, in partnership with the Spencer Organ Company of Boston. The organ was originally installed in the First Church of Christ. Scientist, in Rockford, Illinois, in 1953 and was relocated once to a newer Christian Science facility in Rockford. Opus 1244 is a two-manual, 14-rank organ.
It will be fully restored with potential expansion to 18 ranks. All new pipework will be built and voiced in a sympathetic style of that period of Aeolian-Skinner organs. The organ will be installed in the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center Chapel in Madison, in a considerably better acoustic than the original installation. The organ replaces an electronic instrument. For information: Case Organ Company, 3600 Richie Rd, Verona, WI 53593-9650; 608/215-3776; [email protected].
