David Aprahamian Liddle
David Aprahamian Liddle died March 28. Born in 1960 and blind since the age of twelve, he served as organist of St. Barnabas Church, Pimlico, UK, since 1985. The youngest English pupil of André Marchal, he also had lessons with H. A. Bate, David Sanger, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, and Daniel Roth. He was educated at Worcester College for the Blind and St. John’s College, Cambridge, and was assisting organ scholar at King’s College. He studied composition with Robin Holloway. An FRCO Limpus Prize winner, he was awarded the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ W. T. Best Memorial Scholarship.
In 1990 Liddle gave the inaugural recital at Alexandra Palace at the completion of the first phase of that organ’s restoration. The following year he broadcast from there, becoming honorary resident organist in 1992. Between 1991 and 1993 he arranged a series of Sunday afternoon concerts there with guest performers, and he presented concerts there regularly from 2011.
Liddle performed at the Royal Festival Hall as well as many town halls and most of the British cathedrals, including Westminster Abbey and Westminster and St. Paul’s cathedrals. In his tours of the United States he was invited to Yale and other universities and played at Trinity Church, St. Ignatius Loyola Church, and St. Thomas Church, all in New York City. In Paris he performed at Notre-Dame Cathedral, La Madeleine, and Saint-Sulpice.
Liddle’s appearances with orchestra included the Saint-Saëns Symphonie III, the second-ever performance of the Organ Concerto by Basil Harwood, and concertos by Handel, Stanley, and Arne with The Handel Collection at St. Stephen Walbrook. In 2011 Liddle gave the celebrity recital for the tenth birthday celebrations of Philip Norman’s Organists Online at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London. The following year his Missa brevis was sung by the choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge.
Liddle released CDs of organ music on the Priory and Guild Music labels. He also recorded his compositions and other repertoire, available on his YouTube channel. For information: davidliddle.org.
Walter Luther Pelz
Walter Luther Pelz, 99, died April 10. He was born December 30, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois. From a young age, he showed an interest in playing the piano. He attended Jehovah Lutheran School (LCMS) where he received instruction, opportunities, encouragement, and support from different leaders that fueled his interest in church music. He graduated from Kelvyn Park High School, Chicago, attended Concordia Teachers College (now Concordia University Chicago, CUC), River Forest, Illinois, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in 1948. While there, he continued his musical pursuits through piano and organ lessons, singing in the college choir, serving as an accompanist on the organ and piano, and taking additional organ lessons at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. After graduation, he accepted his first call to Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS), Seymour, Indiana, where he taught fifth grade, directed the children’s choir and adult choir, and did most of the organ playing. He enrolled at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, where he received the Master of Music degree in organ and church music in 1951.
On June 10, 1950, Pelz married Dolores Anita Streger at Jehovah Lutheran Church, Chicago. Their first daughter, Susan, was born during their time in Seymour, Indiana. The family’s next move was to St. Joseph, Michigan, where he served as a teacher and choir director for nine years at Trinity Lutheran Church and School (LCMS). The congregation had over 3,700 members, and Pelz saw the potential to expand the music ministry there beyond the adult choir to include two girls choirs, a boys choir, and a high school choir. He directed all of these groups in addition to playing 243 services a year as well as weddings and funerals. During their time in St. Joseph, the Pelzes welcomed two more daughters, Nancy and Cheryl. Walter then accepted a call to Christ Church Lutheran (formerly LCMS) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to be minister of music and education. He enrolled at the University of Minnesota, earning his Ph.D. degree in theory and composition in 1970.
The Pelzes made their final move to Lindsborg, Kansas, in 1969 where Walter served as Bethany College professor of music and college organist, retiring in 1989. He also served area congregations as church organist and was a longtime member of Bethany Lutheran Church where he began conducting “Bach at Bethany” concerts. Pelz had a Martin Ott pipe organ installed in the basement of his home where he practiced and composed for forty years. In 2023 he donated the organ to CUC.
Pelz composed music for many special occasions including his daughters’ and grandchildren’s weddings. Throughout his life, he garnered many awards and honors for his musical work. In 2001 he was presented an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from CUC. He was presented the Faithful Servant Award bestowed on him by the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.
Walter Luther Pelz is survived by his wife of 75 years, Dolores; his three daughters Sue (Ron) Revelle, Nancy Bateman, and Cheryl (Gary) Graves; eleven grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson. A memorial service was held April 23 at Bethany Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, Kansas, with internment following at Elmwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church organ maintenance fund; Concordia University Chicago to be designated for pipe organ maintenance or the Center for Church Music; or Bethany College sent in care of Crick-Christians Funeral Home, 103 North Washington Street, Lindsborg, Kansas 67456.
Kurt Egenolf Roderer
Kurt Egenolf Roderer, 90, of Evanston, Illinois, died April 1. Born in Germany in 1935, his early years were shaped by the hardships of World War II. As a boy, he was selected to assist a local organ tuner, an experience that sparked a lifelong calling. At 14 Roderer left home to pursue organbuilding, beginning an apprenticeship in Ennetach-Mengen from 1949 to 1953. He continued his training with D. A. Flentrop in Zaandam, the Netherlands, before immigrating to the United States in 1956 to work with Otto Hoffman in Austin, Texas. He later joined the Schlicker Organ Company in Buffalo, New York, where he served as a voicer and tonal finisher.
From 1966 to 1999, Roderer was organbuilder-in-residence at Northwestern University School of Music, Evanston, Illinois. There he maintained organs, taught organbuilding and maintenance, and continued developing his own business, the Roderer Organ Company.
Kurt Egenolf Roderer is survived by his children Lioba Moreno, Edeltraud Baum, Patricia Roderer, Helga Kennedy, Connie Bachel (Steve), Kurt William Roderer, Gabbie Roderer, Kym Caird, Kristina Pierce, Karoline Falcone (Anthony), and Kelly Campos (Aaron). He was preceded in death by his wife Kathy and son Kurt William. A funeral service was held May 2 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Evanston, Illinois.
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