In January 2005, Wicks Opus 4497 left Highland, Illinois for the second time. The organ was designed and built in 1965 for Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester, New York, and originally represented a bold, new step in design and tonal philosophy for the company. With the direction and assistance of the company's young new tonal director from Minnesota, the Wicks Organ Company stepped ahead of other builders in rediscovering classic organ building styles. The organist Frank Pilecki, Frank Morris, and church staff member Father Edward Zimmer desired an organ of classical design for the live acoustics of the cathedral. In 1964, it would have been natural to hesitate when considering Wicks for such a project. In fact, "the selection of Wicks surprised some fellow organists of the city to whom the Wicks name suggested small organs, theatre organs and those for lighter uses."1 However, after visiting the Wicks shop and hearing some of the work of John E. Sperling, the church signed a contract for a new 54-rank neo-Baroque pipe organ, making it the first cathedral instrument in that style designed by the company.
The start of a career
At the age of 18, John Sperling wrote to the Wicks Organ Company looking to further his training in organ building. Unfortunately, with a national draft in progress, the company was apprehensive about beginning the training of a young man of military service age. His initial request for a job was turned down. Several years later, with two years of army service behind him, married with his first child, and with an even greater sense of determination, John again wrote to Wicks asking if he could begin as a voicer and tonal finisher. This time they accepted and John began work in 1957.
The son of a piano tuner, John was known as a fine musician with a good ear before he began working with organs. Ernest Vogelpohl, a local organ man in his home of New Ulm, wrote to Martin Wick, president of the Wicks Organ Company, that John was already a good voicer and musician and recommended Wicks hire him to continue his training. A Wicks organ had been installed in the Sperling family church, and of course John spoke highly of it to the Wick family; however, he already knew what needed to be changed to make the organ more suitable for accompanying worship services there. The heavily musical Lutheran church required an organ designed for leading voices, with definition of line and great clarity in every stop. Organ literature was very important to the service, and an organ capable of the performance of many styles was required.
The Wicks style
The Rochester Cathedral organ was not Wicks' first attempt at an all-classical organ. There were many instruments prior to Opus 4497 that bore John's signature tonal design. The Wicks studio organ represented the first large instrument in the new style with 59 ranks, installed in 1964 around a large room in the newly built Wicks offices. On the edge of town in Highland, Illinois, the new, modern Evangelical United Church of Christ building was home to a 28-rank instrument. The acoustically rich environment of this new church improved upon the success of this instrument. The committee from Rochester, which included communications engineer Frank Morris, owner of a small classically voiced Wicks organ, found the studio organ to be too "romantic." The committee was greatly impressed, however, by the design and sound of the United Church of Christ instrument. This organ convinced them that this old company known for small cabinet organs and English-style instruments could build for them the cutting-edge instrument they desired. In addition, the church got a satisfactory preview of the Wicks sound when Mr. Morris loaned the church his home organ for services until the new Wicks was installed. The 4-manual Rochester organ featured open-toe voicing on the majority of the ranks, and bright, narrow-scaled reeds. The Great was on two inches wind pressure, the enclosed Swell and Choir divisions on 21⁄4 inches, and the exposed Positiv division on 13⁄4 inches.
In the years following, John Sperling was responsible for design, voicing and tonal finishing on the instruments that came to define the tonal style of the Wicks Organ Company throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Wicks Organ Company was well-known for the heavily romantic instruments that allowed the company to thrive in the 1930s and 1940s, but times were changing, and the company was preparing to adapt its techniques and processes to continue to satisfy congregations. Credit must be given to former Wicks president Martin Wick for allowing these new techniques, ideas, and new kinds of organs to take the place of the old, and for allowing John to move the company ahead in new directions. Organists and academics throughout the country were rediscovering early music and working towards historical practices. Organists desired instruments much like the ones European builders were creating. In addition, electronic organs were becoming more plentiful and a greater source of competition.
John, not in response to outside pressure but guided by his own experience and knowledge, struck out on his own, ahead of the curve, and quickly made the Wicks Organ Company a leader in the development of neo-Baroque, north German Baroque, or classical style organs. During the 1960s many changes occurred at the Wicks Organ Company. Wind pressures of new organs began to drop to 2 inches, 11⁄2 inches, 1 inch, or even lower in some cases. Wicks engineers developed new regulators for these lower pressures. The advent of solid-state switching systems and combination actions changed much of the design and building process. Pipe voicers had to learn new techniques as pipe construction changed from closed toe to open. Console builders and designers were required to work with new designs to help keep pipe organs affordable and modern, and to ensure every church the opportunity to have a pipe organ. The changes were successful as Wicks maintained an average schedule of 100 pipe organs per year throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
There was a snowstorm on the night of January 17, 1965, when a caped Virgil Fox marched from the sanctuary to the gallery to perform the dedicatory recital at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Two nights of music were required, one for members of the parish and another for the public, and both were packed. The parishioners had already been excited by the sounds of Frank Morris's small residence organ, and this new large instrument held even more potential. Both were quite exciting departures from the 1901 Kimball this organ replaced. The instrument received much publicity through articles in the local paper and write-ups in several journals, including appearing on the cover of The Diapason. Recitalists such as André Marchal, William Ferris, Flor Peeters and Alec Wyton performed on the Wicks at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Continuing development
As the American Classic style of organs developed into the 1980s and 1990s, John adapted the company's style to not only provide what customers wanted, but to anticipate their wishes. John understood the bright upperwork, clear principals, and low pressures of the North German style and how to use them, but that was not the extent of his knowledge. During his tenure as tonal director, John was responsible for the design and finishing of French Classical, Spanish, English, German Romantic, even theatre organs. John has overseen and been involved in the design and construction of more than three thousand pipe organs. It is impossible to look at the history of the Wicks Organ Company without noticing his presence.
Forty-eight years later, John's loyalty and devotion to the company and to the Wick family is unmatched. One is challenged to find an employee as hard-working and pleasant as John after so many years. His family has been part of Wicks. His brother Robert worked as a voicer, and his son David worked part-time in the pipe shop. It is fair to point out that some would call John stubborn, as those who have attempted to challenge John on a point have found out. In fact, Ernest Vogelpohl, the organ man from New Ulm, used that exact word when describing the 18-year-old John in a letter to Martin Wick. Determined organists have used such a description when a tonal finishing was in progress; however, one cannot imagine John accomplishing what he has in his lifetime without a degree of stubbornness. More polite adjectives would be confident, sure, and unyielding. Stepping into a company that has been doing things "like we always have" at the age of 25 and in the end completely changing methods, designs, styles, and directions would require the character and confidence John possesses.
Pricing agent and former shop superintendent Jim Schmidt points out that "there's never a gray area with John, only right and wrong answers, and 99.9% of the time, he'll be right." Retired chief designer Alan Draper refers to John as "always pleasant to work with." Alan especially appreciated that John sought out the opinions and knowledge of the design department before ever developing an organ specification for a church.
As times have changed, John has adapted with them, always maintaining his pleasant demeanor and even temper. Never being angry and never letting emotions cloud decisions, John always sees the most logical and sensible solution to any problem that arises, even when others can't.
Sales director Bob Capra refers to John as not only a friend, but as a "good example of a Christian man." By sticking to ideals, focusing on the job at hand, and putting on his coat and going home to his family promptly at 5 o'clock, John has left an indelible mark not only on this company and his coworkers, but also on the history of American organ building.
In October 2003, Mary, Mother of Hope Church in New Castle, Pennsylvania purchased Opus 4497 through The Organ Clearing House. The organ came back to Highland where it received new solid-state relays, combination action, swell motors, and new blowers. The organ was cleaned, and some minor voicing alterations were made, but the organ is largely installed as originally designed. The excellent acoustics of Mary, Mother of Hope Church help the organ fill the room, possibly better than it did in Rochester. All of the work was overseen by John Sperling. In October 2000, William Hamner was appointed tonal director of Wicks Organ Company and John became tonal director emeritus, where he continues to assist our customers, salesmen, and employees. n
