Martin Pasi dead at 72

Martin Franz Pasi, organbuilder, died September 6. He was born December 21, 1953, in Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Austria. He began his career as an apprentice with Rieger Orgelbau in Austria, becoming a pipe maker and voicer. For several years, he voiced organs for Rieger all over the world before settling in North America, working for the firms of Jaeckel, Inc., Karl Wilhelm, Inc., and Fritts-Richards Organ Builders (later Paul Fritts & Co.). In 1990 he opened his own organbuilding shop in Roy, Washington, completing 29 organs under the name of Pasi Organ Builders, including cathedral organs in Omaha and Houston.

In 2023 Pasi brought his company to a close and moved to Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, accompanied by colleague, Markus Morscher, bringing with him equipment and tools. Pasi helped establish Saint John’s Abbey Organ Builders under the auspices of the Benedictine monks of Saint John’s Abbey. Pasi guided the workshop in the completion of its first three organs.

Throughout his career, Pasi built organs in the historically informed tradition of American organbuilding. He was known for his skill and speed in making pipes, and many young journeyman organbuilders came to work with him over the years to learn his method of pipe making. Pasi was adventurous in his use of historic temperaments (e.g.  quarter-comma meantone), technological advances (e.g. electric proportional key action), and alternative pipe metals (e.g. aluminum for 16′ façade pipes). His case designs exhibit variety, from traditional Northern European forms to modern architectural expressions.

Martin Franz Pasi is survived by his daughter Maurine Pasi (Adam Garnich) and granddaughter Juniper, Maurine’s mother Barbara Pasi, siblings Irmgard Vorhofer (Rudolf), Elisabeth Pasi, Gotthard Pasi (Sabine), sisters-in-law Gertrud and Brunhilde Pasi. Private services and interment were held at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, with public memorial celebrations to be planned. Memorial gifts may be made to Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+): cerfplus.org.