Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Bloomington, Illinois

1890 Johnson - 2 manual, 21 rank

Relocated by the Organ Clearing House

We finished installing the rebuilt Johnson organ for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Illinois just in time for Easter. The organ was originally built in 1890 for The First Unitarian Church ofDeerfield, Massachusetts and radically altered in the early 1980's. Locatedthrough the Organ Clearing House, this twenty-one rank instrument is asuccessful compromise of both 19th and 20th century designs from tonal aswell as visual standpoints. The windchests went through extensive rebuilding in our shops, as did the key action and physical layout. The tonal design hasalso been reconfigured to create a more flexible stop list for the client's needs includng a new 8' Principal in the Pedal as well as a 16' Trombone to complement the original 16' Subbass.The organ is further complemented by the wonderful acoustics of the sanctuary. As you can see from the picture, the 19th Century organ case also makes an attractive addition to the 20th Century architecture of the sanctuary. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks! Dedication is scheduled for September, 2001 with a recital by Philip Gehring, the church's consultant for the project.