Len Berghaus dead at 84

Leonard George “Len” Berghaus

Leonard George “Len” Berghaus died January 10, 2023, in Bloomingdale, Illinois. He was born July 16, 1938, in Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up, his interest in pipe organs began at his grandparents’ Lutheran church where he would stand by the console and listen to the organist play the postlude. He took piano lessons and then began organ lessons in high school, and additional clarinet study led him to involvement in a Bach cantata, introducing him to Trinity Lutheran Church in Cleveland. Built by Rudolf von Beckerath of Germany, Trinity’s organ piqued young Len’s interest in organ building, and he spent many hours watching the installation of the instrument, memorizing all the mechanics of the action.

Berghaus attended Concordia Teacher’s College (now Concordia University Chicago) in River Forest, Illinois, from 1957 until 1961, preparing to teach in Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod schools and minoring in music education. During this time, he discovered the 1888 Jackson Pipe Organ Company tracker organ at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Chicago, and began a self-taught course of restoring the instrument to playing condition, unknowingly laying the groundwork for a career in organbuilding.

Between 1961 and 1967, Berghaus was a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at Grace English Lutheran School and Jehovah Lutheran School in Chicago, all the while continuing his involvement with pipe organs. During this time, he also became a representative for Casavant Frères, Ltée., of Canada and serviced instruments between Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Des Moines, Iowa.

In 1967, Berghaus resigned from teaching and embarked on his organbuilding career full-time. He worked and apprenticed with Paul Jochum and Fred Lake early in his career. These craftspeople imparted their knowledge of slider chests, mechanical action designs, and tonal finishing on Berghaus and created the foundation for his career in the trade. Berghaus in turn imparted his knowledge to many a young organbuilder.

The first instrument Berghaus built was an electric-action organ for Christ Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio (1969), but Opus 1 is considered to be the 1971 mechanical-action organ at O’Fallon United Church of Christ, O’Fallon, Illinois—still in use to this day by the congregation. In 1973, the company relocated from the Berghaus residential garage to Bellwood, Illinois, as Berghaus Organ Company, and again in 2000 to a larger facility. The firm was known in the early years for building neo-Baroque tracker instruments and evolved with changing tastes to build American Classic instruments and to become Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders. Highlights include rebuilding the Schlicker organ at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, Illinois, in 1986 as well as new instruments at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 2003 and Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago in 2005. Since 1967 the company has built or restored over 225 instruments from Arizona to Maryland, primarily in the Midwest. Berghaus was a member of the Chicago Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, the American Institute of Organbuilders, the Organ Historical Society, and the International Society of Organbuilders, and his company is a member firm of the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America.

Berghaus retired from full-time organbuilding in 2005 and pursued his other interests more fully. A longtime member of Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, he sang bass in the choir for many decades. His other pastimes included model train building and entertaining guests at the family’s Detroit Island house in Door County, Wisconsin.

Leonard Berghaus is survived by his wife of 58 years, Judy, and his children Debbie Conley, Todd (Margie), Brian (Collene), and Sue Hempen (Michael), as well as six grandchildren. A memorial service was held February 11 at Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Illinois. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Lutheran Church (graceriverforest.org), The Bach Cantata Series at Grace (bachvespers.org), or Concordia University Chicago (cuchicago.edu).

Walter Hilse

Walter Hilse, organist and composer, died December 31, 2022. Born July 16, 1941, he grew up in Astoria, Queens, New York, and earned degrees in mathematics as well as in music from Columbia University, including a Ph.D. in musicology and an M.A. in composition. He studied organ with Nadia Boulanger, Maurice Duruflé, Vincent Persichetti, and Bronson Ragan.

As a solo performer he appeared throughout the United States, Europe, and the Far East, making tours of Sweden in 1990, 1994, and 1995. He presented five solo organ recitals at New York City’s Alice Tully Hall, as well as several complete performances of Bach’s The Art of Fugue. He was a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists and recently retired from the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music.

Hilse’s compositions include over 80 art songs, an a cappella Mass for SATB chorus, over 20 anthems and psalm settings, a setting of various Sabbath-morning texts, compositions for solo organ, a piano suite, and numerous works for instrumental ensemble. He was awarded the Joseph H. Bearns Prize of Columbia University (1966) and the Choral Composition Prize of the Boston Chapter A.G.O. (1974). As a musicologist, he specialized in the work of Paul Hindemith and Christoph Bernhard and was a regular contributor to The American Organist magazine. Hilse served as artist-in-residence at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church where he gave numerous recitals, associate organist at Congregation Rodeph Sholom, and organist for Redeemer Presbyterian Church, all of New York City, since 1996.

Walter Hilse is survived by his wife, Patricia (Pat). A memorial service was held January 20 at St. Malachy’s Church, The Actors’ Chapel, New York City.

David Hurd: Introduction, Passacaglia, and Fugue on Windham (2022), commissioned by the Victoria Bach Festival, Victoria, Texas,  for Renée Anne Louprette.

The world premiere was presented at First United Methodist Church, Victoria, Texas on June 9, 2022. The present recording was made at the Cathedral of Uppsala, Sweden, on July 23, 2022. Organ by Fratelli Ruffatti, four manuals, with twin consoles, 2009: 
https://ruffatti.com/ru/specs/uppsala.html

David Hurd is widely recognized as one of the foremost church musicians and concert organists in the United States, with a long list of awards, prizes, honors, and achievements, and immeasurable expertise in organ performance, improvisation, and composition.  From 1976 until 2015, David Hurd was a faculty member at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York City, as Director of Chapel Music, Organist, and Professor of Church Music. From 1998–2013 he was Music Director and Organist at Church of the Holy Apostles (Episcopal) in New York City. Dr. Hurd is now Organist/Choirmaster of the famed Church of St. Mary the Virgin at Times Square.

See David Hurd’s Artist Spotlight at https://www.thediapason.com/artists/david-hurd

David Hurd is represented by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists: 
www.concertartists.com  

Hailed by The New York Times as “splendid,” and “one of New York’s finest organists”, Renée Anne Louprette performs widely as organ recitalist, accompanist, and teacher. Ms. Louprette is College Organist and Assistant Professor of Music at Bard College in New York. Renée Anne Louprette is represented by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists: 
www.concertartists.com  

Michael Hey and Christiana Liberis play J. S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City.

Two classically trained musicians, both with broad musical interests and a variety of work in many of New York City’s musical circles, Michael Hey and Christiana Liberis embarked on a partnership in 2017 to bring a new and fresh approach to the organ and violin repertoire. They continue to explore and create different styles and genres of music for these two instruments.

In 2015, Michael Hey was appointed Associate Director of Music and Organist of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, where one of his first major tasks was to perform for the first U.S. visit of Pope Francis. Michael plays at the Cathedral for services throughout the week which are broadcast on Sirius XM radio, television, and online. Not exclusively a solo organist, Michael enjoys playing piano and collaborating with other artists. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School where he received his B.M. and M.M. degrees in organ performance under Paul Jacobs. www.michaelhey.com

Born in Italy of Italian, Greek, and Polish heritage, violinist/violist Christiana Liberis is a performer of international reach. Based in New York City, Christiana has been heard in concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, and Radio City Music Hall. Christiana’s most recent work encompasses various commercial recording sessions for Philip Glass, recording for the 2021 Superbowl LIV, playing on director Lulu Wang’s new short film “Nian” for Apple-shot entirely on an iPhone 12 Pro Max and in celebration of the Chinese New Year, and performing in a string quartet for a televised special on Bravo for the launch of Brooklyn Point with Ryan Serhant of “Million Dollar Listing.” www.christianaliberis.com

The Hey-Liberis Duo is represented in North America exclusively by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists, LLC. 
www.concertartists.com 

See their artist spotlight at https://www.thediapason.com/artists/michael-hey-and-christiana-liberis

Joshua Stafford plays Nearer, My God, to Thee, by Karg-Elert, on the Massey Memorial Organ, Chautauqua Institution.

In April 2021, Joshua Stafford was installed as the Director of Music Ministries and Organist at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Prior to his Jacksonville appointment, he was director of music at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown, New Jersey, from 2013–early 2021. In 2020, he was named Director of Sacred Music and the Jared Jacobsen Chair Organist of the Chautauqua Institution in western New York State.

A native of Jamestown, New York, Mr. Stafford received the Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2010 as a scholarship student of Alan Morrison. In 2012 he received his Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music as a student of Thomas Murray (organ performance) and Jeffrey Brillhart (organ improvisation). Joshua was the recipient of both a full-tuition scholarship and the Robert Baker Award, given to a first year organ student who exhibits exceptional promise and achievement in their field of study.

See his artist spotlight: https://www.thediapason.com/artists/joshua-stafford

Joshua Stafford is represented in North America exclusively by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists, LLC. 
www.concertartists.com