Sing to the Lord a new song

Cathedral Music

Cathedral Choir

Music at the Cathedral serves a two-fold purpose: the glorification of God through liturgical music offered in public worship and the enrichment of those who attend services and musical programs. The role of the Cathedral Choir is to rehearse and perform such music to the highest standard. For this reason, membership in the choir is not taken lightly; it’s a ministry of time and talent offered twice weekly by each chorister.

Our choral season begins on the Sunday nearest Michaelmas Day (St. Michael and All Angels, September 29) and ends on Trinity Sunday of the following year. A Choral Eucharist is also celebrated on Christmas Eve and Day, Ash Wednesday, and Ascension Thursday. In addition to the major services of Holy Week, the Cathedral Choir sings Evensong as scheduled.

If you would like to join the Cathedral Choir, please email the Director of Music.

Cathedral Organs

The Pepper-Graves Memorial Cathedral organ

The original two-manual Tellers console occupied an off-center position at the end of the Great Division located on the gallery rail and close to the Swell Division—not an ideal acoustical placement for the organist or choir. Choir members sang and viewed services through the Great Division pipes. They were seated on each side of the main organ case, necessitating a great deal of movement throughout services. These issues coupled with the mechanical failure of the Tellers console provided the impetus for renovation.

In May of 1999, the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo, New York, was chosen by the Organ Committee to undertake a substantial renovation of the instrument. Sue Joys and Marshall Pepper donated the funding for the project in memory of their parents and grandparents. Apart from the installation of a three-manual, solid-state console, the renovation would include a new blower for the main organ case, the revoicing of all stops, re-leathering of windchests, a lower-pitched Mixture and new reeds for the Swell, and the installation of an 8’ Clarinet for the new Choir division. Six stops would be prepared for eventual addition to the Choir and Great Divisions.

Shortly after signing the renovation contract, the Dean and Chapter appointed a new Organist/Choirmaster for the Cathedral. As membership in the Cathedral Choir increased, any possibility of their accommodation in the gallery location became infeasible. It was therefore decided to move the Cathedral Choir to the empty choir stalls in the chancel. The new console would be located in the Sacrament Chapel just behind the choir stalls. Because of the excellent acoustics and modest size of the Cathedral, the separation of the console from the pipes would not be problematic. This new arrangement has proven to be more than successful.

The Pepper-Graves Memorial Cathedral Organ was dedicated at Evensong on Trinity Sunday, June 10, 2001, by the Bishop of Milwaukee. Since then, several generous gifts have made possible the installation of six more ranks of pipes to complete the organ. John Nolte and Sons Organ Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin performed the installation. The final dedication recital on Whitsunday, May 19, 2002, was co-sponsored by the American Guild of Organists, Milwaukee Chapter, and featured the internationally renowned English organist, Christopher Herrick. It was a resounding success.

In 2016, Organist/Choirmaster Canon Joseph A. Kucharski proposed that console improvements and additional stops be added in honor of the Cathedral’s 150th founding anniversary. Permission was granted and the project began. After much planning and fundraising, work began in late 2019 and was finished in the summer of 2021. 13 sets of pipes have been added to the instrument’s tonal resources. Most of the added stops are of a softer variety to provide color and texture which is particularly useful for choral and solo accompaniment as well as general service playing. Other tonal revisions and refinements have been made to make the ensemble more clean and cohesive. The Cathedral organ has grown from 31 to 45 sets of pipes (ranks). It’s interesting to note that repurposed pipework has come from many former organs, but of particular note, three ranks are from the former St. James “on the Avenue,” and two ranks are from the recently razed St. Francis Convent Chapel on S. Superior St.

The console features a new stop board which all are welcome to inspect. The console controls the Peterson solid-state, computerized relay which in turn plays the pipes. This system gives the organist 50 levels of stop combination memory, a transposer, and the ability to record and play back. A special feature of the instrument is the new “Zimbelstern” stop. The name means “bell star” as originally found on old European tracker organs. When the stop is engaged for a Doxology verse of a hymn or other festive reason, a star turns as tiny bells sound. Our Zimbelstern has no star, but the bells can be seen atop the central organ case. 

Our current Organist, Lee Erickson, completed the design, acquisition/installation of pipes and windchests, and tonal finishing. Installation of the new relay parts and console stop board were completed by David Broskowski.

This project has been made possible by donations made specifically for the organ. No regular parish funds were used. We hope that the Pepper-Graves Memorial Cathedral Organ will be a source of inspiration to all who hear it and continue to help us glorify God for many years to come.

The Lady Chapel Organ

The Lady Chapel Organ was built in 1872 by the Derrick and Felgemaker Organ Company of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was originally located in the Taylor Orphanage, Racine. The Sisters of the Community of Saint Mary were given the instrument for use in the chapel at DeKoven. It is a one-manual instrument with once octave of pull-down pedals consisting of two ranks of pipes: an 8’ Diapason and an 8’ Dulciana. The organ was primarily used to accompany plainsong chant. It was restored and given to the cathedral in 1998 by Mr. Glen Mossman as a memorial to his wife Glenda and the Sisters of Saint Mary.

Organ History

The first organ was a three-manual, hand-pumped pipe organ built in 1868 by the E. and G. G. Hook Company. It was placed in the “west end” gallery. The instrument was rebuilt and relocated in the area now occupied by the Lady Chapel in 1908. The Wangerin Organ Company of Milwaukee returned the organ to the gallery at the time of its second rebuilding in the 1940s. A new instrument was built and installed in the gallery by the Tellers Organ Company of Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1967. The classically voiced organ consisted of 26 ranks of pipes distributed over two manuals and pedal. Most of the pipes are housed in a large case specially designed to prevent obstruction of the “Christ the King” rondel window directly above the organ, and the two 18-foot tall diamond light windows that flank the organ case. A second organ case situated on the gallery rail contains the remaining pipes of the instrument.