Historic Karn Organ Is Restored in Time for Old St. Thomas Church’s Bicentennial by Heather Jackson The Old St. Thomas Church houses an 1889 D.W. Karn Organ on its balcony. This instrument, crafted by the renowned D.W. Karn Piano & Organ Company of Woodstock, Ontario, is one of two organs in the church but not the original. The original organ was transferred to St. John’s in London Township in 1877 and was later destroyed. The Karn organ was donated to the church in 1968 by Edith Topfner in memory of her late husband, Josef Topfner, the church’s former caretaker. D.W. Karn’s company was a major player in the Canadian music industry, and it was noted for its high-quality pianos and organs. Karn himself was also a prominent civic figure, serving as Woodstock’s mayor in 1889 and running for Parliament. Designed as a dual-purpose instrument suited to parlour and church use, the Karn organ had fallen into disrepair, with cracked bellows, worn leathers and felts, and clogged reeds. It had been largely silent since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jantzi offered to restore the organ free of charge in honour of the church’s 200th anniversary. The church board accepted his generous offer, and the organ was transported to his workshop on February 10, 2024, to begin the restoration process. The restored organ was installed back into its case at the Old St. Thomas Church on March 23, 2024, where organist Amadeusz Kazubowski-Houston played Nimrod by Edward Elgar (watch the video by going to https://fb.watch/sbcQ4gePde). This restoration has brought the historic Karn organ back to life, enriching the celebrations at Old St. Thomas Church and preserving a piece of musical heritage for future generations. For more details and pictures on the restoration, visit Rodney Jantzi’s Facebook page or his website. Hear Rodney perform on the organ on July 17th as part of our Summer Concert Series.
In August 2022, Rodney Jantzi, an enthusiast and restorer of reed organs, visited the Old St. Thomas Church and attempted to play the organ. He discovered severe air leakage and numerous dead reeds, signalling the instrument’s dire need for restoration. Moved by a news article about the church’s nearly silent Christmas Eve service in 2023,
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OLD ST. THOMAS CHURCH 200th ANNIVERSARY GUIDE
R 2024M025 St Thomas 8” x 5”
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