The Organ That Shaped St. John’s Cathedral
When St. John’s Cathedral was built, its pipe organ became the single most expensive feature in the church. Costing more than $17,000, it exceeded the combined cost of all the cathedral’s stained-glass windows. Built by the Tellers-Kent Organ Company of Erie, Pennsylvania, the original instrument was a 44-rank, three-manual pipe organ, making it the largest organ in Idaho and one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest.
To reduce costs, some of the organ’s pipes were recycled from older instruments. While this saved money, it eventually caused mechanical problems. Fortunately, Bishop Gorman had negotiated a five-year warranty, and the organ company honored it by sending technicians to Boise to repair the instrument.
Music at the Heart of Worship
From the beginning, St. John’s Cathedral viewed sacred music as an essential part of Catholic worship rather than simply an accompaniment to the liturgy.
This importance is reflected in the cathedral’s history. Although it has had sixteen pastors, it has employed only four official full-time organists, demonstrating how carefully the position was entrusted.
The cathedral’s design also highlights music’s significance. The choir loft and organ stand beneath a rose window depicting St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, making them a central feature of the building.
Early Leadership
Before the cathedral was completed in 1921, Father Remi Keyser served as choir director and even composed a Latin Mass.
His successor, Monsignor Joseph Verhoeven, strongly believed that the cathedral deserved professional sacred music. Recognizing the importance of the new organ, he hired a skilled musician to direct the music ministry.
Frederic Fleming Beale
The cathedral selected Frederic Fleming Beale, a respected music professor at the College of Idaho and organist at a Methodist church in Caldwell.
Although Beale was not Catholic, his musical talent was unquestioned. In fact, he had already helped plan the cathedral’s organ long before it was installed. He wrote detailed recommendations for the instrument, suggested improvements, and many of his specifications became part of the final contract with the organ builders.
His influence helped shape one of the cathedral’s most treasured features.
Challenges Along the Way
The organ’s first years were not without difficulties.
When it was initially played, it required so much electrical power that the cathedral lights noticeably dimmed. A major electrical upgrade eventually solved the problem.
Boise’s hot, dry climate also caused tuning problems, requiring ongoing maintenance.
Beale himself experienced conflict with church leadership. In 1922, he resigned after a disagreement with Bishop Gorman, but the dispute quickly subsided. Within two months, he returned to his position and continued serving the cathedral for approximately another decade.
A Center of Music in Boise
Throughout the 1920s, St. John’s Cathedral became one of Boise’s leading musical venues.
Friday evening concerts featuring Beale and other accomplished musicians often attracted as many as 800 people. His wife, an accomplished soprano, frequently performed alongside him.
Although Beale suffered a nervous collapse in 1926, he continued directing music and performing for many years. He eventually returned full-time to the College of Idaho in 1933, but remained connected to the cathedral and even returned to play at a former student’s wedding in 1938.
He passed away in 1948.
A Lasting Musical Legacy
The cathedral’s architecture and organ were designed to complement one another.
Its vaulted ceilings create exceptional acoustics that continue to make St. John’s one of Boise’s finest locations for sacred music and concerts.
Over the years, the organ has been carefully maintained and expanded. Improvements include:
- A three-manual console added in 1962.
- A four-manual digital console installed in 1995.
- New electrical components and restored pipe chests.
- Expansion from 44 ranks to 76 ranks, aided by electronic augmentation.
Today, the organ remains one of the cathedral’s defining treasures.
Catholic Sacred Music
The chapter concludes by explaining the history of music within the Catholic Mass.
The earliest Christian celebrations centered on the Eucharist, following St. Paul’s account of the Last Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23–27.
Around A.D. 590, Pope Gregory the Great organized many parts of the Mass and promoted what became known as Gregorian chant, the Church’s earliest standardized sacred music.
Over the centuries, many of history’s greatest composers—including Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Schubert, Dvořák, Verdi, Weber, and Bernstein—composed music for the Mass.
During the Protestant Reformation, many Protestant churches abandoned Latin and Gregorian chant in favor of congregational hymn singing. Catholic worship, however, largely preserved the use of trained choirs and sacred chant.
Although congregational singing has become more common in modern Catholic liturgy, choirs continue to play an important role in leading worship and preserving the Church’s rich musical tradition.
Main Theme
The central message of this is that sacred music has always been a vital part of Catholic worship at St. John’s Cathedral. Through its magnificent pipe organ, gifted musicians, and centuries-old musical tradition, the cathedral seeks to glorify God through beauty.