The Great Schantz Organ

Nothing moves me the way organ music does. 

On Sunday, I had the privilege of hearing one of the last songs of the great Schantz pipe organ at Court Street United Methodist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. Dr. John T. Lowe, organist at St. Mary’s on the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, performed a lively recital for a full house. Dr. Lowe practiced on this same organ when he was an undergraduate student at Liberty University more than thirty years ago, and he has returned nearly every year since then to perform at the church. 

This year will likely be the last. 

After nearly 200 years of ministry, Court Street United Methodist Church will dismiss its congregation for the last time. 

Like an earthquake, the deepest notes rumbled from the souls of my feet, up my spine, and out the top of my head. I’ve been to organ recitals at several historic churches in Lynchburg, and the organ at Court Street UMC is my favorite because it engages multiple senses—sight, hearing, and touch.

Sight

The organ itself is stunning. The console and pipes are installed in the chancel at the front of the church. The organist sits front and center with the pipes extending on either side like a pair of wings.

Half the fun of an organ recital is watching the musician. The organ is a whole-body instrument, and it's almost like watching a dance. Hands jumping from manual to manual and feet sprinting across the pedalboard. By the end of the concert, Dr. Lowe was breathing hard and drenched in sweat—understandably so. 

Sound

Of course, you hear the organ. Its many pipes and stops create a multitude of sounds ranging from reverent and worshipful to joyful and playful.

When most people think of organs, church music and Phantom of the Opera come to mind, but it’s an incredibly diverse instrument. In recent years, social media influencers like Anna Lapwood have made the organ cool again. Lapwood covers popular film scores like Interstellar, Pirates of the Caribbean, and How to Train Your Dragon on her YouTube channel.

When you attend a recital, I guarantee you’ll recognize some of the music, but other pieces will stun you—you’ll be impressed by what the instrument can do.

Touch

The sense that really sets this organ apart is touch. You feel the Schantz organ. I heard one time that some of the pipes are in the basement of the church—I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but I believe it. The floor literally shakes when the instrument sings, and you feel it in every cell of your body. 

I listened with my eyes closed for a good part of the recital because I wanted to feel the music—its ebbs and flows. It’s cathartic—being swept away on those great metal wings.

I don’t know what the future holds for Court Street UMC—or the great Schantz organ. I hope the building and instrument will be preserved because they have brought me so much joy over the past few years. 

I first attended an organ recital at the church during the summer of 2023, and it sparked my interest in historic churches and rekindled my love for music—two things that have brought me a lot of joy and healing over the past few years. 

I hope others can benefit from it for years to come.