Kilgen Organ

ROYAL OAK —  The National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica’s Kilgen organ is a rare musical and historical treasure. It was partially restored in 1998, and Director of Music Ministry Stephanie Yu, who was a student at the time,  said the instrument would "roar."

“You would definitely feel it. It would shake the building,” said Yu, who became the parish’s director of music ministry after being inspired by the organ’s power as a teen.

The massive instrument is currently operating at about 15% of its intended capacity, and work is being planned this summer to eventually restore it to the majesty of its full voice. 

The double-console organ, Opus 5180, was ordered for the new church on the Feast Day of St. Therese in 1933, and it has resounded through the community during countless celebrations of the Mass, weddings, feast days and baptisms.

It was built by George Kilgen & Sons of St. Louis, Missouri, and cost $51,000 at the time. For comparison, a replacement cost estimate from 2021 was in excess of $2.25 million.

The organ has 96 ranks of pipes and 6,575 pipes total — ranging from 32 feet tall to smaller than a pencil — which are housed under the stone and in the walls throughout the church.

The organ at Shrine is believed to be the largest tonally unaltered Kilgen organ remaining in existence and has two consoles, one in the choir loft and the other on the main floor. The main bank of pipes is located behind the grille work in the choir loft. The antiphonal pipes are located in the basement, under the floor console. 

The installation took 70 workmen and 11 months to complete. 

In 1997-98, the organ underwent a major overhaul. Many parts had to be ordered, and some that were no longer available had to be crafted at local tool and die shops. After the work was finished, many parishioners complained that the organist had gone crazy and was playing the organ way too loud. The organ was not being played any differently — it’s just that the parishioners had not heard the great Kilgen organ operating properly for over a generation. 

It “has been selected for recognition as an instrument of exceptional historic merit worthy of preservation,” states a citation from the Organ Historical Society. The society gave the organ its highest level of recognition, which is termed “Exceptional.”