3 organists make a joyful noise
By Judy Hayworth Journal correspondent | Posted: Saturday, December 01, 2007
Three Kingsley and Pierson, Iowa organists, Dorothy Berens, Dorothy Nafe and Barb Carlson, have each played the organ for more than 50 years. Together they have played approximately 170 years. (Photo by Judy Hayworth, staff photographer)
KINGSLEY, Iowa -- "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord," encouraged the Psalmist and three women in the Kingsley and Pierson, Iowa, communities have answered that call. The three have been church musicians for 170 years, each playing 50-plus years.
KINGSLEY, Iowa -- "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord," encouraged the Psalmist and three women in the Kingsley and Pierson, Iowa, communities have answered that call. The three have been church musicians for 170 years, each playing 50-plus years.
The women, Dorothy Berens and Barb Carlson of Kingsley and Dorothy Nafe of Pierson, share a rich history of providing music -- organ and/or piano -- for church, Sunday school and special occasions at their respective churches.
Each began with piano lessons at an early age -- Carlson at 9 from Blanche Carlson of Moorhead, Iowa; Nafe from Pearl Mason of Kingsley at 8 years of age, and Berens, who says, "I can't remember a time when I didn't play," from her mother, Allene Gable, a Kingsley piano teacher who gave lessons for more than 50 years and was a descendant of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.
Each woman also grew up in a family that valued music. Berens' father, Sime Gabel, sang to entertain the troops in World War I. Carlson's father "always sang to us," she says, "and Mom played the violin until she could play "Silent Night" and then quit. I still have that violin."
Nafe recalls her mother "so missed the family singing around the piano that was what she missed most when I went to college."
Graduating to the organ came at various times for the three.
"When I was 13," says Carlson, "the church (Bethesda Lutheran at Moorhead) gave me organ lessons. There was nobody to play as the organist would be graduated and gone. They asked me if they would give me the lessons if I would be willing to play. So after five organ lessons, they said, 'OK you're ready.' My sister, Colleen, took over after I played for my four years of high school."
One of Carlson's memories is playing for a church full of sailors. "I played the Navy Hymn and it was very emotional. It has always stayed with me." Working in Omaha after graduation, she continued to play occasionally at her home church until she married and moved to California. After moving back to Iowa, she played at the Methodist Church in Dow City, "filled in for weddings and funerals" in Ida Grove and then at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Sioux City.
When the family of four settled at Kingsley in 1975, Albert Bottjen came to her door. "He asked me if 'the mother' was home," remembers Carlson. "Albert told me he would have the pastor (Resner) see me, and he did within a day." Since then she has played at First Lutheran. "People always knew when an organist was coming to town before you even got there."
Nafe's piano teacher propelled her from piano to organ.
"She mentioned to my parents that I would likely play the organ and that she would help me. Every Sunday after church she gave me lessons (at the Kingsley United Methodist Church). The first time I tried it, my feet got so wrapped up. You learn that you can't look at your feet, you just have to feel the pedals. Nafe continued with organ lessons from Faith Woodward when she attended Morningside College.
"At 15, I started playing the organ for Sunday school in the early 1940s," continues Nafe. "After college I got married, had three babies and transferred to the Pierson United Methodist Church" where she continues to play. "I started playing the organ there in the '50s and felt honored that I was asked to do it."
Berens moved from piano to organ, self-taught, playing "off and on for weddings," until she began playing full-time at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Kingsley with the retirement of Mrs. Ben Wessling in the 1960s. When the church purchased a new organ in 1981, she took lessons from Sister Mary Arnold at Briar Cliff College.
The three also have been their church's choir directors, Carlson organized a youth choir when her children were teenagers and Nafe continues in that capacity. Each organist has a key to the church, and Berens, who lives three houses from the church, plays there an hour per day.
Carlson's rehearsal time varies. "I like to plan my special music to coincide with what's going on, and sometimes I've even done that during the service. When I practice, it's very relaxing. My sister and I practiced in high school before basketball games; it relaxed us."
Nafe says, "I get the music by Monday and have the week to practice." The organ she plays is the oldest of the three church organs, made by H.H. Vogelpohl and Sons of New Ulm, Minn., and dedicated in 1921. Ironically, Nafe's organ teacher at Morningside was the organist for the dedication, Faith Woodward. The two-manual pipe organ with 803 pipes was played for many years by Weir Mills, who himself began playing for the Pierson church at age 15, and in 1959 gave the organ to the church.
Memories are many for the organists. Berens especially remembers playing for Pierson native, John Sheehan's first Mass in his home parish after he was ordained into the priesthood. Carlson played for the Greek wedding of one of her co-workers. Her grandson, Travis, was with her and remarked, "They danced all the time." Nafe recalls playing "The Church in the Wildwood" for a wedding at the Little Brown Church.
The philosophy of the women on their years of service is fairly similar. "God gave me a talent," shares Berens, "and I should use it and play for the people and 'pay back,' so to speak."
Nafe says, "I just hope the music makes the service more meaningful. I know that when I step into a church and hear the organ playing, I truly like it."
Carlson adds, "Music should make people feel emotion. If it can make them feel inspired, church is more special to them."
And playing for more than 50 years? Carlson probably speaks for the three of them when she says, "It has always been part of my life. I have a favorite quote from Johann Sebastian Bach. 'I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.' "
KINGSLEY, Iowa -- "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord," encouraged the Psalmist and three women in the Kingsley and Pierson, Iowa, communities have answered that call. The three have been church musicians for 170 years, each playing 50-plus years.
The women, Dorothy Berens and Barb Carlson of Kingsley and Dorothy Nafe of Pierson, share a rich history of providing music -- organ and/or piano -- for church, Sunday school and special occasions at their respective churches.
Each began with piano lessons at an early age -- Carlson at 9 from Blanche Carlson of Moorhead, Iowa; Nafe from Pearl Mason of Kingsley at 8 years of age, and Berens, who says, "I can't remember a time when I didn't play," from her mother, Allene Gable, a Kingsley piano teacher who gave lessons for more than 50 years and was a descendant of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.
Each woman also grew up in a family that valued music. Berens' father, Sime Gabel, sang to entertain the troops in World War I. Carlson's father "always sang to us," she says, "and Mom played the violin until she could play "Silent Night" and then quit. I still have that violin."
Nafe recalls her mother "so missed the family singing around the piano that was what she missed most when I went to college."
Graduating to the organ came at various times for the three.
"When I was 13," says Carlson, "the church (Bethesda Lutheran at Moorhead) gave me organ lessons. There was nobody to play as the organist would be graduated and gone. They asked me if they would give me the lessons if I would be willing to play. So after five organ lessons, they said, 'OK you're ready.' My sister, Colleen, took over after I played for my four years of high school."
One of Carlson's memories is playing for a church full of sailors. "I played the Navy Hymn and it was very emotional. It has always stayed with me." Working in Omaha after graduation, she continued to play occasionally at her home church until she married and moved to California. After moving back to Iowa, she played at the Methodist Church in Dow City, "filled in for weddings and funerals" in Ida Grove and then at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Sioux City.
When the family of four settled at Kingsley in 1975, Albert Bottjen came to her door. "He asked me if 'the mother' was home," remembers Carlson. "Albert told me he would have the pastor (Resner) see me, and he did within a day." Since then she has played at First Lutheran. "People always knew when an organist was coming to town before you even got there."
Nafe's piano teacher propelled her from piano to organ.
"She mentioned to my parents that I would likely play the organ and that she would help me. Every Sunday after church she gave me lessons (at the Kingsley United Methodist Church). The first time I tried it, my feet got so wrapped up. You learn that you can't look at your feet, you just have to feel the pedals. Nafe continued with organ lessons from Faith Woodward when she attended Morningside College.
"At 15, I started playing the organ for Sunday school in the early 1940s," continues Nafe. "After college I got married, had three babies and transferred to the Pierson United Methodist Church" where she continues to play. "I started playing the organ there in the '50s and felt honored that I was asked to do it."
Berens moved from piano to organ, self-taught, playing "off and on for weddings," until she began playing full-time at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Kingsley with the retirement of Mrs. Ben Wessling in the 1960s. When the church purchased a new organ in 1981, she took lessons from Sister Mary Arnold at Briar Cliff College.
The three also have been their church's choir directors, Carlson organized a youth choir when her children were teenagers and Nafe continues in that capacity. Each organist has a key to the church, and Berens, who lives three houses from the church, plays there an hour per day.
Carlson's rehearsal time varies. "I like to plan my special music to coincide with what's going on, and sometimes I've even done that during the service. When I practice, it's very relaxing. My sister and I practiced in high school before basketball games; it relaxed us."
Nafe says, "I get the music by Monday and have the week to practice." The organ she plays is the oldest of the three church organs, made by H.H. Vogelpohl and Sons of New Ulm, Minn., and dedicated in 1921. Ironically, Nafe's organ teacher at Morningside was the organist for the dedication, Faith Woodward. The two-manual pipe organ with 803 pipes was played for many years by Weir Mills, who himself began playing for the Pierson church at age 15, and in 1959 gave the organ to the church.
Memories are many for the organists. Berens especially remembers playing for Pierson native, John Sheehan's first Mass in his home parish after he was ordained into the priesthood. Carlson played for the Greek wedding of one of her co-workers. Her grandson, Travis, was with her and remarked, "They danced all the time." Nafe recalls playing "The Church in the Wildwood" for a wedding at the Little Brown Church.
The philosophy of the women on their years of service is fairly similar. "God gave me a talent," shares Berens, "and I should use it and play for the people and 'pay back,' so to speak."
Nafe says, "I just hope the music makes the service more meaningful. I know that when I step into a church and hear the organ playing, I truly like it."
Carlson adds, "Music should make people feel emotion. If it can make them feel inspired, church is more special to them."
And playing for more than 50 years? Carlson probably speaks for the three of them when she says, "It has always been part of my life. I have a favorite quote from Johann Sebastian Bach. 'I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.' "
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