David Dahl’s late career showcased a rich tapestry of contributions to the organ community, marked by his focus on teaching, composing, and consulting. His journey as a composer began with the publication of “Hymn Interpretations” in 1999, a collection of hymn-based pieces that evolved from an undergraduate course he developed on hymn improvisation. In this course, students learned to notate their improvisational ideas and then perform them in class, forging a strong foundation for their later roles as professional organists and inspiring Dahl’s own written improvisations.
Among his earliest works were service compositions, such as Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, designed for Christ Episcopal Church, where Dahl where Dahl served as Director of Music Ministries for 40 years. These pieces were an integral part of the church’s services and continued to be utilized long after Dahl’s retirement, though they remained unpublished.
Dahl’s creativity extended to the organ repertoire with pieces like the “English Suite for Organ” and the “Italian Suite for Organ.” The “English Suite” paid homage to Georgian composers, while the “Italian Suite” explored the harmonic colors of meantone temperament, inspired by Dahl’s experimentation with a borrowed English virginal tuned in meantone.
Beyond his compositions, Dahl’s expertise as an organ consultant became increasingly well known as churches sought his opinions. His extensive experience with organ building, including his time at Olympic Organ Building Company, and subsequent independent consultancy, was enriched by his numerous tours of historic European organs and visits to prominent new instruments in both the United States and Europe.
One notable consultation was for Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, WA. The church had tragically lost a 16-stop Walcker organ in an arson fire the night before Easter and needed a replacement that would suit its new, larger building. The church had replacement insurance and sought Dahl’s guidance on a larger tracker organ, leading to the selection of a proposal from local builder Martin Pasi for an organ of approximately 30 stops. The acoustical setting of the new building was almost ruined when the company installing the sound system declared the room “too live” and proposed carpet and other sound-deading strategies. Acoustical engineer Glen White opposed the changes, and the organ ultimately found its new home in a room complemented by the preserved, live acoustics.
Dahl also consulted for Queen Anne Lutheran Church in Seattle and Calvary Lutheran Church in Federal Way, WA, guiding the installations of organs that overcame unique architectural challenges. At Queen Anne Lutheran, local organ builders Paul Fritts and Martin Pasi, were asked to submit proposals, but neither did due to excess workload. The organ was ultimately built by Robert Wech. Due to a large stained glass window that couldn’t be blocked, the chests and key desk had to separated, with trackers running under the floor. At Calvary Lutheran Church in Federal Way, WA, the church selected the builder Kenneth Coulter to make a two manual tracker organ of about 16 stops.
David Dahl’s contributions extended beyond formal consultations to shaping the designs of significant local organs, like those at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) and Christ Episcopal Church. Dahl was interested in developing organs with integrity, but with enough breadth to convincingly play music of other organ traditions. When you look at the PLU case, you think “18th century German organ with a ruckpositiv” but the music of the French Classical period and even the French Romantic period sound good. The Christ Episcopal organ, though fashioned after 18th century Dutch organs, handles a large repertoire. Dahl attributes these traits to the “genius ears of great organ builders.”
In his teaching role at Pacific Lutheran University, Dahl cherished the vibrant community of organists he cultivated. Even though the new organ should have attracted new students, shifts in tuition structures led to a decline in organ enrollment. At the beginning of his career, students paid a flat fee and could take any number of credit hours. As PLU changed the tuition structure, it began to require extra payment for private lessons. Thus many piano majors, voice majors, and others, who might have signed up for organ lessons were no longer able to do so due to financial constraints. Even so, Dahl’s fondest memories are of group classes where students fostered mutual support through shared performances, developing bonds that would last long past graduation.
Remarkably, PLU offered a Master’s program in organ performance for about a decade, during which Dahl mentored numerous graduate students, many of whom pursued successful careers as organists, composers, and educators. These interactions highlighted Dahl’s enduring impact as an educator and his dedication to nurturing the next generation of musicians.
David Dahl’s career was a testament to his diverse talents and unwavering commitment to the world of tracker organs and church music. He skillfully balanced his roles as a performer, church musician, composer, teacher, and consultant, leaving an indelible mark on each domain. In doing so, he not only enriched the traditions of organ music but also inspired countless individuals who continue to keep his legacy alive.