Invitation Only #14578

The Story

A black grand piano waits ready for someone to accept its invitation to come and play an elegant song. It’s the house piano in this beautiful old church, one that has been converted to a social hall and music concert hall. A red sash highlights the bench with a splash of color, the soundboard shows gold inside the dark case, and the lights reflect in deep blue on the black grand piano case.

This building is a classic Gothic architecture world that has high vaulted ceilings with arches and an elevated choir loft with large organ pipes behind. All the large German-style stained glass windows are intact. Just as there is grand beauty and elegance in this interior, the reverberation in this room for music fully matches the room although it can’t be seen, only felt.

This old Catholic church building itself dates from 1908 and was originally a German immigrant parish in the Cambria City section of Johnstown, PA. There were once many Catholic churches in that one small section of the city, But in recent times of reduced population, the diocese consolidated the parishes and sold the buildings. Fortunately, some were gathered up by a non-profit preservation society called The Steeples Project who now operates this beautiful reconditioned old church as a social and music hall.

Care to see a dramatic and elegant hand-tinted black and white version of this picture? It’s Black Tie #14579.

Location: Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania.