Posted on 04/09/2017 4:10:22 AM PDT by NYer
From The Baltimore Sun:
When the longtime organist at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Havre de Grace announced her retirement last fall, the leaders of the small 200-year-old congregation faced a bigger challenge than they knew.
Music — particularly the music of the organ — is central to the life of the church. Members say the instrument’s rich sounds complement their liturgy, inspire congregational singing and even seem to invite the Holy Spirit into their presence.
But a six-month search has turned up just one potential applicant. Church leaders are trying every new strategy they can think of to get things moving.
Related: Organ envy — in praise of pipe organs in church
“We’re praying and trying to stay optimistic, but this we had no idea how challenging this would be,” says parishioner Casi Tomarchio, a member of the search committee. “There aren’t enough organists out there.”
At a time when fewer Americans describe themselves as affiliated with any religious denomination, the ranks of those who play the instrument long considered a mainstay of Christian worship — the organ, and most specifically, the pipe organ — are thinning.
The shortage has hit less hard in major metropolitan areas, where historic cathedrals and churches with bigger budgets can invest the funds it takes to buy and maintain a serviceable organ and offer a musician full-time work.
But smaller congregations — including those in rural and suburban America — are feeling the pinch.
Did you know Alyce Bianco at Arch St. UMC? I learned more about organ playing from her than all the big names.
I hate to admit it, but I agree with you; today an Allen is going to cover anything for a small or medium congregation, and a good electronic organ is better than a middling pipe organ.
I know two organists very, very well. Personal friends. They are both as straight as can be. I know several others in passing, and since my mom was a professional dancer, I can spot 'em, and I don't believe they're homosexual. I know one church organist who is, but he isn't a very good organist, mostly a choir director.
Maybe somebody in your company was advertising, as you said, in the homosexual publications.
I've known two who weren't. Of course, they're women.
EXACTLY! I have been comparing them to Disney musicals for decades. Composed to appeal to 10-year-old girls.
A positive story:
http://www.smarymag.org/uploads/docs/bulletins/20160724.pdf
http://www.smarymag.org/liturgy-music
I started as church organist when I was 12. I can assure you that I am not homosexual.
I started as church organist when I was 12. I can assure you that I am not homosexual.
Here is a hymn played on an church organ with the parishioners participating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlwtgaQZYDI
Same here.
The one at my church is an older married lady and very nice person.
I am not a homosexual, but I have been a church organist on and off for over thirty years, currently at a church in Chicago, where I have been for 23 years. Over 50 years ago, when I was 9, my parents asked if I was interested in taking music lessons, specifically organ lesson, probably because they would rather hear that than drums, three-chord rock ‘n’ roll, etc. I said yes to organ lessons and also began learning the trumpet in school at the same time.
At that time, organ and piano stores were very common, as were places that offered lessons. It was common for people to have these instruments in their homes. None of those are at all common these days. But learning to play the organ at home provided a gateway for my becoming a church organist. When I was 16 or 17, our church organist wanted to retire, so I took over, and played and worked with the choir for a number of years. The other gateway was provided when I was brought up in church and learned to love the services to appreciate the traditional hymnody and instrumental music played on the organ. These days, if a church has more contemporary worship and a worship band, and the closest thing to an organ is an electronic keyboard (which is to say, not close at all) then it is unlikely to spawn new church organists. It doesn’t even need to.
I am not a professional-grade organist, but I am competent at it. I do it because it enjoy it. God has given me this gift, and being an organist is a way I can give back.
In addition to not being a homosexual, the other odd thing about me is that I am the organist in an Orthodox Church. Orthodox Churches traditionally do not use musical instruments of any kind, but some time early in the last century, some Greek churches in America decided to westernize and add an organ. When I began at this church, I had to learn not only the music, but also had to know the Divine Liturgy by heart, and be able to follow a language foreign to me. I won’t say I’m irreplaceable, but the church is going to have some problems finding someone new when my old hands are no longer fit for the keyboards.
I heard a story like that in a Harry Harlow interview. He was a Jewish NYer who went into salsa music in the 50s and became very successful at it. He said in the beginning he would get kicked out of bands for not being able to improvise during certain parts of the songs so he would listen to recorded salsa music and memorize the improvisations note for note. But he said after a while it was all just easy.
I hate organ music - I find it depressing. What’s that Emily Dickenson verse? “There’s a certain slant of light, On winter afternoons, That oppresses, like the weight. Of cathedral tunes.”
And I'll bet that your guitarist is front and near-center to the altar; not in a choir loft at the back of the church.
Nope, not front and center. Also the choir loft is not up to safety code.
Plus also in the Bible, the Psalms towards the end of that book speaks about worshiping God with even string instruments.
Plus the guitars are gentle on the ears.
Your response speaking like a judgemental lover of the TLM.
Plus also any good instruments that is played well, in church settings all give God glory.
This DVD came out a few weeks ago, at (http://deepfreezevideo.com/) It's from the same concerts as his Leon Live album, and maybe from the same tour you got to see. If you haven't bought it already, get it! I got mine last week and love it.
The music is done from a side area of the church.
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