Second, and not unrelatedly, churches reflect our culture in that they think music should be free or nearly free and, for some reason, to be a musician, particularly a classically trained church musician, it is improper to expect monetary reimbursement. After all, isn't one using her gifts in service to the church viz. a higher calling? For some reason the clergy with their ostensible higher calling, are lured to a church with not only a salary, but pensions and health insurance and in most cases either a housing allowance or outright housing. Yet, the organist/choir director, by virtue of being merely a musician, barely receives a weekly part-time stipend, for which he or she is supposed to be grateful, the man-hours of daily practice and preparation and years of training notwithstanding.
Suddenly the church cries poor: "well we're a small parish and can't afford (read: want) to pay the organist very much. The result of this dismal attitude is that the standard of playing in most churches is at best sub-par: "you get what you pay for"(sic), as the saying goes. Yet, with pathetic irony, churches are constantly lamenting over what seems to be an apparent shortage of organists. Again, via the church, we have a reflection of our culture's bias against serious music; treating it as being frivolous or insignificant; or as played under the above circumstances — boring. The end result: the organ is that boring, turgid, bland instrument in church that old Mrs. Leftfoot plays every Sunday. Such is the plight that few people, mostly in smaller churches, rarely get to experience the emotionally and spiritually energising thrill of dynamic, musically charged hymn playing.
Article comments
1 - fcetier
In Dec. of 2004, "Rolling Stone" magazine selected Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" as the greatest song of all time. A key component of the song is an organ riff that was improvised by session musician Al Kooper.
I agree with their choice and I've always enjoyed music from groups that included the organ such as Blood, Sweat, and Tears and Steppenwolf.
2 - Scott Deitche
I saw Deep Purple at Giants Stadium in 1988. During "Knocking at Your Back Door", Jon Lord took a hold of his Hammond with one hand and rocked it until it almost fell over, while playing the song with the other.
You can't do that with a piano.
3 - Richard Torrence
Thanks for your good comments, but I wish you had mentioned that Cameron Carpenter is leading the "cape" movement today. Not that he has a cape, like Virgil Fox (and Leonard Bernstein) did, but that he uses crystals and unusual clothes to call attention to the presence of the organ's performer. I was Virgil's manager for 17 years, co-wrote "Virgil Fox (The Dish)," which is a marvelous, hilarious book (not because of my co-authorship, but that of Ted Alan Worth, initially, and Marshall Yaeger, who edited it and gave it shape--and produced it).
Cameron I also manage, which should make the lineage clear: 48 years ago I began to work with Virgil; four years ago I began to work with Cameron. Cameron has a brilliance and musicality that overcomes my promise to never be a manager again; I couldn't resist. And, because of media access via the Internet, and the brilliant digital virtual pipe organ available today (Virgil would have eaten his heart out to have better touring instruments than he had; Cameron will have a startling new touring organ by the fall of 2010), being a manager is even more fun today.
This is the 30th anniversary of the death of Virgil, and Cameron is less than 30 years old. Both got the genes of transcendental talent and brilliant public performance on the organ. Both also got that it is the music and the artist, not the organ, that are of prime importance.
Oh yes, and "the show." Showmanship is natural with the greatest of artists; don't let anyone mislead you on that score. Liszt, Paganini, Horowitz, Bernstein, Stokowski, Virgil, now Cameron. A great tradition.
4 - Ralph Fisher
Thank you Mr. Torrence. I do cover have further comments about both Mr. Fox and Mr. Cameron in Parts II, IIIa,b,c, IV. Unfortunately they can only be seen on my personal blog because I inadvertently published them there first, and Blogcritcs won't publish them. I've also published them now on my Facebook page. I think you'll find the series interesting.
5 - Richard Torrence
I did read the whole series, and thanks for the time that you took. To cut to the quick, it's not the organ that's important, it's the artist, and I think that you say that with reference to Lizzie, also. Much too much hang up with the organ as an instrument; it's just a mechanical (digital, also) means to an end. Paganini, Liszt, Horowitz, Bernstein, Stokowski, Fox, and Carpenter define their respective instruments. Just being able to play them doesn't say much; sheer mastery does.
Glad for your comments.
6 - Jimmy Smith
I might be dead, but I just had to wake up and tell you that the organ has evolved since Bach. Go listen to my work and know that the "Organ" is alive and well.