High esteem for the pipe organ?

[alan29]

I have been told that a favourite pastime among Anglican cathedral organists is model railways ........ tough I don't know how true that is. It was certainly the opinion of my organ teacher several decades ago.

[Peter Jones]

I have been told that a favourite pastime among Anglican cathedral organists is model railways ........ tough I don't know how true that is. It was certainly the opinion of my organ teacher several decades ago.

At least two people who post here have a similar interest - but not necessarily the time to indulge in an undertaking of such high esteam. One person who posts here, I think, is more of a London Transport buff. At least one Bishop I know is a heritage railway fan. All have a high esteem for the organ.

Wasn't Westminster Cathedral organ originally blown by a gas engine? That must have been a fine piece of engineering to play with.

[musicus]

I'm not going to get all steamed up about this but merely remind you that new and relevant threads are always welcome.

[Nick Baty]

Which reminds me, I know of one well-known composer who has steam trains on vinyl 33rpm (remember those?). Staying on-topic, he's a fairly fine organist too!

[JW]

Trying to help the moderators out here:
The old GIRM still gave pride of place to the organ. Does the recently published one do the same

[Peter Jones]

For those who want to save the Church - kill the organ ????

See here.

[nazard]

...Later, at any poorly financed suburban parish, there’s the possibility of wincing through “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love” on the organ, even though the iconic tune was written in the late ’60s for acoustic guitar...

Is there any other possible response to that piece of banality no matter what it is played on?

[Peter]

Is there any other possible response to that piece of banality no matter what it is played on?

In the very next paragraph the writer says:

... our tolerance for the banal, predictably, is waning.

... even having just referred with implied approval to an "iconic" tune about whose merits (or lack of) I'm in full agreement with Nazard - I think it's one of the dreariest tunes around!

On the organ vs guitar question, we have an organ and fortunately (since about a year ago) someone to play it regularly, after a couple of years when it was played only when the organist was available (about half the time on average). We did have a very keen guitarist, who unfortunately left us about four or five years ago. We have a small instrumental ensemble, which can manage on its own but usually does better with either organ or guitar. Opinions among the congregation vary: some like the organ, some would rather the instruments played without the organ as they feel the organ slows the hymns down.

A few weeks ago I played in the instrumental group at a Confirmation Mass, which drew on a range of musical resources available and styles used in the parishes involved: some items were accompanied by organ, some by instrumental group with keyboard, some involved a choir singing in parts. It must be wonderful to have a choice of resources like that; at my own church, the choice of what we use to accompany the singing is a very pragmatic one: who is available on the day to play what.

The organ at my church is a small one, acquired when a local convent closed. Our PP's esteem for it went up when it received a much-needed overhaul recently and the organ builder told him how much it was worth!

[Southern Comfort]

...Later, at any poorly financed suburban parish, there’s the possibility of wincing through “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love” on the organ, even though the iconic tune was written in the late ’60s for acoustic guitar...

Is there any other possible response to that piece of banality no matter what it is played on?

It's perfectly possible to play this on the organ in a way that would get even the dreariest congregation on its feet. Admittedly cinema organ techniques come into play here, but the aim is to give rhythmic support to a congregation in organistic terms — semi-staccato pedal notes, r.h. well-articulated melody with l.h. lots of détaché chords, etc, etc. None of your ultra-legato smooth stuff here!

And try reharmonising it as in Praise the Lord (1972), with a D flat 7th chord underneath [And they'll] "know we are Christians" followed by Cm7 underneath "by our" when you get to the refrain (assuming you're playing it in F minor). Makes a world of difference!

[Reginald]

nazard wrote:

...Later, at any poorly financed suburban parish, there’s the possibility of wincing through “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love” on the organ, even though the iconic tune was written in the late ’60s for acoustic guitar...


Is there any other possible response to that piece of banality no matter what it is played on?

Southern Comfort wrote:

It's perfectly possible to play this on the organ in a way that would get even the dreariest congregation on its feet. Admittedly cinema organ techniques come into play here, but the aim is to give rhythmic support to a congregation in organistic terms — semi-staccato pedal notes, r.h. well-articulated melody with l.h. lots of détaché chords, etc, etc. None of your ultra-legato smooth stuff here!

Not much prompts me to write rather than just read but SC is absolutely right, it makes a good quickstep (lh crotchet, 2 quavers, crotchet, crotchet - pedal on the 1st and 3rd beats of the bar - lh registration snappy and reedy with a full registration for the rh). Top it off by taking each verse up a semi-tone and you might almost be in a well-known ballroom on the Fylde coast.

None of which should be taken as an endorsement of that particular piece of music.

[nazard]

I agree with the various suggestions for how to make a silk purse out of this particular sow's ear, but it always makes me think of a fairground organ. Perhaps the answer is to mount a little marionette on the front of the organ to conduct the congregational singing?

Marenghi

The drums might come in handy for this sort of drivel too.

[mcb]

I don't think this is fair. The song isn't everyone's cup of tea, evidently, and for sure it works better with guitar or a cappella than with a laboured organ accompaniment. But that doesn't make it drivel or banality, or dreary. Sung in the right way it's none of those, but more to the point for some people it works as prayer.

[alan29]

And it conveys a meaning that is at the heart of our faith.

[HallamPhil]

... and the greater challenge is not how to render the song but rather how to ensure that outsiders will 'know we are Christians by our love'. Putting faith into action beond the enclosed space of worship is a focus for the Year of Faith which we are in danger of overlooking if we concentrate on embracing the easier liturgical and devotional stuff. But of course this has nothing to do with organs!

[alan29]

I think that is at the heart of what we do as liturgical musicians.