What colour is yours?

[oopsorganist]

Oh my goodness

Our church is being repainted. Cream with contrasting pink bits around back of High Altar and pink mouldings around arches, beige capitals etc.

I was playing with the music group this morning when I looked up at the Lady Altar I was a bit stunned to see they have painted the organ console casework to match. It is now pink. The side panels are ,so far, still white and the shutter box sticking out the top is left the mid blue colour. It looks like a Walt Disney Cake. It will look good with tinsel on.

I've got a Barbie pink organ! It makes a change. It has now been painted as often as it has been tuned this century.

What colour would you like your organ painted?

I'd attach a photo of it blue but have not quite worked out how to do this.

[alan29]

Ermmmm
Is this the right sort of board????

Alan

[nazard]

I think we just have to be grateful for any paint at all.

[contrabordun]

...well you may find it needs tuning again..

[docmattc]

What colour would you like your organ painted?

Well I much prefer the au naturel look. You can't beat a sparkling piece of wood showing its grain for the world to see. I'm convinced (without any evidence to hand) that a covering to one's casework is bad for sound quality, and also looks naff.

There's also nothing quite as satisfying as being able to give one's organ a good polish before the major feasts- can't to that if its painted.

I think I've avoided any inuendo in this reply, no doubt if Musicus spots any he will whip it out straight away.

[alan29]

Oh dear. I think Mrs Johnson is going to have to phone the doctor again for more of those special extra big tablets.

Alan

[musicus]

I think I've avoided any inuendo [sic] in this reply, no doubt if Musicus spots any he will whip it out straight away.

Just to assure you that that did not pass unnoticed. (Tonight's I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue - a programme much loved by several on this forum - was a classic of innuendo.)

[alan29]

Ahhhh! Humph, my hero.

Alan

[oopsorganist]

And further more

the lid was painted stuck shut, there is pink paint sploshed around inside it ie on the inside of the manuals desk, the pegs on the music stand have been painted pink as has bizarrely the light switch. This too is stuck unfortunately in the off position.

Some structural rough timbers, are now painted gold. As is the reading lamp cover.

The organ sounds OK but it is a bit worrying. [/img]

[docmattc]

That is worrying. In spite of its condition, a pipe organ is probably the most valuable object in any church, and certainly the most delicate. That the powers that be can consider it acceptable to treat it in this way is disgraceful.

[docmattc]

...and bear in mind that reading lamp covers get hot- heat and paint aren't always a great combination.

[presbyter]

Oooops - Your diocese seems to need an organ guide - for example:

http://www.abcm.org.uk/page4/page5/index.html

[oopsorganist]

and further damage

When I arrived this morning I found a heavy old mirror leant on the front of the pipes which stand either side of the console, someone kindly lending a mirror? someone trying to arrange sight down into the church? so I moved it off the pipes, but the end pipe, not the one the mirror was leant on, the next one along, has fallen over as far as it can go, luckily kept in by the rough bar at the top ( a later addition) and the outer casing, that's an 8 foot pipe trying to fall over.

I think two other big pipes are off line too, since redecoration, and have been watching them tipple over for a while.... I can see further inside now, and some of the wooden pipes are away with the fairies too...... the pink paint is now cracking on the lid/ music stand as it turns out to be emulsion, PP was not at all pleased to be told about the pipe so I don't mention the paint, although surely someone else must have noticed it leaning so wildly? He muttered about it being Easter and organ tuner will be busy etc etc. I have spoken to the organ people, and asked PP for tuning, but I think it might be bad news all this toppling. I read yr article, Presbyter, and have put the organ on the NPOR because it is 1895 and of a piece with the church design, the organ tuner says it is based on the case of the organ in Town Hall but not of any particular value/merit.... when I mention the organ PP rambles on about how he had one he was going to buy from a church in Pudsey but someone beat him to it...... there have been several funerals this week, how come no one else noticed? Or did it happen this morning? Am I fussing about nothing? It's not like anyone sings anyway. Might as well let it all collapse, no one cares. I wish I had not bothered him about getting more hymn books now, he'll be right grumpy.
arghhhh
(Watch me get into trouble for putting it on the organ register!)

[docmattc]

Do these inclined pipes actually speak or are they for decoration?

Could you ask the parish council why they are allowing a part of the church to be vandalised?


Faced with your position, I would be thinking about taking my gifts elsewhere, but I realise that I don't have an oopspouse or oopsettes to consider.

[oopsorganist]

They are speaking pipes about 8 inches ish in diameter.... I think Great Pedal or Violon, I dunno, I do not have adventures with my feet, they stand on tiptoes at the front either side, or lean now.......... maybe it was the earthquake? Now I am wondering how they stand up anyway, do they lean on each other? Doesn't that make everything rattle wrong? It is probably a big health and safety issue, size of pipe and proximity to organist .......

not having an organ would probably improve the singing, the organ doesn't seem to have very much in higher range of sounds. Learning to sing together might be a way forward. But I am very fond of the organ. It amuses me.

It is my fault. I have a battle going on about the notice board and played pop about an old rubbish mirror surrounded by old notices about the Crusades and so on. I could make you laugh, but twould be off thread. (Probably lead to a "What is on your notice board thread" by moderator). I think the mirror is a gift and an attempt to solve the issue. Maybe. I should not interfere in things.

Parish Council is in Spain. Another problem there. Absentee Chairperson.

As for walking away, where would I go? I am a rubbish musician anyway. Mr. Oops is not Catholic, putting it mildly and the little oopsies don't put in an appearance much, as said, the parish does not really do Young People, it's more a centre of alienation. A pity really since they could be a choir/music group by themselves. Which says it all, if I had left the notice board alone ( and not put up a Fair Trade collage amongst other activities) maybe I would not have go up so many noses and the organ would be wobbling on pinkly for a while longer. Or if I had bigger Faith then the oopsies would have come along .... either way bad. I will manage summat for Easter and then consider what is best for the parish. They may be better off without me and the organ, we're both not helping matters much.