[rodgersorgan] Christmas Music at Christmas- or Role of Organs in Church


I'm sorry, but this message got longer and longer.  Please consider what I'm 
saying, tho.

In a message dated 12/4/2002 8:57:07 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
rcullen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

> As one who has recently been asked to play "without the pedals" by the 
> music "leader" (an electric guitarist) and one who flatly refused, in a fit 
> 
> of final rebellion (and it was final) against church "musicianship" who 
> don't have a clue that the organ is NOT a backing instrument for a band... 
> (My ! that is a long sentence and it's not even finished!).. I would like 
> to hereby endorse this discussion about the role of the organ in 
> contemporary churches and seek to find some answers as to how we can 
> promote same yet again, as the king of instruments in such places.
> 

Ralph, and others,

I'd like to respectfully disagree with you wholeheartedly if you may allow.  
I will preface this by saying that I love organ music - more specifically, 
pipe organ music - but I will gladly take a fine electronic over a weak pipe 
organ.  I miss the "serious" sounding music in which I was brought up.  I 
regret the dumbing down of hymnbooks and church music in general (changing 
sharps to flats, simplifying the SATB parts, the singing of 4 lines of music 
repeatedly, etc.).

I sympathize with - but, also disagree with - the two main assumptions (#2 & 
3 below) you've made.  I hope that sentence made sense.  Before you flame me 
and call me names, please read through.  At heart, I prefer classical/baroque 
music, but my spirit is lifted often by the contemporary as well. 

1a.  "As one who has recently been asked to play "without the pedals" by the 
music "leader" (an electric guitarist) and one who flatly refused, in a fit 
of final rebellion..."  

       There are plenty of Bible verses that could be quoted to counter that 
statement.  But I will say one thing to this.....  we have no problem pulling 
out one of those "Music for Manuals Only " books from our repertoire and 
playing a manuals only piece from time to time on a substantial organ.  Why 
do we get our undies in such a bundle when we're asked to do so by someone 
else - whose title is "director"?

       The fact that the "leader" plays an electric guitar doesn't disqualify 
him from being the leader.  A great symphony conductor may have become 
proficient at the trumpet, violin, piccolo, bassoon, or kazoo, but that has 
no bearing on his/her ability to direct the symphony or to make suggestions 
to the various players in an effort to bring balance to the entire piece of 
music.

       If the "leader" is not qualified, I don't think it's because of his 
guitar background.    I will concede that there is a good chance that someone 
with a "guitar" or "band style" background will have a different perspective 
of what sounds good, and that will likely clash with that of a more 
classically trained person.

2a.  "The organ is NOT a backing instrument for a band..." 

I do not think that is a valid premise.  I think this is really an issue of 
pride - of which I am victim as well - on the part of us organists.  When I 
attended our Georgia Governor's Honors Program in 1975, I was one of 6 piano 
students from our state.  Somehow, I ended up working with the vocal majors 
for 6 weeks as accompanist.  With ony 4 years of piano lessons, I was reading 
(and sight-reading) open score vocal parts for them a few hours per day.  The 
accompaniments were fairly substantial as well, and I did a very good job.  
When performance time came, the orchestral folks played the accompaniment and 
I was handed the "harp" part to play on the piano.  Yes, it's humbling for 
those of us who have been in the forefront to take a seat in the very back.  
Perhaps, I'm accustomed to being placed in the supportive role in so many 
other areas of my life, that I've gotten kinda used to it.

       Organs are not the only instrument that must simply be "one of the 
bunch" at times instead of always being the "solo".  Just as well, in many 
organ concerti, the "organ" is a little portative or cabinet organ that is 
easily outdone by a piccolo!! - not the magnificent instrument we call king.

2b.  "endorse this discussion about the role of the organ in contemporary 
churches.." 

I guess my question is do we really want a "dialog" about the role of the 
organ in contemporary churches, or do we really just want to jump up and down 
in fits and tantrums in an effort to force others with different tastes to 
recognize "our" music and "our" instrument as being the most tasteful, most 
worshipful, closest to God, or whatever?

       Whether we like it or not, tastes in music have changed - both in 
genre and in instrumentation (please excuse me if my terms aren't used 
exactly correctly).  The church in which I grew up had a pipe organ.  The 
choir sang "anthems", not concert arrangements of familiar hymns.  An 
ensemble was called in to accompany Messiah.  The grand piano in the corner 
was only played when the childrens' choirs sang.  Soloists sang "anthemy" 
solos accompanied by the organ.  Childrens' and Teens' musicals were 
accompanied by piano and/or organ.  But..... I don't think accompaniment 
tracks had been invented, yet.

       There are many nowadays who enjoy the sound of guitars, pianos, 
keyboards, drums, etc. in their worship music.  Their tastes are not "lower" 
than ours, they're just different.  I'm speaking of the best of contemporary 
music, not the "7 lines sung  11 times" style that we think of when we 
consider contemporary.  You may not agree, but there is some very good 
contemporary Christian music out there that does have some musical value.   
Why is it necessary to adopt a particular style of music carved from a period 
of musical history some 200-300 years ago as appropriate for worship and, 
then look with indignance and condescension at those who wish to utilize the 
style of music of their times in their worship.

2c.   Contrary to the thinking of many organists, the organ is often called 
upon to simply be "one-of-the-bunch", as an equal player in this group of 
accompanists.  I submit that there is nothing wrong with that.

       As I was trying to educate myself in the area of "good quality" 
contemporary Christian music, I stumbled upon a website that discussed 
various issues facing churches that are shifting towards the contemporary or 
blended worship.  Mention was made of the organ shifting from being THE 
accompaniment to becoming more of a supportive instrument.  

       The "pedal" issue was raised.  Since contemporary music makes use of a 
style of bass line that is better handled by the bass guitar (some things 
can't be done on the pedals) then the organist is asked to give up the pedal 
part.  I guess, I ask whether or not that is a genuine concern.  Just because 
the pedals are there doesn't mean that they must be played.  If you were 
asked to play a chamber pipe organ that didn't have pedals in an ensemble 
(yes, even in church), would you be insulted at being asked to be a member of 
the group instead of the group?

       Given the resourses of a substantial organ, there is sooooooooooo 
incredibly much that can be done with the manual divisions that could be very 
welcome even in contemporary worship music.  Yes, the guitars will take the 
lead much of the time, but the organ will still have a substantial part to 
play - if we don't make ourselves so difficult to work with.

3.    "and seek to find some answers as to how we can promote same yet again, 
as the king of instruments in such places."

While the organ, by virtue of its size, power, range of dynamics, cost, etc. 
is called the King of Instruments, that doesn't mean that it has to be THE 
KING in every situation.  I appreciate what Ralph has said here, but I'd like 
to offer the following compromise:  

Instead of being intolerant of any idea that places the organ (or organist) 
anyplace but at the "top" we need to seek to find some answers as to how we 
can promote the organ as a very appropriate instrument for use even in more 
contemporary styles of Christian worship.

Over the past couple generations, styles of music, like other visual and 
performing arts, has evolved from the equivalent of "Norman Rockwells" that 
appeal to individuals from many walks of life to "Picassos" that appeal to a 
much smaller audience.  Fewer people have Picasso's hanging on their walls.  
The same thing has happened to organ music.  Much of what we force onto 
ourselves and others is simply not pleasing to the ear.  Then we look down on 
those who "tweak" the music in a way that the lay public enjoys it.

Like it or not, many modern day Christians (including those who have grown up 
in church as well as the millions now who have become Christians having never 
grown up in church) associate the organ with "haunted houses" or the "Phantom 
of the Opera".  They don't find that very worshipful.  It's not a matter of 
being uneducated.  I have four years of college, four years of medical 
school, and three years of residency training behind me, and I'm turned off 
by a lot of the pipe organ music I hear.  Fortunately, I heard enough organ 
music that was "pleasing to my ears" (as if composed by Rockwell) growing up, 
so I haven't categorically thrown out the organ.  Other highly educated 
people may not enjoy hearing an organ playing music as if it were composed by 
Piccasso.  

So we, as organists, and the organ as an instrument face some very deserved 
prejudices.  Our aim must be to remove those prejudices - but we will not be 
successful if we cannot become one of the bunch.  If we must be on top, then 
we won't win, and, I hate to say it, we don't really have any scriptural leg 
to stand on!!

If we can behave ourselves and really understand what helps people worship, 
we will be much more successful.  If we must have it all our way, we will 
lose what audience we do have.

Once in college, I heard very loud organ music coming from a dorm room down 
the hall.  I went down there and discovered it was an album: "Wives of Henry 
VIII" by Rick Wakeman.  I don't know if it was a pipe organ or not, but it 
was a "rock" album.  The organ was extremely visible and audible, but....... 
there were drums, orchestra, bass guitar, etc.....   And it was being 
listened to by a non-musician who didn't own any albums by Bach, Langlais, 
Messien, etc!!!!!  I only bring that up to justify my opinion that many 
people are willing to give the organ a chance.  Yes, there are some who want 
to throw the organ out the back door along with hymnbooks and any other 
vestiges of what they see as traditional worship.  But there are narrowminded 
people in both camps.

I contend that there will always be a place for the organ in worship - even 
in contemporary - but it will require some rethinking of our roles.  There 
will be some give-and-take on the parts of all musicians.  Organists are 
going to have to prove themselves as being well rounded musicians who can 
adapt to many styles, who can handle being the loudest sometimes, being the 
"fullness in the middle" sometimes, and being the quiet support in the 
background other times.  If we insist on being the leader and the loudest, 
then we will be rejected - and rightly so.  If we can prove how versatile the 
organ is - especially those of us who have Rodgers organs with MIDI 
sequencers and sound boxes - we will retain our presence.  Yes we will 
probably give up some of our "place" though.  The electronic sound devices 
provide those of us who play "toasters" (the pipe organ guys' name for 
electronic organs) a considerable advantage over the "pipe organ only" bunch. 
 With some practice and openmindedness, we can show how the PR300S or 
equivalent device can enable us to do so much more than the keyboard our 
church might be considering purchasing.

Darn, that was a long message.  Thanks for reading this far.  It's raining 
outside and it's supposed to start sleeting later today.  Our choir practice 
has been cancelled for tonight; we only had two more practices until our 
Christmas program, and WE'RE NOT READY!!!  I guess we're going to have a 
Christmas program like "The Waltons" on TV.

Merry Christmas,
Keith Zimmerman
Commerce, Georgia


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