[rodgersorgan] Christmas Music at Christmas- or Role of Organs in Church
- From: Kzimmer0817@xxxxxxx
- To: rodgersorgan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 11:50:12 EST
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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