How much do you improvise?

[Contratrombone64]

Our church organist played the elephant theme once (Carnival of the Animals) (quite heavily disguised) when a particularly obesse bishop was heaving himself off his fat b-hind and lurching for the pulpit, to the amusement of those of us who recognised it.

[Krummhorn]

That's rich, CT64 ... I can easily picture the scenario and the giggles that it produced.

I was once improvising towards the end of communion, and there was a kid who was just bawling up a storm ... parishioners are trying to meditate after returning to their pews, and I could see the frustrations of the parents worrying that this was disturbing the service ... without even batting an eye, I launched into the "Lullaby Song" on a soft 4' flute with celeste accomp - a quarter way through, the pastor began to chuckle at the altar, and soon afterward the congregation caught on ... the kid immediately went to sleep on his Dads shoulder ... first and only time my music has put anyone asleep in a church service.

[Soubasse]

OTFLMAO!!
That's brilliant Kh!

CT, just visited those links you posted. Are you one of the organists at CCSL? Many long years ago, I remember attending a lunch-time concert there by Dave Drury (who I think was incumbent there at the time, but I might be wrong). He let me have a play after the church had emptied - 'twas a lovely instrument, beautifully voiced I recall.

[Contratrombone64]

No, Soubasse, I don't play the organ at CCSL ... I'm an organist of VERY limited ability (read my profile). David Drury was there at one stage, not when I was a member of the congretation (might have been during my athiest stage). The main organist now is the absolutely marvellous Peter Jewkes. I think the only Australian to be a member of the American Guild of Organists (you knew that).

Sadly CCSL's lunchtime organ recitals fell by the wayside. However, St. Andrew's Cathedral (god help us), just up the road, has 1:10pm recitals every Friday.

[Soubasse]

Ah yes, Mr Jewkes - nice catch indeed! Met him some years ago at a conference I think (might have been an OHTA thing). Shame about the recitals, that organ deserves to be heard more often.

[Contratrombone64]

"that organ" does deserve to be heard more often, but hey, it's high church so it gets a much better workout than any of its nieghbours.

Speaking of underplayed organs. I discovered, to my delight (and horror) that there is a wonderful pipe organ at St. Peter's Julian (Catholic Church) George Street, with a 32' pedal stop.

I'd been into this church---which is murderously 1970s in design (check out the stained glass via the link below) (as I used to work across the road) for the odd meditative moment (CCLS, whilst also on George Street, isn't just across the road)---and was sitting there peacefully in prayer when the organ tuner came back to his job and farted one of the reed stops to oblivion. It made a sound like a deep voiced cow mooing in a paddock.

I thought peeing myself laughing in a church wasn't a good idea so promtply got up and left.

Here's a link to St. Peter's Julian (the 32' is a fake, but 32' nevertheless).

http://www.sydneyorgan.com/PJs.html

I particularly like the telephone next to the console, save shouting to the clergy below I guess.

[Soubasse]

Hmm - the church interior looks like a poor man's Coventry Cathedral.

[Contratrombone64]

Hmm - the church interior looks like a poor man's Coventry Cathedral.

Made me laugh because I just read a wicked book with a comment about a guy who'd been on a date with a lady. When asked what she was like, he said "Oh, like Coventry Cathedral ... splendid from the outside, dead boring once you're in "

very, very naughty

[Soubasse]

... but also funny