Organists' point of view

[Contratrombone64]

I hope this is ok to give this link ... google found it for me.

http://www.allsaintskingston.co.uk/organ/index.htm

The various organists' tales here are very interesting and enjoyable. N.B. this organ has a Danish heritage.

I laughed at the descriptions of recalcitrant organists and their drunkness during sermons ... just doesn't happen today, does it?

[Krummhorn]

I howled upon reading "through the organists mirror" ... have had some interesting events occur to me over the years, too. Once, while playing a very quiet solemn prelude pipece before a wedding a completely drunken guest saundered over to the organ and said in a very loud voice, "sayyyy <burp> whennn ya gonnna <belch> play the Yel - low rose of <fart> Texas!" I've had one request to play "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" on one occassion - I said to myself 'why not' and ripped through it best I could without music. After that, I declined doing any home weddings.

Recently, as part of a laughter club we belong to, one of our meetings was held at a members house who claimed that after the meeting anyone was invited to sit down at his 'full size theater organ' and play whatever they wanted. I was invited to play and was rather intrigued by this - upon arriving discovered the 'full sized theater organ' was a simple Magnus Chord organ ... one very short manual and a bunch of unlabeled buttons at the left and a few short broomsticks for the pedals. I laughed when I saw this 'toy' ... some people's views of what constitutes a full size theater organ are certainly way off base. Needless to say I made up some lame excuse for not playing this contraption.

Fun memories ... but that article is really great reading ... and hilarious.

[Contratrombone64]

I'm glad to think that 15 century organists and organ builders got pissed and made nuisances of themselves ... man doesn't change through the ages, eh?

[Corno Dolce]

Hello CT64,

You should read about the flapdoodle betwixt the organbuilder Joseph Gabler and the Abbott of Weingarten Monastery in re to the finishing of the organ in the Basilica. Local lore in the town of Weingarten has it that Herr Gabler was so pissed off at the Abbott, so much so that Herr Gabler had reportedly pulled on a secret lever inside the organ case somewhere so that the organ sounded horribly out of tune.

The secret lever probably was and is a type of *Sperrventile* which could conceivably control the airflow to a certain organ division or two. The *altercation* probably was a result of Herr Gabler not being paid for the organbuilding services he rendered to the monastic community.

Cheers,

Corno Dolce

[NEB]

Yes - many years and services later I've seen a few too. Like the funeral where they dropped the coffin! or the bride whose dress split and her .... jumped out. The Bridesmaid who tripped over the train. The ring that fell down the central heating grille in the floor. The collapsing pew. The sound system with a life of its own.

Goodness - over the years it's all there.

[methodistgirl]

Nice story.
judy tooley

[Contratrombone64]

I remember once sing in the choir at St. Paul's Burwood, middle high church Anglican in Sydney's inner west. The organist was sitting at the console and the choir were all sitting on either side. A big truck went past and blew it's horn which was exactly the same note as the tonic of the anthem we'd just finished singing. We fell about laughing (or at least laughing without making a sound). Most amusing. I could see the organists shoulders moving up and down, quickly as he go the giggles.

[NEB]

Actually for me one of the funniest was a regular sunday service, and I'd just played the offertory and the congregation/choir sat down, except they must have sat down a little hard, and some screw must have given way, because just as I looked up I saw the entire back row of the choir disappear backwards only to be replaced by their legs and feet and robes flying everywhere.

You couldn't have staged a funnier scene.

[Contratrombone64]

NEB - that made me roar with laughter ... hope no one was hurt (at least physically not pride).

[NEB]

I know- I still laugh about it now, years later. No-one was actually hurt.

[NEB]

I was talking the other day with my priest about funny stories, and he remembered falling off a horse-drawn hearse.

Usually he sits up there with the driver, and then gets helped down between the step and the wheel bearing thingy. One day the lady that guided his foot wasn't there and he missed! You can fill in the rest...

[Contratrombone64]

I was sent one of "those videos" you get by email, you know. Showing a chap in a altar boy's rob holding a candle and his hair caught on fire. Much to the amusment of the altar boy standing next to him.

[NEB]

Howl with laughter

[NEB]

Not from the console but rather from the pit orchestra.

I was doing a show many years ago, and there was a danse des signes - type dance in it with 4 ballerinas entering from stage left. They were brilliant, all brought in from the Royal ballet school.

One night, well into the run, they decided to play tricks, and I was sat there in the pit playing this music, and on from the other side came 4 rolly-pollies in tutus. The trumpet player and I saw at exactly the same time, and if you have ever heard a trumpet and trombone how they sound when someone laughs uncontrollably down them then you can imagine the noises we made that night.

The entire orchestra collapsed!

[NEB]

Now that was the funniest ever that one....