Church organists behaving badly

[marval]

I wonder how many organists have played something a little unusual in church. This article is amusing, for those who have or would like to.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3451683.stm

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha Dame Margaret,

When I was employed as organist I would ever so often sneak in a known and popular melody disguised during Communion. 99.97% of those in the pews never knew what happened - nobody was really listening. I had a wonderful working relationship with the priest who was a very musically gifted soul.

He would then after the service dash up to the loft where I was, grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire Cat, and comment on how wry my *flourish* was. On occasion there would be an organist or other musically gifted person on vacation who would also stop by and we would have some gut-busting laughs, like when I used the themes from *The Three Stooges*, *Batman*, *Superman*, or some other TV sitcom - yes, I have been SOOO naughty at times.

Cheerio,

CD

[marval]

HI CD,

I love the idea that organists can be naughty at times, especially if the congregation don't notice. Good for you I say.


Margaret

[Tûrwethiel]

How funny ... and clever. I'll bet there's a little more in the collection plate at those churches next Sunday!

[Krummhorn]

I'm also guilty of doing this ... I bet another organist in my church that I could play "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandee" in church, at communion, and nobody would be the wiser. I waited a few weeks for the right opportunity, then proceeded to play that tune - and quite reverently - nobody knew what it was, except myself and the other organist.

Last year, April Fool's day fell on a Sunday. Organists all across the nation were threatening to do some form of musical gag. During communion at one of the services I played the Mickey Mouse theme song - slowly - The pastor caught it right away and gave me a wry smirk ... My postlude that day was the them song from the "Leave It To Beaver" TV show of long ago.

So, yes, Margaret, we organists are "naughty" at times ... we can only be so reverent for so long ya know ... it's gotta come out eventually.

[marval]

That is good to hear Krummhorn. Here is something a little different on an organ.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFnQZicYjpA

[Krummhorn]

Interesting video ... poor kid must have been edgy for that performance. Hopefully the Rector or other clergy weren't nearby

I'll routinely do some secular works in my concert programs. On the slate for a concert I'm doing on November 29th at a Roman Catholic church, is the Scott Joplin Rag, The Entertainer, amongst other tongue-in-cheek pieces. They are usually well received.

[Contratrombone64]

quite amusing

[marval]

Well here's Scott Joplin.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h57QylwtD90

[dll927]

I once had a neighbor, of Korean ancestry and rather diminutive in size, who had majored in organ and once had the opportunity to sit at the Mormon Tabernacle organ and try it out. This was back in the Alexander Schreiner days. She proceeded to do a quick rendition of "Twelfth Street Rag". She said Schreiner just about had to pick himself back up off the floor!! That was HER story, so I have no documentation for it.

There is a high school in Fullerton, CA that has an organ in its auditorium. (High schools must have at one time been rather profligate with money!!) The dedication of the organ was done in 1930 by Schreiner, probably when he was univ. organist at UCLA. Small world we live in!!

Speaking of high schools with pipe organs in their auditoriums, there must have been a time when such was fairly common. My own mother went to Chaffey H. S. in Ontario CA, which is quite an old long-standing school, and at least at one time they supposedly had a four-decker in their auditorium. I doubt if a high school has been supplied with an auditorium in the last forty years, at least.

[Krummhorn]

. . . . . There is a high school in Fullerton, CA that has an organ in its auditorium. (High schools must have at one time been rather profligate with money!!) The dedication of the organ was done in 1930 by Schreiner, probably when he was univ. organist at UCLA. Small world we live in!! . . . . .

Small world indeed ... Orange County was my old stomping grounds up until 1980!! The Fullerton HS Wurlitzer is still active today, thanks mostly to the ATOS and its members. I used to attend the college across the street - for some student general meetings, the organ was played by the faculty ... it was always thrilling to hear it as the console rose out of its pit ... !

[Sylvie Pacey]

Playing for a local farmer's funeral some years ago (He was a well known cider maker and drinker) I played "Drink up thee cider" Don't think anyone noticed except the vicar who by the way was full of fun.Sylvie

[marval]

Well done to you Sylvie, by the sound of it that was a very appropriate tune. And I don't think a funeral music need be all sad, depressing music.


Margaret

[Soubasse]

What a marvellous breath of fresh air to read this and discover more irreverance that is right up my street - I've been doing this sort of thing for a long time and haven't been caught out (yet ).

My first teacher, although I wasn't taking lessons with him for long, had a very impish sense of humour. Any who knew him became accustomed to hearing him practicing at the piano, and then without warning break into the theme to Laurel & Hardy or sometimes that ghastly Mozart C Major Sonata, but vastly improved by playing the left hand a semitone out from the right. Then, one Sunday morning while he was playing before the service, I heard what could only have been a Bach chorale prelude, but with quite a surprise when the "chorale" tune began - sure enough, it was Laurel & Hardy again. Thus began my approach to pre-service (and during service) improvisations.

The congregation at our cathedral have for close to 20 years now been blissfully unaware of the number of TV, Movie and Progressive rock themes that have been heard blasting - subtly or unsubtly - from the gallery at the hands of yours truly. Howard Goodall has quite a look in from me as I've used not just Blackadder, but Red Dwarf and Mr Bean as well in various guises (it's also nice to have had Mr Goodall's blessing in this matter as he was quite chuffed when I told him). By the way, Red Dwarf works very well as a minor key choral prelude.

Also being the Prog rock fan that I am, more than just a few old Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Mike Oldfield charts have snuck into sundry noodlings. Probably the most risky one for me was thinking "how far can I take this" and at one time, I played as literally as possible, Los Endos by Genesis - surprising how well that translates to the organ!

All seriously good fun!

[Krummhorn]

What a splendid romp, Soubasse.
Most of my congregation is oblivious to anything I play for a postlude (except JSB stuff), so I'll have to try some of these someday, that is if I can keep a straight face. You see, since the choir area also houses the organ console, the choir remains seated for the postlude ... one of the Tenors, seated right next to the organ bench is also an organist ... he always gets the chuckles when I insert the odd "sixth" to some chords.