Dealing with impolite administrations.

[Soubasse]

I know well that the complaints that organists have with administrative folk at their many and varied churches are as many and varied as every single organ in the world, but I’m starting to feel as though my lot are out to set a precedent.

It clearly wasn’t enough at this cathedral that the skills of myself and the other organists have essentially been disregarded, ignored and treated with an attitude usually befitting some vile criminal. Now, without ANY conference with the organists and choir committee, the administration has seen fit to completely outsource the organisation of the entire cathedral music program, to a self-promoting, narcissistic pillock. Furthermore, it has taken place regardless of previous vocal and written objections (by many observers) to this person having anything to do with the cathedral.

I would be curious to know if anyone else has had the experience of:

1) meeting with a level of unprecedented disdain simply for minding your own damn business and doing your absolute best as a musician for 20 years as I have.
2) having their parish’s music program organised and directed by persons that have little or nothing do with their church, and having this appointment made directly against the advice of people who are all too aware of how much damage this will cause?

I apologise in advance because I know this is bound to annoy someone, but honestly, right at this moment I've had it up to here with CATHOLICS!! :banghead::scold::banghead::scold::banghead: :scold:

 

[Krummhorn]

Hi Soubasse,

Firstly, my sincerest sympathy to you as an organist for what has happened in your region. You have every right to be peeved at this moment ... I would be, too, especially given the many years that you have devoted to this professions so far.

I have heard some of these same horror stories from other colleagues of mine who were employed by the RC parish and/or diocese. Unfortunately, each individual parish is empowered to set up their own rules and the parish priest is usually the one who does the hiring/firing without having to consult anyone else.

In the US we have professional organizations .. one is the AGO (American Guild of Organists), of which I am a member, which has the strength to help prevent situations of the type you are experiencing now.

We had one local protestant church who fired their organist for absolutely no viable reason ... the local AGO chapter heard of the termination and intervened asking the church to reverse their decision. The churches council refused, to which the local AGO chapter effectively boycotted that church for over a year ... and this wonderful 39 rank Schlicker pipe organ went silent for that entire duration as the church was unable to secure ANY organist for the "open" position. That churches council finally relented, apologized to the terminated organist (who had secured another church position in the meantime) and offered her the job back along with back pay.

In my own church, I was hired by "letter of call" much in the same fashion that a pastor or priest receives such "calls". The letter of acceptance I signed is a personal written contract between myself and the church congregation. It cannot be terminated by either myself or the church without just cause ... and then only with 30 day written notice. I suspect "just cause" would be something silly like running naked through the church on Sunday morning ... barring that, I am relatively assured that I won't ever have the rug pulled out from underneath me.

I take note in seeing that the AGO does branch into Australia, too ... they have a contact person listed on the AGO website:

[FONT=Lucida Sans,Arial,Helvetica]South Coast and Australia
(Southern California, Australia)
[/FONT][FONT=Lucida Sans,Arial,Helvetica]Lea Schmidt-Rogers
6395 Rancho Mission Rd., #12
San Diego, CA 92108
619-284-9722 (H)
[email protected][/FONT]

Possibly this contact may be able to offer some help and/or guidance in this matter.
I wish you well ... and I do hope that this matter can be resolved to your liking.

 

[wljmrbill]

I too as Krummhorn have heard of many stories where organist/choirmaster are replace with no valid reason except for a "change" and many times over the objections of the congregation and/or vestry by the pastor/priest. I had that experience myself after 10 years of service and the only reasons given me by the priest was " he wanted a change" even the Bishop told me he did not understand what he met but he had the right to make any changes he wanted as far as music porogram was concerned. so guess "kiss ass might help'....LOL and the funny part is many a priest/pastor knows knowing about music except for what they might have a taste for as such...... I wish you "Best of Luck" with your next position.... Bill

 

[Soubasse]

Interesting points there chaps, thank you for taking the time.

Some of the machinations of the AGO have met with criticism from various bodies down here, but it's never been for any professional reason that I have heard, mainly personal bias. Besides which, given that there is no organised body in this country that looks after organists in this manner, seeking some advice from the AGO seems a perfectly reasonable idea. I may well pursue that.

The idea of "boycotting" the cathedral however - although fascinating in principle - is rather moot at this stage since we don't even have a real organ. Even if we did, I sure the admin would not care in the slightest. Incidentally, did that lady say yes to returning or was it more like "get ******!!"?

I too gained my position here by invitation and it's been thoroughly depressing seeing things deteriorate over the years the way that it has. It still astounds me, even after all this time with numerous petty dealings dealings with both C of E and RC churches, the amount of power given to one person who chooses, for whatever reason to remain ignorant of facts and exercise that power based upon ignorance. This happens so often without regard (or so it certainly seems) for commonsense, not to mention the feelings of those affected. Not exactly what one would call "Christian" behaviour. Their religion has for centuries relied upon word of mouth (when not torturing people) to spread. What would word of mouth do for this sort of behaviour (apart from secure them a position in corporate business?).

 

[Krummhorn]

. . . Incidentally, did that lady say yes to returning or was it more like "get ******!!"?

The latter ... :grin:

 

[Soubasse]

That was the correct response! :grin:

 

[Soubasse]

What?!?!?!

UPDATE
(a.k.a: You have got to be kidding me)

In order to avoid possible legal issues, I have kept names and places out of it (even though I've probably left enough clues in the past as to where I may be) but below is an excerpt from an email sent to the cathedral organists from our (aformentioned) new, narcissistic music director (yes, boy could I use other descriptions but to date, this forum has remained relatively profanity free and I don't wish to start tainting that). Things to bear in mind whilst reading this. This is a guy in his early 30s who has been flagged by a number of the professional music community (with good reason) as essentially incompetent. But clearly he has managed to pull the wool over the eyes of our equally incompetent administration.

Notes to Cathedral Organists:


KEY
Please ensure that the key used results in a melody which does not go above a C-natural and does not go lower than a bottom G where possible. Make good use of the transposer function on the organ. Remember: lower is better than higher.

VOLUME AND REGISTRATION
Please ensure that as many 8’ stops are used for congregational singing as possible – as it is the sound from these ranks which gets lost in the Cathedral acoustic. To support congregational singing, keep the volume of the organ slightly higher than seems comfortable in the loft. When doing so, reserve the use of brass [sic] and mixture stops for effect only in final verses of songs and hymns or where a particular climax is needed. When accompanying a Cantor singing solo from the Ambo, ensure that at least one 2’ rank is engaged so that the Cantor can hear the organ.

TEMPO
Please do not play too slowly – keep the tempo moving so that the people are not left breathless at the end of each phrase. This applies to all music, including sections sung solo by a Cantor. The delay in sound from the back of the church to the front is approx 1/6 of a second, or one quaver in a bar of 6/8 at dotted crotched = 120. Although significant, this is not enough to justify slowing the tempo down excessively for congregational singing.

REPERTOIRE
Do not substitute one hymn tune or Mass setting for another unless it has been approved beforehand. If an “organ solo” is listed in the music running sheet, this specifically means “organ repertoire”. Please choose to play something you are comfortable with from your own collection – something appropriate for the position in the liturgy which the work will accompany. Do not improvise something in its place.

Now, am I not in any way, justified in being exceptionally furious?

<rant>
I have being playing at this building for 20 years, not to mention maintaining a half-decent professional perfoming career mainly locally, but with a little bit of exposure interstate and even overseas. That's how long I've put so much of my life and passion into being the best I can on this instrument. I have come to know innately the idiosyncracies of this cathedral congregation - even as people have come and gone over the years - and their capabilities. In fact, to be honest, without sounding like I'm as full of myself as this prat, I know this building, its acoustics and its character better than most other musicians who have played there.

What kind of vain, conceited, HIGHLY ill-informed arrogance dares to tell any professional, experienced cathedral organist how to register and perform anything from hymnody AND NOT to improvise?? The latter completely flies in the face of the fact that there has been a strong tradition of improvisation (which has been embraced by every congregation) at this building for over 60 years!

:scold: :banghead: :scold: :banghead: :scold: :scold: :scold:
:scold:




It's okay, my wife's just thrown a bucket of water over me ...

</rant>

In the words of our late, lamented and much-loved sub-organist who died so suddenly and shockingly last year, this is "an unmitigated disaster"

 

[jhnbrbr]

Wow! We can all see that you're not exaggerating the problem now. This is the ultimate in control freakery, and highly insulting to send an email to experienced, dedicated musicians which implies they don't even understand the basics. Heartfelt sympathy!

 

[tittualex]

This is really sad state........ unfortunately....... it is like that everywhere........

 

[JONESEY]

Blimey Soubasse, I can see why that would make you mad.
That's the kind of notes I'd expect to find as a visiting organist who doesn't know the instrument, and / or the acoustics of the building ... not something that you'd expect to receive in your position as someone who knows the building and the instrument well.

Found his comments on the 8ft pipes during hymns interesting though ... on a course recently our tutor recommended having a 4ft pipe sounding during hymns as the congregation would be singing at the same pitch as the 8ft pipes, so a 4ft being an octave higher should cut through for all to hear.

I take it the person who wrote that note would disagree, but what do you think?

 

[Soubasse]

Absolutely. I would have thought any idiot (well, perhaps most idiots then) would know that if it's a clarity issue, then you provide a moderately strong foundation and then go for brighter 4' and/or 2' ranks. Adding more 8' ranks will only muddle the texture.

The thing is I guess - for me anyway - it reeks of ignorance. When I've given demonstrations to school classes (and I've given plenty), they at first seem surprised that in using combinations of 8, 4, 2 and mixture ranks, you are, from a pitching point of view, playing in combinations of octaves. Their intial impression seems to be one of "well it would sound like playing a tune on the piano just using octaves in both hands!" What I'm always quick to point out however is that it is the voicing of these ranks plays such a huge part in the overall tonal finish.

Also, apart from Cavaille-Coll's unique approach to voicing where you do have cause to use multiple 8' stops, one is hard pressed to find any other type of organ on which you can do this. We mostly have English organs down here, and where on earth is the point of using something like a very hushed gamba combined with a very loud diapason? There's no way you're actually going to hear the gamba, and furthermore, it's an unecessary expenditure of wind (which is a moot point on our toaster anyway!!).

Then of course, there was the reference to "brass" stops (as opposed to reeds) which is laughable IMO. Since when were oboes, bassoons, clarinets and krummhorns "brass" instruments?

 

[pcnd5584]

... It clearly wasn’t enough at this cathedral that the skills of myself and the other organists have essentially been disregarded, ignored and treated with an attitude usually befitting some vile criminal. Now, without ANY conference with the organists and choir committee, the administration has seen fit to completely outsource the organisation of the entire cathedral music program ...

Just a word of warning - it may pay to be extremely circumspect when writing on a public board. Whilst you have not named this person, you have probably provided enough information to allow others connected with the place in question to realise who it is you are writing about.

From the bitter experience of some colleagues on another public board, it may be as well to refrain from any kind of derogatory remark, however oblique, since all kinds of people monitor boards such as this.

 

[wljmrbill]

I would say the email is from an ass who thinks he knows music and liturgical music /performance...which obviously he does not..maybe for elementary school music ed....many points I disagree with in his statement. I wonder where he studied and with whom?????? Improvisation is a well known art and fact of liturgical playing.. has he heard of the greats at all.. they all improvised great works of art....I do feel sorry for him and his life a sad man to be in a position of athuority in Church position.

 

[Soubasse]

Oh I gave that plenty of thought, which is why I waited until the news had already done the rounds of most of the musical establishments in this city - to the same response.

(EDIT: That was in response to the comment by pcnd - mr bill managed to post before me)

 

[greatcyber]

I would personally be more than "pissed" at such a missive. After 20 years it sounds more like you are being treated as "kinder care" than a professional organist.

Some egos never cease to amaze me!