“The need for young players is ‘desperate,’ she says. Most organists playing for churches are elderly. In 10 years time, some won’t be able to play any more.”
You have to love this photo!
There is a renewed interest in our American films of the past. A few international silents are staples for filling this demand as well. The beautiful part of this situation is that all you have to do to see a German film, such as Nosferatu, is change the title slides to English or whatever language is desired. Besides, the stories of many of these movies are such that they bear repeated viewings. Also, we always have a new batch of young people who haven’t seen them before.
Once or so per year, Turner Classic Movies channel will schedule some silent films, but they are often in the wee hours and usually not with organ accompaniment. VHS releases played by Gaylord or Rosa or a few others have long been unavailable. Where will our younger people, exasperated with Hollywood’s stream of sequels, comic book character adaptations, game and toy tie-ins, and uninspired screenplays designed as a vehicle for dazzling effects turn for higher quality cinematic entertainment? Angry Birds can only last so long!
I’ve told a high school student about film with accompaniment and received the typical response of “not interested.” When I showed (on my television) Buster Keaton’s “One Week,” he and others watching it laughed out loud. After, I turned on the lights and said thanks for trying it. I was very pleased to hear “Can we see another one?” and I brought out one of the early “Our Gang” two reelers. Young people exposed will never again disparage or dismiss the films from the early decades of the Twentieth Century. They just need some way to see them on the big screen. My big screen TV is nice, but it doesn’t pack the punch of a theatre screen with the contagious laughter of several hundred audience members.
With such demand (as there is), many churches are allowing and even sponsoring films that never before would have made it inside the church doors. Of course, there are the religious themed films which have been shown in churches for many years, but we’re moving towards Chaplin and Keaton now! When will the theatres which still have functioning organs catch on to this? A few have, but it’s usually only one or two films per year — and that’s not enough!
With friends such as Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, and Sharon Willis, Barbara will present an interesting organ concert of music written by composers who were women. I hope that she will consider for future concerts organ music by Jeanne Shaffer, Rosa Rio, and Edith Lang.
Read about the 1913 Welte “Wotan” Brass Band Orchestrion which will be at auction soon as the Milhous Museum liquidates its assets. According to this article in the Detroit Free Press, sources indicate a final price of from $1.5 to $2.5 million. This was the mechanical instrument that fascinated me most at the Milhous. The article describes how it was first used in an amusement park as the source of loud music for dancing in the reverberant hall seen in the postcard above.
For readers of this blog, you no doubt know the Welte name from their player organs. Recently, I was proud to share the first recording of a roll made by Clarence Eddy. This presents a different side of the great Welte company.
“WOW a million thank yous! I didn’t even think about looking on imslp. But thanks for your service, Michael. I’m sure I’ll be sending you more requests!” —Delaware, USA
Our Lady of Glory Church, Byculla, near Mumbai (Bombay), India has a German-built organ that was damaged; this is unusual because most of the few pipe organs in colonial India came from Britain. I’m quoting the entire article here from the Hindustan Times because when you browse to the page, it opens an ad storm of popups. If you prefer to visit directly, here’s the link.
Reetika Subramanian, Hindustan Times
Mumbai, February 13, 2012
Hidden under dust and cobwebs in the loft at Byculla’s Gloria Church [as it is known], is a century-old German pipe organ that was once the pride of the church. Today, some of the pipes of the wind instrument are missing, keyboard strings are broken, and the edges of the pedal board are infested with termites.
“It is not in a working condition. There is hope to restore it because the carved ivory designs and music notes rest as they were a few decades ago,” said Margaret Fernandes, a resident of Byculla, who was part of the church choir in the 1960s.
The instrument was originally a Bishop’s organ that was shipped to the city from Germany, when the Church was instituted in 1913. The church will begin its centenary year celebrations in November.
“The pipe organ’s sound echoed in every corner of the church when the choir sang to its tunes during mass,” recalled Charmis Braganza, who played the instrument for five years in the early 60s.
The Church’s pipe organ had two manuals (keyboards) that were played by hand, and a pedal board played by the feet. “During a trip to Shimla a few years ago, I learned that a damaged pipe organ in a local church had been repaired. This gave me hope that the organ in Gloria Church could be revived,” Braganza added.
“The missing pipes will have to be imported from Germany,” said Fernandes.
The parishioners have estimated a budget of up to Rs1 crore to revive the instrument. “Six months ago, musicians from Belgium came to inspect the instrument. However, they did not revert to us,” said Father Rocky Banz, the parish priest of Gloria Church. To make donations to revive the pipe organ, log on to www.gloriachurchbyculla.org or contact 022-23726630.
This Saturday, February 18, Malcolm Halliday plans to hold an organ demonstration and workshop at the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. He calls it “Welcome to the Organ” and it looks like a POE on the perfect organ for such a class. Just look at the photo! It’s presented as being for anyone interested in learning about the organ, but with emphasis on younger piano students.
These workshops can succeed only with good attendance. I’ve seen them create great enthusiasm in some cases, and I’ve also seen them cancelled due to lack of interest. In each case, the measure of success is due to the adults and parents of the students and not the students themselves. I hope someone who attended will post about Malcolm’s event.
Eddie Burkhalter’s fine article begins with some simple and easily understood statements that are filled with head-nodding truths with which any organist or technician would agree: “Pipe organs are like living things. They breath air, their vertical pipes stretched skyward as if to send their voices straight into heaven. They complain if it’s too hot or too cold. They work best when lavished with lots of money and attention.”
I hope I get to visit later this year, if only to marvel at those rainbow stenciled pipes — stunning! PS: It’s a Pilcher from 1889.
Music is one of the best ways to communicate strong or complex emotions. The following organ pieces have been played for Valentine’s Day and other celebrations of love. Please add the pieces you like to play in honor of Love.
Saluto d’Amor by Gottfried Federlein
A Valentine’s Day organ piece, a Salute to Love
Love Song from “Mutiny on the Bounty”
Also known as “Follow Me,” written by Kaper and arranged by Rosa Rio, this was the love theme in Mutiny on the Bounty (1962).
Liebestod by Wagner, arranged by Archer Gibson
Wagner’s “Love-Death” is the most passionate piece about Love that exists.
Tragedy of A Tin Soldier by Gordon Balch Nevin
In one of his lesser-known suites, Nevin describes “the little Soldier’s return from the war, his heart beating high with love, which turns to bitterest jealousy as he finds his rival usurping his place.”
Sanctuary of the Heart by Albert Ketèlbey
Ketèlbey ends the descriptive poem for this religious meditation, an excerpt from his “In A Monastery Garden,” with “And fill all our hearts with Love.”
Alles Was Du Bist by Billy Nalle
Billy’s tongue-in-cheek trio on “All the Things You Are” is a subtle and humorous tribute to your Valentine.
This article is about an organist who demonstrates how deeply divided certain parts of our brain are from each other. Though afflicted with autism, he is able to play organ music. The devout religious say it’s a gift from God, but researchers credit the awesome separability and linked functions of the brain as the real “gift.”
“David Kuhns has trouble finding words; he hesitates as he speaks. His attention span is short, his gaze drifts and he tends to wander away from the conversations of others after a few minutes.”
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