When I entered the church today, I saw a stately, grand, senior gentleman playing the organ.
He was playing so beautifully, I didn’t want to interrupt him.
I introduced myself, and we began rehearsing the songs that had been selected for the service.
He was working the pedals and pulling out knobs.
As he increased volume, there was a deep, rumbling, bass sound accompanied by tinny trembling.
The thundering sound filled the room.
The organist made adjustments, and we continued.
All of a sudden, a casually dressed, scowling man came into the choir loft and interrupted us.
He said something about the speakers that had been installed; pointed them out, particularly the one mounted directly under the silver pipes, and all but implied that the organist was doing something wrong, and mishandling the instrument.
The pipes, he said, were “decoration”.
“They’re just up there, but they don’t do nothing!”, he shouted.
The sound had apparently drawn him from wherever he’d been.
The organist was simply attempting to play the instrument as it was intended to be played— prior to the installation of external speakers in the space.
Why wouldn’t he expect that he could?
After all, the pipes were there!
The musician very politely expressed what he had done—and not done.
He adjusted the knobs, and asked me to let him know if I was still hearing the rattling.
The unhappy church worker banged on the organ with his fist. “They play this thing every Sunday and we don’t hear that noise!”
I thought perhaps he would offer a remedy, or show the organist what to do. Instead he stormed off in a huff.
He wasn’t a musician, technician, or audio engineer. The organist was amused. A sly smile came across his face, and he continued to work the pedals and knobs.
He wasn’t a musician, technician, or audio engineer. The organist was amused. A sly smile came across his face, and he continued to work the pedals and knobs.
I was a bit shocked and offended for him.
“This is why people don’t go to church”, I thought. “Why did the guy have to be so mean-spirited?”
The organist decided to depress two of the knobs to eliminate the vibrating, but he seemed disappointed that he wouldn’t get the full, glorious sound he knew the instrument could deliver.
We continued rehearsing.
Frankly, I was impressed and encouraged by two things:
1. The organist didn’t allow himself to be affected or intimidated by the words or behavior of the church worker.
2. The song selections were hymns.
2. The song selections were hymns.
Attitude really is everything.
#musicmatters