Peter Clark

Try this, MM! (Scroll down past the boring organ bits and you can even see yours truly with a couple of terriers!) http://www.stpeters-roath.co.uk/events.htm P

Perhaps it could be progammed together with March Of The Mannikins (by David Onivas) Peter

I symapthise entirely and would guess that most if not all here would. If you have already received your fee and discover this happening, as a last resort you could down tools - but that might bring the church and our profession into disrepute! I have been hit by similar behaviour, as well as (which you may have read about here) "guest" organists coming in and playing without me being informed. Do you belong to a musicians' union? If so, they could probably help. I also suggest you consult Barry Williams' excellent book "Everything Else..." which provides clear (and often entertaining) advice on this sort of thing. Peter

.... and those who come up to the organ/choir loft, who click away while you are playing and who grin in a "friendly" way because they know damn well they are annoying you! (And, incidentally, who are going to make about 10 times as much dosh as you are.) Peter

But Benedict XVI is reputed to be a 20 Malborough a day man! Peter

When a student in Spain I attended Mass quite often in a little village church in Viana de Cega, near Valladolid where I was studying. The priest (now dead) would be smoking while he vested for Mass and as soon as Mass finished would get back to the sacristy and light up again before removing his vestments! Another somewhat eccentric brother I knew (of the Rosminian order, also now deceased) often lit his cigarettes from the sanctuary lamp! Peter

Cymbelstern (s as in bus) or Zimbelstern (z as is buzz)? P

That reminds me of a time, before my present appointtment and in a place far away, when the choir was singing an offertory motet with me playing, and someone coming up to the choir gallery with the collection plate which he tried to pass round the singers! I had not seen him before and I don't recall seeing him again.... Peter

Needlessly interrupted voluntaries: How about choir members who start talking during the voluntary? Or clergy who suddenly realise they have forgotten an "important" announcement and shout "stop for just a minute Peter!" over the PA system while they remind people that Thursday's bingo has been cancelled? Ot future brides and brides mothers who gawp and then try to talk to you during a quiet passage? Or, once, a nun who tried to start a conversation.... Yes, it's all happened to me! Peter

it's all yours! p

I posted this elsewhere - Campbell, not in any conventional sense a "believer" was once asked, when at Southwark, "what's the cathedral for?" to which he replied "to keep the organ dry". Peter

Yes I brought some music too Tony! Sacred Heart Blackpool here I come! Peter

I take my organ shoes with me on holiday - sad or sensible? Peter

Related to this topic - there is inevitably going to be a degree of "ego" in anyone who performs in public, because without self-confidence and a belief in your ability you will not give a persusasive performance. This week's issue of Private Eye carries a lengthy letter from the composer Keith Burstein (of whom I knew nothing until recently), a composer who is best described as a neo-tonalist, one who disapproves strongly of unremitting dissonace and who has, it seems, heckled performances of music by, inter ali, Harrison Birtwhistle. He also once described his own music as "ravishingly beautiful". He defends this by arguing that Beethoven, for example, didn't finish the Eroica and then say to himself "that's not all that impressive"; Burstein continues: "(T)here is of course an internal self-critical process, but that has to allow the composer to be moved and astonished by their own work. Why else write?". Could the same critical process be applied to the recitalist, I wonder? Peter

Well come on then Paul ..... I tried Google but got nowhere! (BTW I hope you're not smirking at we lesser beings!) P

And the organ bench too - I nearly slid off and eventually had to ask the dears not to polish anything to do with the organ ever again! Peter

Forgive me if I have asked this before - has anybody else experienced this apparent new trend of having two entry processions accompanied by two pices of music - one for groom (with groomsmen, best men and so on) and one for the bride (with whoever is bringing her up the aisle, and bridesmaids/page boys)? Peter

As we're on the subject of inappropriate music.....I've just played for a Tridentine (1962) low Mass (I was still on the organ bench 10 mins ago and am using the parish computer!). Started off with a piece by Paul Copeland called Acceptance. Offertory was some Reger (the first bit of Wienachten which I know is hardly seasonal but it is suitably dunkel); at Communion I played the Adagio bit from Franck no. 3 and I sent them home, having played the Salve Regina which they enjoyed singing, to the Thunderbirds theme tune. Lee, I was once asked for the Titanic but I pointed out that a film about a ship sinking with huge loss of life hardly makes for an auspicious start to married life! Peter

I Played for a wedding yesterday and during the signing, there was a CD of Pavarotti singing - wait for it - Nessun Dorma. Either people are perverse or they just don't speak Italian. Peter

I think this is my point, partly, MM. The Mad Rush inclusion caused interest with one or two people wanting to know more about it and its composer. One member of the audience - an organist - asked to see the score. But in general I think if you are expecting people to pay, whether you personally or as in my example to give money to charity you have a responisbility to make people believe that it is money well spent - and it might also encourage those who wold not normally attend a recital to come again! Peter

While this board was down, I came accross another discussion list for organists (Viva Organ) in which I lurked. One thread was that of recital programmes and the inclusion of a "big" piece. My view is that where possible one should tailor one's programme to your anticipated audience, maybe including one surprise item (Barry Jordan on this forum says he does this and by coincidence he is including Glass's Mad Rush in a recital, which is what I did recently.) When I gave a recital a few weeks back, I knew that the audience would be made up not so much of organ "buffs" but supporters of the parish and also of the charities for which the retiring collection would be taken. (This was one in a series of such recitals in which the recitalist names his/her charity.) It was also at lunchtime. I thus construced a recital of mailny shorter, lighter pieces, but included a Bach chorale prelude, a Brahms ditto and a Peeters ditto. I also introduced the already mentioned Glass, and included one of my own modest offerings. This mix seemed to work quite well. A programme devised for an audience where there were likely to be a number of organists would probably contain some more esoteric, and, dare I use the term "heavier" items. Any thoughts? P

I agree Tony, Love Divine is a gem. I think you can get it in a Mayhew collection of WLW's anthems. Best Peter

I started off at school and we had a very good organist on the staff so that was part of my overall musical education. But I was paying £10.00 over twenty years ago in London. I was quoted £21.00 about fifteen years ago. I suppose an organist could feasibly charge for a lesson what he/she receives for a wedding, but pro-rata. Although a wedding ceremony only lasts about an hour, there is the before and after stuff to do which takes it to about two hours realistically. And then there is travel (fortunately I live in the my parish so this is not an issue). A wedding fee of £75.00 for this could thus be shaved down to about £40 for a lesson, assuming an hour's worth of teaching. Peter

Loking at the bottem of this page I read that 61 users are currently reading messaages in General Discussion. This must be a record! P

At the church where I play the local college, lacking its own, uses the instrument for its one organ student, and he is taught by a lecturer in music. Now the lecturer is teaching as part of his overall job so doesn't get paid extra for this pupil. In the circumstances we feel entitled to charge the college for the use of the organ. Peter