dcmbarton

I'm certainly finding that the pre-service music in the morning is getting to be rather a waste of time, as I can't compete with the gossip. I tend to play very quitely for a while, and then build up to quite a crescendo, then stop. Of course they all then fall silent and realise how loud they've been....but there's only a certain amount of times you can do that. Evenings are much better as they are usually silent before the service (but then there's less people to gossip with). One thing that really annoys me is that on the rare occasions when a preacher chooses a modern hymn, those who don't agree with it simply refuse to sing and stay sitting down. Now, I'm open-minded, and I do like a few modern hymns, but equally I don't like some of the older hymns. That said, if I didn't like it, I wouldn't refuse to sing it, sit down with my arms folded, and stare blankly at the wall. I this is ultimate rudeness on the part of a few individuals, and can really 'make or break' a service for the preacher. David

Well I was willing to stand by mine, but was asked specifically to alter or remove them. I guess I could have refused to do this, but its a very difficult situation to be put in. David

I know - retrospect is a wonderful thing!

I have the UMP version of just the Toccata, and it has served well for several years. Mind you, most of the churches round here aren't big enough to warrant playing much more than the first page as the bride leaves. Plus they always ask for the 'weedoor'. David

Good on you. I'm afraid that in the end I just got so fed up with the correspondance, I decided it was easier just to remove them. I stand by what I said - OK, possibly worded quite strongly - but true. David

Whilst I don't necessarily want to resurrect this thread, I would like to point out that anyone who has made comments here about their local association, should consider those comments carefully, and decide whether or not they should be removed. The comments I made have been printed and raised at our association's AGM, and following a letter sent to me, I have had little option but to resign my membership with immediate effect. I only post this as a warning to others. David

That is just so true; I agree entirely! David

But you are making the assumption that's what the young generation want. My feeling is that we'd do better to stick to doing what we, and do it well, rather than aim to do something which we aren't equipped to. In our Circuit, apparently we're trying to open a 'Cafe Church' as it will connect with those who don't go to church; it will be a cafe in the day, and have Alpha courses, Bible study, and worship in the evening. It's up against 15 other 'secular' cafe's already in the city. Looks wonderful on paper, but my feeling is that if as churches we concentrated on doing what we do, and doing it well, this would be better than trying to turn the church into a circus. I'm all for contemporary worship; some I've been to has been great, but most has been awful; badly planned, and certainly not very theologically sound. This kind of 'all age chaos' as we call it, does nothing other than put people off coming as far as I'm concerned. I'm all for new things, but don't try to make it into things it isn't. Young people don't want to go to things which are 'dumbed down' to try to make them more appealing. David

Very difficult, but if I had to pick one, I think that Dyson's Fantasia and Ground Bass have a particular 'Britishness' about them. David

These are good - I went to 2 such talks and hands on demonstrations when I was 11/12, and this is what really got me into the organ. It was a talk, demonstration and workhop at a small church, then a chance to play on the Cathedral organ with David Briggs (who also played an improvisation on a suggested theme tune - the Teletubbies!). It was a great introduction, and I wish there were more like this, but afterwards, I would only have been interested in going to 'proper' recitals. Pyrotechnics etc. would have had no influence on me at all. By that point, I was more interested in what they were playing. David

Being not that far beyond the age of the 'nightclub generation' (or maybe still in it depending on how you determine it!) and a teacher of 20 students who are most certainly part of it, I actually find that what they really want, is a quality and professional performance, not a circus. My experience is that they are far more likely to go to something which looks and is presented professionally and is reasonably priced, rather than something which has been specifically designed for them, by people who claim to know what would interest them. Yes, I'm sure the recital you mention would be great fun. It will probably attract lots of young people who will enjoy it, but where does it go from there? There are going to be very few, if any similar recitals going on in the country for them to go to, especially if they come out thinking that all organ recitals are like that. As far as I'm concerned, its a gimic, and the novelty will wear off. My philosophy is not to make assumptions about what they would like, because very often we don't know at all. Prepare to be challenged by their ideas and views, because, very often, they are surprising. David

That's probably quite true - a 'pie in the sky' idea really! Vicious circles though - people don't buy copies of pieces they haven't heard and publishers won't publish things they won't sell. I think my music is probably rather more termed 'utility' than 'vibrant'! David

I have been considering this recently too, but from the standpoint of having several pieces 'in print' with publishers, meaning that producing a CD with them on might not be a bad marketing tool these days. Certainly I've known several organists in the past who have produced really excellent 'homegrown' CD's. I just need to find a willing organist and church, and some money....... David

I agree with that. My own website cost a few hundred to set up, and has definately paid for itself over the past 18 months. I think it looks pretty professional, and is updated regularly. It would be not bad thing for associations to consider getting websites set up professionally, seeing it as an investment. David

As has been said, singers have to sing unaccompanied in the exam, but again, like transposition, its one of those things that in real life you do very rarely, if at all! David

These comments have now been removed due to a backlash from my association. David

I would have thought that any settings of the 'Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi' would be suitable for this kind of service. I guess that for churches, it covers the same kind of themes as Remembrance Sunday. Difficult subject though, and hard to get the balance right. Blatchly's 'For the Fallen' is lovely. David

There was an article the ABRSM's 'Libretto' this morning about organ exams. It suggests that candidates should provide copies of the pieces for the examiner, and advise him/her where it is best to hear the instrument from. This seems very sensible advice, but how easy is it for a non-organ player to really make sound judgements about the playing in that situation? Do they aim to send a specialist to organ exams? As far as I am aware, none of the other instruments require you to provide copies of the music for the examiner, except for Grade 8. David

These comments have now been removed due to a backlash from my association. David

I think I've joined this thread about 2 years late, but it has been very interesting. I've never joined the RCO as I've always felt that the subscription was far too high in respect of what one got out of it. I made some enquiries to them a couple of years ago as part of some research I was doing, regarding whether they had some particular organ pieces in their library. I had to make the enquiry 4 times before I got a response, and when I did, I was told that the library really only held 'proper organ music', and that the Victorian pieces to which I was referring were not considered to come under this category. They suggested that I searched round charity shops to find them! Funnily enough I eventually found them in the British Library! David

I think I'd probably agree with this; grin and bear it and take the fee! I would feel so embarrassed at having to play that though. If the congregation didn't know that's what you had been asked to play on the way out, they might think you'd gone crackers!!! David