What The Guides Tell Us

[davidh]

When travelling in ordinary tourist mode (and not with a bunch of organists) I often go on guided tours of churches.

 

I can't remember any church where the guide didn't say something like, "It's one of the best organs in the twon/county/country", "It has a very sweet tone", or something similar.

 

Some guides are more technical, "This organ has 5,000 pipes" or "This organ has 25 miles of electric wire".

 

What is the oddest information anyone has been given by these well-intentioned people?

[DQB123]

When travelling in ordinary tourist mode (and not with a bunch of organists) I often go on guided tours of churches.

 

I can't remember any church where the guide didn't say something like, "It's one of the best organs in the twon/county/country", "It has a very sweet tone", or something similar.

 

Some guides are more technical, "This organ has 5,000 pipes" or "This organ has 25 miles of electric wire".

 

What is the oddest information anyone has been given by these well-intentioned people?

I once visited the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California and as there was a guided tour thought it would be fun to tag along. Eventually the group reached the Aboretum where the Aeolian-Skinner (Opus 1141) - 1951 of 4 manuals, 82 ranks plus 6 digital voices had been installed. This had come from a Christian Scientist Church (I think) which had been severely damaged in the Northridge Earthquake. Quite clearly visible are a couple of 90 degree mitred pipes, and one of the number spotted them and asked why they were different to the other pipes. The tour guide had no clue - but happily told us that birds had made a nest on top of them - so perhaps that was the reason for it being done in that way! A charming idea, no doubt, but I could not resist letting the cat out of the bag and telling them the real reason why!!