This is one of those days when anonymity comes in handy.
Seriously. Some hymns and/or liturgies do not belong on the organ. Because when you play them on the organ, it sounds like the World's Worst Carnival has come to town, and that's never good, especially on a Sunday when there happen to be a massive number of visitors for no explicable reason, and there is nothing that can kill a piano liturgy faster than an organ (digital, my friends, a heart-pain no matter what). And I have to smile up in the front and pretend like everything is fine, because everyone can see me, so if I let on in even the smallest way that I am HORRIFIED by the music I'm hearing - well, that's not fair.
But inside, TRUST ME, I am screaming like a banshee. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN PLAY IT ON THE ORGAN DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD.
I love a good pipe organ. Really, love. I could listen to Bach preludes all day long. I play the organ. The organ rocks. Best. Instrument. Ever. I know something about being a church musician, too. It's harder than it looks and people are never, ever satisfied. I get that.
But, just like you can't play Toccata and Fugue on a piano and expect it to sound like it should, you can't play this particular liturgy on the organ and not feel like the circus clowns are coming to get you.
And, after all, there's nothing scarier than a clown.
Dude. This organ music is making the rodeo clown sad. THAT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN.
Not as Digital as I Thought
1 day ago
6 comments:
You gave me a fit of the giggles. :-)
Oh, do I hear you. ESPECIALLY not if you're going to play it that sssssllllooowwww. Every week. And it's not a nice pipe organ. Think electric, funeral home. Argh. I love my people, I really do. I just can't take the music. Thanks for venting...you made me laugh out loud.
*shriek*
You should put up warnings when clowns come to hang out at your place. Eeeek.
And, awesome rant.
you are freakin' hilarious, my friend. but i'm dying to know what the hymns were, dying i tell you.
I second sarah's question..what were they? Our horrible, terrible, not-to-be-played-on-the-organ is "Sanctuary." Really, it's a pretty serious problem at our place.
esperanza ---
oooh, that is bad. Our particular problem was a liturgy called "Come Let Us Worship God," by Ray Makeever. If you don't know this one: trust me. It's for piano only.
And yes, it was ssslllooowww. And yet curiously carnival-bouncy. Weird combo.
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