The Volunteer Organist

The Volunteer Organist The preacher in the village church one Sunday morning said: Our organist is ill today, will someone play instead? An anxious look crept o'er the face of every person there, As eagerly they watched to see who'd fill the vacant chair. A man then staggered down the aisle whose clothes were old and torn How strange a drunkard seemed to me, in church on Sunday morn. But as he touched the organ keys without a single word, The melody that followed was the sweetest ever heard. Each eye shed tears within that church, the strongest men grew pale; The organist in melody had told his own life's tale. The sermon of the preacher was no lesson to compare With that of life's example who sat in the organ chair; And when the service ended not a soul had left a seat, Except the poor old organist, who started toward the street. Along the aisle and out the door, he slowly walked away: The preacher rose, and softly said, "Good brethren, let us pray." The scene was one I'll ne'er forget as long as I may live, And just to see it o'er again, all earthly wealth I'd give; The congregation all amazed, the preacher old and gray, The organ and the organist who volunteered to play. Author Notes This was written, under the pseudonym of W B Glenroy as the lyrics for a song (music by Henry Lamb a pseudonym of Henry Spaulding). This is allegedly based on a real incident at the Christian Herald Bowery Mission, 227 Bowery near Prince Street, New York, NY 10002. Victor H. Behnke (died July 15, 1904) was the actual organist there and is supposed to be the volunteer in question according to a wall tablet in the Mission. http://www.victorianweb.org/mt/parlorsongs/9.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As a regular Church organist and accompanist of choirs and soloists, I was reminded of this poem by a choir member this morning at Jevington Church, East Sussex, where I seem to play quite regularly for Sunday morning services these days. It goes to prove something that I have felt so profoundly for many years now, that music can touch the parts of our bodies, souls and spirits which words on their own are unable to reach! I have seen it in my own musical career where I have often worked with those who are troubled in mind, have different ailments and medical conditions which means they have varying limitations in their lives. Often, after a half hour or hour of music making, sharing of thoughts and cares, they leave their music lesson as transformed people, ready to face the world and its challenges once again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some Organist Humour Creative definitions: Stop (a): a device which controls a voice on an organ. (b): what organists should do more often, cf. refrain Fugue (a): a composition in which the voices come in one by one and the people go out two by two. -- Virgil Fox (b): by the time all the voices have come in, all the audience has gone out. Hybrid instruments: a Casavant and Moller = a Casserole a Moller and Estey = a Molestation What do you say after the concert? (or how to offer faint praise) to the recitalist: "Your performance was remarkable." "Now that WAS a recital." "Well, that was certainly more than we'd expected." "Boy, you've done it again." "I have no idea how you do it." "It was the most incredible thing I've ever heard." "I have never heard you do better." "I wouldn't change a SINGLE thing." "A lot of people seemed to like it." "This performance was mind-boggling." "I'm overwhelmed. I just don't know what to say." "Boy, I'll bet you're glad it's over." about the organ: "This organ really makes a statement." "It's quite a sound." "It's certainly a good example." "Too bad the room isn't better." "Just think of all the hard work that went into that." "And to think there was a time it didn't play at all." Quotes from Virgil Fox: "It sounded like a rattle snake pissing down an eve's trough." (on a Schlicker 16' reed) "It's like forcing an elephant through a mattress." (on an E.M. Skinner Tuba Mirabilis) Typos in programs: "Lobe den Heron" by J.S. Bach Sonata in G Major Handel Integrated church service: Sermon: Setting out on the sea of life in the ship of faith Hymn: Jesus, Savior, pilot me Postlude: Allegro Maestoso from Handel's "Water Music" What's in a name? C. Sharpe-Minor was the real name of a For years, the Tonal Director of Austin Organs was Richard PIPER. At a convention workshop, the presenter recommended several collection of "free hymn accompaniments" available at the different booths in the exhibit hall. A naive young organist promptly went looking for these books and started to walk away with them without paying, after all they were FREE hymn accompaniments! THE LOST CHORD Parody Seated one day at the organ, I was cranky and tired and hot. Then the choir rehearsal started, but my poor brain did not. I knew not what I was playing, or what I was dreaming then; But I struck one note of discord like the sound of a screeching hen-- Like the music of Messiaen. It cut through the choir's sweet voices like a knife that is sharp and keen. And it brought to my mind the sound of a pileup on I-15. The basses began to snicker, the altos joined in with glee. 'Til all eight parts were laughing-- it was SSAATTBB. I turned five shades of crimson and looked for a place to hide, But trapped I was with the choir at my left and the audience at my right side! I have sought to forget, but vainly, that rumble much maligned. Which came from the bowels of the organ, but sounded like it came from mine. It may be that soon I'll live down my feelings of guilt and shame; It may be that early retirement would ease my sense of pain; It may be that note will haunt me the rest of my mortal life; It may be that only in Heaven I shall hear that note played right. Try playing these selections: for the funeral of a butcher: "Sheep May Safely Graze" for the Sunday when time shifts from Standard to Daylight: "Gottes Zeit ist der allerbeste Zeit" (God's Time is Best) for a wedding: ..........."Turn Back Oh Man" ..........."Work for the Night is Coming" ..........."If Ever I Would Leave You" ..........."We've Only Just Begun" ..........."Get Me to the Church on Time" ..........."Herr, ich habe missgehandelt" (Lord, I have made a mistake) Answers found on college exams: Q. Name two orchestral works by Handel. A. "The Waterworks" and "The Firewater Suite." Names of organ manuals: "So the one thing we know for sure is that some organists play 'Great' and some play 'Swell.'" "Are you 'Positive?'" "I am 'Positive' that some organists even 'Swell' at times and become 'Great' and then their nine-month ordeal suddenly does a 'Solo' and later joins the 'Choir.' After much 'Portative' transportation, she receives considerable 'Accompaniment' especially when learning to 'Pedal' his/her own transportation." ORGAN SPECIFICATIONS From Tim Tikker in The Diapason (mid 1970s?) GRATE 16' Grunt 8' Scrape 8' Hoot 4' Hoot 2 2/3' Scratch 2' Scratch IV Shriek 1 1/3' IV Screech 2/3' 8' Blatt Clanging WIMPY 8' Chuff 8' Murmur 8' Mumble 4' Choof 2 2/3' Squeak 2' Squeak 8' Buzz 8' Noise (hideous) SWILL 8' Moosh 8' Mooshier 8' Hoot 4' Scrape 4' Hoot 2' Squeak VII Yell 16' Snort 8' Blare 8' Honk 4' Blatt 8' Blatt 4' Blare LUMPY 32' Woof (wooly) 32' Woof (hooty) 16' Woof (scraping) 8' Scrape (scratchy) 8' Hoot 4' Scrape 2' 4' Moan IV Scratch 'n' Sniff 32' Pain (frightful) 16' Ugly (downright) Other fictitious stop names: 16' Belchhorn 8' Tibia Santa Clausa 1' Piccolo Tuba Miserabalis 8' Oprahclide 1/2' Pierce 4' Harmonic Toot 8' Dull Seanna 8' Tibia 4' Fibula 2' Ulna 8' Roar Flute II Plain Jew III Fancy Jew IV Fancy Christian Max Reger was somewhat given to flatulence. One one occasion he felt the need to pass wind at the beginning of an organ concert. "No problem," he thought, "the concert begins with some big chords on full organ. I will let it out then and no one will hear." So he pulled out ALL THE STOPS, and he PLAYED A MASSIVE CHORD, letting out a MASSIVE ---- and then ... he remembered he had forgotten to turn on the blower switch. [The audience apparently fell about on the floor laughing.] Example of how a congregation will go about its business regardless (from Ken Sybesma): The priest gets to the front of the church and begins the opening dialogue "The Lord be with you," except no one can hear a thing. He fiddles around with the microphone pinned to his vestments for a few moments and then, in an especially loud voice said, "There's something wrong with this microphone!" Having heard 'something,' the assembly responded on cue: "And with thy spirit." CHURCH ORGANISTS play trackers with unsteady wind have only one swell shoe get a paltry remuneration play same organ week after week must find new music each week lead a clean life of servitude drink tea drive their own car get no billing on a marquee get blamed for organ ciphers need to read the week's music must sit quietly must play the recessional THEATRE ORGANISTS play loudly and break wind in time get to pick and choose for 3 bars until they find the shoe they are looking for get to push their CD's get the organ de jour play the same concert for a year inhabit sleazy dives to get new arrangements drink on airplanes, etc. get chauffeured like royalty get top, bottom, and sideways sole billing playe louder and no one notices can fake it get to tell the audience jokes are first out the door and off to the next gig Comments heard from the organ tuner while the organist was sitting on the bench holding keys: "I can't find it." "I can't reach it." "I can't hear it." "What do mean, there isn't a stop called that on the console?" "Whoa. Wait till the train has gone by." "DON'T PLAY WITH THE SWELL PEDALS!" "Would you believe after all that, it had a moth in it?" "Werckmeister what????"

A Christmas Poem by Richard Crashaw

At Bethlehem

Come, we shepherds, whose blest sight

Hath met Love's noon in nature's night;

Come, lift we up our loftier song,

And wake the sun that lies too long.

Gloomy night embraced the place

Where the noble infant lay:

The Babe looked up and showed his face;

In spite of darkness, it was day:-

It was the Day, Sweet! and did rise

Not from the east, but from thine eyes.

We saw thee in thy balmy nest,

Young dawn of our eternal day;

We saw thine eyes break from their east

And chase the trembling shades away;

We saw thee (and we bless the sight),

We saw thee by thine own sweet light.

Welcome, all wonders in one sight!

Eternity shut in a span!

Summer in Winter! Day in night!

Heaven in earth! and God in man!

Great Little One, whose all-embracing birth

Lifts earth to heaven, stoops heaven to earth.

~~~~~

This wonderful short poem was written by Richard Crashaw (1613-49) who became an ordained Parish priest, but is primarily known as an English poet of Christian poetry which is full of vibrant stylistic ornamentation and indicates a brilliant wit.

Richard, the son of of a learned and enthusiastic Puritan minister, was educated at Cambridge, where he learned Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish and Italian. In the same year as his graduation, 1634, he published "Epigrammatum Sacrorum" (A book of Sacred Epigrams). which consists of of a collection of Latin verse on Biblical subjects. He help a fellowship at Peterhouse, Cambridge, a centre of High Church thoughts and ideas, where he was ordained.

During the first Civil War, (1642-51), Richard's position at Peterhouse became increasingly difficult and then impossible to maintain, as a result of his increasing inclination to Roman Catholicism. He finally decided to resign his post before the Puritans could get round to evicting him. He then began preparing his first edition of "Steps to the Temple, Sacred Poems, with other Delights of the Muses" which was published in 1646. This incorporated Christian and secular poems, both in Latin and English.

In 1644, Richard Crashaw went to France, where he became a Roman Catholic. Two years later, when Queen Henrietta Maria of England, consort to Charles I, moved to Paris with her entourage, Richard was found by his fellow poet and friend, Abraham Cowley, living in poverty. The Queen arranged for him to be sent to Rome with a strong recommendation being made to the Pope, but he was assigned to a cardinal who merely made him a member of his household. Only a few months before his death was he to receive the position of canon of the cathedral of Santa Casa (Holy House) at Loreto.

Richard Crashaw's Christian English poems, entitled "Carmen Deo Nostro" ("Hymn to our Lord") were republished in Paris in 1652. This publication was illustrated with 12 of his drawings, and included some additional poems with some of his finest lines, those appended to "The Flaming Heart," a poem about St. Teresa of Avila.

Owing to the fact that he had read a lot of works by the Italian and Spanish mystics, Richard's poems reflected very little of the English metaphysical poets, but featured more of the flamboyant imagery of the continental Baroque poets. The standard text of his poems was edited by L.C. Martin (1927), which appeared in a revised edition in 1957.

In "At Bethlehem" we see a wonderful projection of what it must have been like as a shepherd, to have experienced the angels' appearance in the field near Bethlehem. We can imagine the feelings of being "sore afraid" and the announcement of good news, (the solo verse) "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." This announcement is followed by what must have sounded like a glorious heavenly choral performance, featuring a multitdude of the heavenly host praising God with "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Looking with hindsight through 2,000 years of history, we can honestly say that peace and goodwill toward men are more needed today than they ever were, with a broken and divided world, of warring factions, self-seeking and political and religious divisions.

"At Bethlehem" describes the salvation and deliverance that God brought about by sending His only Son, Jesus into a dark world to save us from sin and deliver us from sin, ourselves and evil. The poem draws out the contrasts between darkness and light, nature's night and Love's noon. A smile from the baby Jesus brings daylight to the darkest night, love to the hardest heart. The sun rises here, not from the east but from the Saviour's eyes. It is often said that the eyes are the light of the soul. No light was needed to see the Saviour, because light shone from His face. In the Gospel of John 8:12 Jesus says of Himself, "I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

After reading about the light from the eyes of Jesus "chasing the trembling shades away" in the third stanza, more contrasts are added to the wonders of that night of the Incarnation in the final section. We read of "Eternity shut in a span" which is another aspect of the wonder of the Incarnation, God becoming completely man and yet remaining completely God. God is eternal and exists in time and yet in Jesus He experienced the restrictions and constraints of time and space, "Heaven in earth! and God in man!" The juxtaposition of the words "Great" and "Little" in the penultimate line reveal afresh to us the humility of Jesus which we are called to follow in Philippians 2:3-11 as we seek to be His followers and servants.

The reference to Jesus' "all-embracing birth" signifies that salvation and redemption are available to all who believe in Him and receive Him as their Lord and Saviour, John 1:12-13.

Take time if you can, this Christmas, to meditate on the experience of the shepherds keeping watch over their sheep by night, by reading this poem again and the historical account in the Gospel of Luke 2:1-20. May it be the most blessed Christmas you have experienced so far in your life!