The Organ Forum

Brightens up the organ no end, don't yuh think?

I did wonder whether it was a pink highlighter pen.  I am assuming it does rub off.

Well, those post-it notes were supposed to indicate ciphers or something (this organ has a bad case of the needs rebuilding blues) the entire echo division of this instrument was unplayable due to ciphers and certain notes at the console simply will not activate pipes, and one draw knob is very finicky, you must only pull it out so far or else it won't play at all. Like I said it has a bad case of the needs rebuilding blues. I hope they keep the intercom phone." align="texttop" height="192" width="256">

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Once you can tie your arms into a pretzel and your legs into a knot, you've got it under control

That is cracking me up.  I do feel sorry for you though.

You know, my organ instructor once told me that organists are the snobbiest people when it comes to 'their' organ.  They won't let you practice it, they won't let you play it, they won't be available to unlock it, and they won't show-up on time to allow you ample practice time before the big event.

I always shrugged her off a little bit because it seemed so ridiculous to me, but I can't believe that it's true!  I guess I always assumed that musicians shared a mutual respect and camaraderie with each other.  HOW STUPID!

In the end, I think this speaks to the personal insecurity of the nay-sayers and absolutely nothing to do with the situation as a whole.  I honestly feel sorry for them... but then again, I'm Protestant.

Let us know how it turns out!

Best,
Matthew

I certainly would not play an organ without first receiving permission.  However, when visiting a church I will often try to lift the lid merely to discern the builder and stop complement.  I don't think it is rude if that is one's only intention.  I understand your point, but there is more to an organ than just the playing of it, and I find the specification to be interesting.  (SB32, I realize that you are not the originator of the term rude that was expressed in an earlier post.)

David

Well, I think the organ world would be better if several things happened (in no particular order):1) console locks were done away with, if you really don't want some one to play it lock the sanctuary, not the organ; 2) if you are going to lock the organ, put a note on or near the console sending visiting organists/organ enthusiasts to stop by the office and ask to see the organ; 3) everyone just calmed down, stop being so territorrial, be kind to your fellow musicians; 4) All the rude music directors, useless and impolite Church secretaries went to work for Dogbert Tech Support ("Hello, Dogbert Tech Support, how may I abuse you..."), or at least were put in different jobs, where dealing with people was not their job. 5 There is NO number 5...

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Once you can tie your arms into a pretzel and your legs into a knot, you've got it under control

Methinks that an early post in this same thread from another member bears repeating:

"Well, guys...while you're feeling sorry about this particular situation....let me tell you what I found today!  One of my client churchs has this really well cared for Austin organ.  The console is made of SOLID CHERRY!

The organist of this church is a multiple degreed professional, and we all have a lot of respect and love for him and his wonderful music making.  He is professor of organ in one of our local Atlanta colleges.  He is on a well deserved vacation in Italy, having finished up his teaching activities just last week.  Apparently there is a sudden vacuum of substitute organists for these next two weeks, because the church called in a completely unknown person to any of us, to play as a substitute for the next couple of weeks.

I got this call on my answering machine last night.....help, help, help!  The organist has had some difficulty with the organ and we need you pronto!  So I went over to the church this morning, and what do I find....One of the ivory keytops on Great middle D is broken right through the middle, and the roll top has been pushed up, under the music rack, and gouged the heck out of the roll top...all the way from top to bottom!

If you know Austin consoles, you know that the music rack is pulled slightly forward, and a wooden flipper drops down to hold the music rack bottom out, away from the roll top...then you either close, or open the roll top, reach underneath and flip the wooden flipper up, and the music rack comes down into "Playing position".  But this idiot not only did not know that, but when the music rack caught on the roll top, just kept on pushing it, in spite of the force it took to gouge it all the way from top to bottom.  As far as the broken ivory on Great D goes...I'll have to try my best to match the key top to old ivory tops I have saved from other consoles over the years....do you know how hard it is to match two different pieces of ivory?

So in the course of one Sunday service, plus five days this week, a substitue organist has absolutely made a mess of an otherwise beautiful, well cared for, solid cherry console.  What would you say if this were your organ?  I personally, am just boiling inside."

 

Something doesn't quite sit right with that story...

MenchenStimme:

Apparently there is a sudden vacuum of substitute organists for these next two weeks, because the church called in a completely unknown person to any of us, to play as a substitute for the next couple of weeks.

The church hired a substitute?  Shouldn't that be the responsibility of the music director/organist?  Yes - I mean the one that traipsed off to Italy! 

Whenever I go on vacation I use substitutes that are familiar with both the organ, and the service requirements.  If I have to hire a new person, I personally show them the instrument and present them with a list of answers to questions they may have - anything from "how do I close the music desk" to "where are the light switches/restrooms" (in addition to all of the service playing details).  If a non-organist is  just randomly picking a sub from a list, it is no wonder there may have been issues...

Austin766:

Well, I think the organ world would be better if several things happened (in no particular order):1) console locks were done away with, if you really don't want some one to play it lock the sanctuary, not the organ;

I for one think it is entirely logical to lock up a million dollar pipe organ.  While I do not have such an instrument at my church (and no, I don't lock it), there are still several quirks and traps for anyone wanting to play the organ.  It is simply common courtesy for anyone wishing to play, to ask permission.

On those occasions when I've opened up the rolltop to my 'old friend', and discover the stops haven't been cancelled - or the music desk is jammed - or the power is still on  - I can't help but feel a sense of violation.  There is absolutely nothing territorial about it!

If you but knew me, you would know that I'm entirely happy for ANYONE to come and play the organ at my church!

Another church I know does have a million dollar organ.  The console is in the middle of a stage which is heavily used by choirs, orchestras, dance companies, lecturers, etc.  While it may seem easy to "lock the church, not the console" in this case it is a very good idea to lock the console.  It is a protection against problems (accidental or otherwise) by the literally hundreds of people who pass through on a weekly basis.

Let's face it - not everyone has the same understanding of the word "respect". 

My church also has an extraordinarily high-end piano - it took me many years to convince the powers-that-be to buy this piano; we've had it for several years now.  I sleep better knowing that there is a lock and a heavy-duty quilted cover on it.  It is a bit of a chore for folks to get the key and remove the cover, but by going through that process I believe they understand that what they are unlocking is extra special, and should be treated with utmost care.

Austin, you've piqued my curiousity with that organ.  I've looked up all of the Cleveland Skinners, but this one doesn't seem to fit the description of any of them.  Can you give us any more info about it (or at least a clue)?  Thanks!

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Soubasse32

The particualr instrument which was locked was Church of the Saviour UMC (yes, saviour with a "u") 1928 Austin, 1978 Austin Console (saves space, but not the eyes) with some addtitions for an antiphonal division from I'm not sure when. The antiohonal division was in French, while the rest of the organ was in English (talk about obvious additions).

The instrument I've been posting pictures of in this thread is a c. 1935 Steere-Skinner, St. Ann's Catholic Church, corner of Cedar and Coventry in Cleveland Heights, you won't find anything about it online (OHS aut al.) because it isn't an original installation. Apparently it was installed in a church in Massachusetts and the Priest who built St. Ann's saved the pieces when the original church closed, that was the basic story I got from the organist. Subby, I'll pm you the stop list.

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Once you can tie your arms into a pretzel and your legs into a knot, you've got it under control

Hi soubasse....I haven't gotten to the bottom of this substitute organist situation either.  Normally, we have the better part of a hundred substitute organists to draw from in our AGO, here in Atlanta.  I met the nit-wit person.  She came in apologizing all over the place for having damaged the organ console.  She plays HARP! at a local Baptist church.   She blamed the music rack flipper piece for having come undone, and that she had a hard time raising the roll top...caught her fingernail on the Great D as she was forcing the top open.

She said the screw came out of the music rack flipper piece, and she had her husband screw it back together.  Well...there's not a scratch on the flipper piece, and I had just gone through all the console prior to Lent, as there are recitals there every day at 12 o'clock.  I'm aware of things being in neat condition on this organ, because a lot of Atlanta organists see and play this console during lenten recitals.  So, obviously, protecting my reputation, as well as being sure the instrument is in top notch condition; I think I would have discovered a loose screw on the music rack flipper piece during my general going over for the lenten recitals.

I haven't found out who asked this person to fill in...but there's simply no excuse for not asking one of our qualified AGO members to substitute for this two week period.  The church has plenty of money to spend on the organ, and the organists.  Regards the damage...I have been able to match an old ivory key top to the middle D.  However, the gouged roll top is going to have to be wood filled and refinished.  That will be almost as expensive as having a new roll top made...this console is solid cherry, finished in a beautiful red mahogany stain.  It's from the 1970's, and has been lovingly taken care of by the former organists, and several choir members who regularly practice on it.

I've got a couple of other horrow stories where painters came in right behind a new console installation, and another where the custodian shoved a bunch of folding chairs against a brand new console...but this one was equally as disturbing to me.  It's sort of like loaning out your prized family car and the borrower runs it through a briar bush and side swipes a mail box!  And then not offer to pay for the damage, and blame it on the brake pedal.

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....."next" is a four letter word. Jay999

Your car analogy just jogged my memory, Jay.  A mortician accused me of being overly protective of our organ and I replied:  "Sir, that is a $2 million organ.  If you had a new Rolls-Royce, would you let anyone drive it without first investigating their driving skills?"  He was speechless . . .

soubasse32:

On those occasions when I've opened up the rolltop to my 'old friend', and discover the stops haven't been cancelled - or the music desk is jammed - or the power is still on  - I can't help but feel a sense of violation.  There is absolutely nothing territorial about it!

Let's face it - not everyone has the same understanding of the word "respect". 

My church also has an extraordinarily high-end piano - it took me many years to convince the powers-that-be to buy this piano; we've had it for several years now.  I sleep better knowing that there is a lock and a heavy-duty quilted cover on it.  It is a bit of a chore for folks to get the key and remove the cover, but by going through that process I believe they understand that what they are unlocking is extra special, and should be treated with utmost care.

Absolutely agree about feeling violated, its not just million dollar pipe organs, digital instruments (like mine) too aren't cheap to fix or purchase. Equally I feel narked off when someone hasn't cancelled the stops or have left the power AND the organ on for a number of days. 

On another note, being a bit of a piano enthusiast, what make of piano does your Church have Soubasse? A Steinway, Bluther, Bosendorfer, Steingraeber? 

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Currently own:
ALLEN TC-3S (#42904 - 3rd Feb 1971) with Sequential Capture System

Speakers:
x1 Model 100 Gyro Cabinet
x1 Model 105 Cabinet
x3 Model 108 Cabinet

nullogik:

On another note, being a bit of a piano enthusiast, what make of piano does your Church have Soubasse? A Steinway, Bluther, Bosendorfer, Steingraeber? 

None of the above. 

It is a Grotrian-Steinweg 225.  Glad to hear you are a fellow piano enthusiast. 

I had to work very hard to justify the purchase of a new piano, then the need & expense of a high-end piano.  I also had to work very hard to convince the folks who insisted it be a Steinway (and others who insisted it be a Yamaha).

There were even a few who were angry over the loss of the old piano, which was probably one of the worst pianos I've ever played. 

I led every bit of the fundraising, which was not always easy.

Once we got the piano, I also had to fight to put it under lock & key. 

Small victories, each one.  But I am absolutely certain the right choices were made each time.

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Soubasse32

soubasse32:

It is a Grotrian-Steinweg 225.  Glad to hear you are a fellow piano enthusiast. 

Excellent choice    I hear they are very sensitive towards one's touch. Can leave you feeling naked if you haven't practiced, or in ecstasy if you know your stuff. 

 

quantum:

soubasse32:

It is a Grotrian-Steinweg 225.  Glad to hear you are a fellow piano enthusiast. 

Excellent choice    I hear they are very sensitive towards one's touch. Can leave you feeling naked if you haven't practiced, or in ecstasy if you know your stuff. 

 

 

Soubasse naked?