The Organ Forum

Well, here is one more post of how people can get by doing most anything in some church.  This priest apparently is a guy who doesn't care if there are decent instruments to be used for worship or an old piano from a Thrift Store.  I can assure you he does care about his check or the  $$$$$$$$$$$ he gets from the people.  The priest or preacher whatever he is should be passed over and the "governing" part of the church such as the board, session, or whatever they are called should be presented with a full report as well as any damages and charge this piece of sh** with a very nice bill.  Someone ought to be on duty when he arrives and stop him right on the spot, and tell him to play on his own piece of "junk" and let the church property alone.  If he refuses, then called the police since it is destruction of property.

 I know I worked in churches for a good number of years trying to protect the instruments, and I am so glad to be relieved of all it nowdays.  I look back and now realize that I would have been so much better off never to started playing for some church in the first place.  Do remember a nice piano or organ is the last thing to be considered for repairs, but you can be fully aware that priest doesn't want for a cent for anything.

 Seventy-six posts on this one thread.  So as the saying goes, "the beat goes on." 

James

 

I'm sorry to hear of this latest development, Mensch.

However, someone must take control of the situation.

The facility should be run like a business; in a concert hall you don't have people walking in off the street playing the piano, much less tuning it!    A grand piano is a valuable asset that must be managed, in an environment that should be controlled.  Since a church is less likely to be secured, all the more reason to take extra precautions with the instruments.

The first thing I would do, as soon as possible: set up a meeting.  The people in charge need to understand the seriousness of the situation (in other words, sieze the moment and make use of this latest situation to help fix the problem).  Then, someone needs to be put in charge of overseeing the instruments.  Hopefully this person will have an idea of how much money it costs to replace a string, buff out a scratch, repair a soundboard, etc.  A gouge in a polyester finish can cost $500 to repair - that's not insignificant!

Next, you need to come up with a written policy: who may use the instruments, and what they may or may not do with them.  It should not be too oppressively restrictive, but should be firm, concise and clear.  A copy of this should be given to anyone who rents the facility or uses the instruments; ideally they would sign something to indicate they understand the policy.

Next, you need an "event host" who is present for every event and who has the authority to act upon the policies.  If anything is damaged they should immediately document it for future reference.

Although it is a pain, I highly recommend that the more accessible instruments be locked.  This is not intended to turn away people who have a legitimate need to access the instruments but is more of a sign of respect; "gee, this has a lock on it - maybe it is valuable"!

I was a very unpopular person in my church after putting a lock on the new piano.  However the ritual of unlocking the piano, keeping track of the lock and key, and removing/folding the heavy-duty piano cover seem to have the intended effect: everyone takes extra care of the piano, even if "stewardship" is a foreign concept to them. 

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Soubasse32

I can speak with some authority and say that at even at many of the larger churches in Cleveland the pianos are kept unlocked, even if covered, but then again, we don't usually have people like this fellow, who come in and tune pianos uninvited. really, who does that? And for that matter, why would they "tune" the piano if they are not authorized to do so?

At least it wasn't the organ, but boy, if this guy isn't persona non grata, or doesn't become one, then I don't know what is.

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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

There seems to a distinct lack of respect shown by this gentleman when entering your local Church, Menchen. What better example than the one you give about him moving the various instruments around and bashing the instruments into each other.

About the piano tuning. If I were in charge there I would not let him tune the piano, however if it was necessary, then I'd ask for the piano to be re-tuned by a qualified professional to the specification wanted, and then re-tuned after the service to the standard levels. This would be either charged to this "gentlemen" directly who wanted to retune himself (he'd reclaim the money off the people who booked him in) or to the be people who booked him in. Call me a cynic, but when the subject of additional fees and charges comes up, the issue of retuning the piano would soon become a non-issue.

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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

I have similar sentiments with our other members, Mensch. I feel that you should communicate this problem as soon as possible. If the priest is not showing strong leadership skills, then with other people who are in charge and carry influence. Sometimes, in order to move people to act on something, you have to approach it from their own selfishness. So I would stress the damage it is causing to the instruments, what it will cost the church financially, the church's duty regarding proper stewardship, and so on.

If you and/or the Music Director have a contract with the church, I would check and see if there are any clauses regarding the care and maintenance of the instruments. In my contract, I have it written in that I am responsibile for the care, maintenance, and upkeep of the instruments, and in addition, no one may use the instruments without my prior approval. If you do not have such clauses written in your contract, see if they can be added in.

Also, I think you should start locking the instruments before things get worse.

Doesn't surprise me one bit!  I play weddings and funerals at a local RC Church that doesn't have an organist.Why? Because Father refuses to pay the going rate for a musician. He loves to have me play the weddings and funerals because the family plays for that.  The money is good, I charge the AGO fee schedule, but organ is a 20 yr old 3 manual Wurlitzer. People in this area of Eastern Pennsylvania are just plain nasty. I'm a grad school student and can't find an organ to practice on ( and yes I'm 48 yrs old, been doing this for over 30 yrs)  The Church I serve is a Church in transition and we are worshiping at another Church. Said Church doesn't want me to practice on their preciouse 7 rank Austin.  "It's old and delicate! and we don't have the money to replace it!"  Have you ever heard such a thing!????????  I used to love Austin organs, I can't believe a reputable firm as Austin would build an animal like this one!  My own Church as well as several others, ask that I pay for privledge ot using their instruments to practice on. NO LESS THAN 50 DOLLARS A WEEK! I don't have that kind of money at this time!  So is it any wonder that I can believe that the RC Church would give you a hard time over playing for a wedding??? Besides, You just might be a better organist than the "house" organist or even make the organ sound better than he/she does.  BEEN THERE DONE THAT!  and I'm not allowed to play in that Church again! Long story short, I played a wedding in a UCC Church with an old Allen organ. The registrations were terrible.  I changed them with the intent of restoring them. I played the wedding for a former piano student of mine. After the service more than one person came forward and remarked how good the organ sounded. "Did we get it repaired?" Sooooooooooo.......in my infinite wisdom I decided to leave the registrations that I used. WRONG THING TO DO! You would think that I would know better than try and help someone!  lol 

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harold Redline

Perhaps it would have been better to restore the original registrations, but leave a note for the resident organist detailing the registrations you had used for the wedding, that you had enjoyed exploring his instrument for that purpose, and that perhaps he would be interested in trying them?  It would not have been necessary to give your opinion of his registrations.

David

davidecasteel:

Perhaps it would have been better to restore the original registrations, but leave a note for the resident organist detailing the registrations you had used for the wedding, that you had enjoyed exploring his instrument for that purpose, and that perhaps he would be interested in trying them?  It would not have been necessary to give your opinion of his registrations.

David,

How many times have we done a favour for someone by summarily fixing something that was so obviously munged, that was easier to merely fix the problem, than to waste time attempting to explain something that was so far beyond the comprehension of the recipient, that it would be a total waste of time and resources, trying to explain a complex concept to a simple person!!?? Sometimes the only prudent option is to merely proceed with optimistic "faint hope" that something good might emerge from your good intentions. And I believe this is the honorable approach.

Nothwithstanding, we sometimes offer our benefactors the beneift of the doubt, although unrealistic and unmerited.  When looking back upon the lesson Jesus was attempting to teach about casting pearls before swine; He didn't say: "Don't do it!", because He did that on a daily basis. So I am inclined to think that His caveat had more to do with being prepared for the reaction of swine to altruistic offerings of help; that swine will respond by tearing you into pieces!! And I suppose that's why these types have been called swine from the genesis of civilization.

I believe musicianman5360 did the right thing with the best of intentions in mind. It's not as if he was messing with someone who actually knew what they were doing; but was honestly trying to breath new life into the muscial offerings of a dolt that didn't have a clue as to what she was doing.

I don't know anything about the subject organ, but for the past few decades, other than for the lowest-end bottom feeders, all organ manufacturers of substance summarily include setup memories for at least 16 (sixteen) different organists even in their low-end organs.