Block a hymn

This has been around for a while (since 2015) but has just surfaced (again) on Facebook. The full story is HERE.

It can be done

On Sunday (I've missed a couple of days as I've been busy) I played for a service which lasted 50 minutes. It started on time, had a sermon (not too long) and 4 hymns. So, if it can be done at one church why not at others?

I can manage an hour but I do get restless when clergy bang on for no reason and drag things out to 90 minutes. They do insist on trying to cover the whole of theology in their sermons rather than making one or two good points.

This church was part of another benefice and the vicar did have to get a few miles down the road to another service but it was refreshing to be at a service which covered all the necessary elements and flowed well.

It is a shame that it is 20 miles away!

Late (and long) wedding

What was I saying yesterday?

Today I went to a churchyard in Cambridgshire to do some memorial recording as I had been told there were no weddings until September: this had clearly changed. At 12.05 I saw two smartly dressed people who confirmed there was 13:00 wedding. At about 12:20 the bells started to ring so I decided to go up to the ringing chamber to see if there were any inscriptions up there. I confirmed that I could ring and was invited to do so. At about 12:55 I departed but the others carried on (it was odd to ring both before and after a wedding I thought and it would take a long time out of one's day).

I descended the tower stairs but, at the bottom the door is right next to the West door which was open, and I saw and heard the vicar. He said something about "We've got some tissues somewhere". So I assumed the bride was waiting to come in and was having an tearful moment. She did not enter and the bells started up again. The poor organist was running out of pieces to play.

I hid a few steps up the spiral staircase, not wanting to spoil any photographs of the bridal party entrance. I waited. eventually I decided to see what was going on as I had a choice of two exits. There was nobody at the West door so I escaped.

The bells rang for another 15 minutes until the bridal part eventually entered at 13:15. The service finally ended at 13:55. This, to me, is annoying. What is there to do? All a bride has to do is put on a posh frock and go to church. OK, it is a special service but it is just a church service.

Why are so many brides late?

Long weddings

When I used to play for weddings in the past they used to last about 35 minutes. These days they often last just short of an hour. Why? Many reasons. One is the captive audience and the chance to preach.

Today I rang for a 12:30 wedding which had no organ music. The hymns were accompanied and led by a gospel quartet and a small electronic keyboard.

The person taking the service was not robed. He gave a talk in the middle of the service and looked like a game show presenter as he was holding a hand mike. I expected him to start calling out Bingo number at any time.

The talk was far too long. People were getting restless. Why does a member of the clergy want to share his entire views on marriage on the actual day of the marriage? Surely he should do some of this in the preliminary meetings with the couple.

Just saying!

Stop choices

Some of the organs I play these days can be quite hard work and so I have noticed that I use Swell-to-Great less regularly. Many Swell departments do not really add much and one can gain sufficient variety of tone and volume with just the Great alone. In fact, skipping onto the Swell for a hymn verse then becomes a further resource.

When accompanying a choir it is best to stay largely on the Swell because English organs usually have a woolly flute stop on the Great which clouds the sound.

In the county where I live there are many small instruments but some are surprisingly versatile and lovely to listen to: they fill the church with sound. Of course, one would not play cathedral-style post service voluntaries on them.

Countdown to Christmas

It is only August but plans are afoot for Christmas (my least favourite time of year). Deputy organists (for churches without a regular player) are now being booked. Websites are gearing up to sell seasonal sheet music (as PDFs).

Most churches will have a service on Christmas Day although if people have been to Midnight Mass (which does not seem to happen everywhere these days) they are unlikely to go on the day itself.

How many more weeks of this? Have the shops got their Christmas stock in?

Where congregations sit

In the UK, church congregations like to spread out. (Image processed for 'security')

Reliving my youth

I enjoyed Evensong yesterday. It reminded me of my early days as a youthful organist. I still have to concentrate very hard on the pointing of the psalms. This is because

1. When I was a chorister we used the Oxford Psalter, not the Parish Psalter
2. As a chorister I sang mainly Evening psalms (including the whole of the 15th evening) so Morning pslams are rather unfamilar to me
   
3. The chants in the Parish Psalter are not always the best

I willingly joined in with the prayers because I know them so well and they are like friends to me. I can still hear the voice of my aunt saying the General Confession and of the bass lay clerk, Mr Lloyd, saying the Creed as I stood near to him.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the holy Ghost, Born of the virgin Mary, Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into Hell, The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the holy ghost, The holy Catholic Church, The Com̄union of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen.

And we'll have none of this, 'he descended to the dead' stuff which the C of E seems to have stuck in.

It didn't stick

Yesterday

I got through the wedding yesterday and the organ did not play up. I am glad I went to do some practice as working on my home digital organ can give me a false sense of security.

The couple brought their dog to the service which barked in a few amusing places. The choir was made up of singers from nearby church. They had taken their places by the time the vicar did the pre-service announcements. Of course, one of the them left their phone on which rang just before the service.

I didn't realise it was 'a thing' to wear brown shoes with a black suit, as the groom did. My father would have been disgusted.

Today

I played for two services today. I heard the same readings and heard two different sermons about the same reading from Luke.

I have an Evensong to play for later and I am quite tired today so this post is not very long.

Will it stick?

I am playing for a big wedding tomorrow. Some of the music is on a CD and other pieces are being sung by the bride's friend while the couple sign the registers. I am tasked with playing the hymns and the outgoing music.

The organ is quite small and, although it was completely overhauled in 2020, it takes a lot of effort to play it. I had not had a long practice session on it before yesterday but some faults had become annoying during services and I found out about these during those services!

Yesterday middle C# on the pedals started to stick towards the end of my practice. I discovered that there is not tuning contract with the people who worked on it. I presume the church people think that now it has had money spent on it, that's 'job done'. (Many churches round here do not have tuning visits and some only have one annual visit.)

I emailed the builder but he is abroad and quoted a substantial fee, in his reply, for a service visit had he been able to come.

As I have mentioned before, with falling congregations and services held only one a month, the amount of cash a church takes in is seriously compromised. Organ tuning is not a priority.

I can only hope the C# does not stick on Satruday.

Box pews

This is how it used to be!

I suppose 'church' is seen as a very archaic institution because it holds onto history. Yet, it discards old modes of worship and introduces new-fangled ideas such as "Show and Tell". What a mismatch!

Pournelle's Iron Law

A short time ago I had an email from a blog reader with whom I am in contact. He pointed me to Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy which states

First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization. Examples are dedicated classroom teachers in an educational bureaucracy, many of the engineers and launch technicians and scientists at NASA, even some agricultural scientists and advisors in the former Soviet Union collective farming administration.

Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself. Examples are many of the administrators in the education system, many professors of education, many teachers union officials, much of the NASA headquarters staff, etc.

The Iron Law states that in every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization. It will write the rules, and control promotions within the organization.

It seems to me (if I have undertsood the point) that this is why organists and vicars are sometimes at odds.

My main goal is to enhance worship with my organ playing. It seems that some vicars (administrators) want to introduce new ideas and throw out tradition thinking that, by doing so, they are actually in the dedicated group.

I hope I have got that right.

More things

 

This is an interesting view. On the wall is an old bassoon, presumably from the days when churches had a music group. Also note the collection box: there were four on the wall, only 1 is clearly visible. Then note the books. Many churches now have books at the back either for sale (to raise funds) or to be borrowed. Finally there is the coffee maker for social time after a service.

Harmonium

I used to have a harmonium when I was young. I do see examples in churches as I visit various places. I don't think this one is in use any more!

 

Church smells

Smell can evoke a sense of place. There used to be a particularly calming 'smell' about Peterborough Cathedral (in the South transcept) which was there when I was a boy and continued to be present for 30-35 years aferwards. I think the fire in 2001 must have done something to whatever caused this smell as I didn't notice it after that.

I notice smells in church. Often they are from ladies of a certain age who wear too much perfume. Recently I have been sitting at a console close to a choir and somebody must have used Olbus Oil or something similar.

I'd rather that than the smell of smoke from so-called incense, which I detest!

Let's move them

Many churches decide to shift gravestones and put them in neat rows 'out of the way'. In some places I have seen the whole churchyard cleared and the headstones placed around the perimeter of the churchyard. In some situations this is quite sensible but I do wonder if anybody actually bothers to record the details from the memorials.

What is worse is when memorials are used to make a path.

 

Cool

In the current UK heatwave churches are nice places to be because they are cool: freezing cold (often) in the winter, but cool in the summer.

Bellringing chambers can be somewhat closed and stuffy however, so this is where ground floor rings come into their own.

I had a pleasant day out on Wednesday visiting North Luffenham, Ryhall (upstairs) and Easton-on-the-hill. This last tower is now a 6 having been a 4 which I thought I had never visited. However, looking at my pre-university ringing records (I stopped keeping records when I left uni) I had been to the 4 many years ago.

This is my once a month ringing as I do not ring anywhere else.

Memory playing tricks again!

Behind Organs

Churches contain a lot of junk which nobody wants to discard. Even those materials which might come in handy need to be stored somewhere and round the back of the organ is often qute a 'good' place.

Fed up

I admit to being a bit fed up with the C of E. By that I mean I am fed up with the pretence that people (and the church is the people) actually care. So, I am fed up with church people.

Why?

1. Bellringing. Still nobody has enquired as to my well-being after my departure from the ringing chamber some week ago. Of course, it does not follow that bellringers are Christians and so one cannot reasonably expect them to act in a Christian way: except that I know some of them profess to be practising Christians.
2. Organ playing. I have stuggled to understand what happened this weekend just gone when I found out by accident that there had been a wedding I was not asked to play for. One hopes that the reason is a good one but, had the book not gone missing I should never have known. Thus I feel there has been a lack of openness. How can a church claim it has no organist and yet one magically appears out of the blue?
3. Vicars and 'modern worship'. The current crop of incumbents are relatively young (compared to me) and have - probably - not been 'brought up' around organists and 'proper' church music. They do not know how to engage with professional musicians. I have been the 'victim' (for want of a better word) of a misunderstanding regarding a previous wedding and I fear the same thought processes have resulted in the current situation.
4. Silly season in church. The new idea in church is to have 'activity resources' or 'inclusivity packs'. Thus, on each pew, one church has a container of paper, crayons and pipe-cleaners for people (of all ages) to fiddle with - if they want to - during a service.
   

Why do I bother?

A club?

Nothing really new today as I suppose this is one of the bees in my bonnet.

Church services these days - in some places - seem to be little more than House Groups taking place in a church building. There are places where the services are led entirely by the priest or priests in charge (with members of the congregation reading or doing the intercessions) but I have attended services where there is a great deal of chatter during the service which is actually encouraged by the priest. I leave feeling that I have not participated in an act of worship.

I have recently found a church which does have all the elements and style which I like and which is also in dire need of an organist. They said they felt I could help them but they have not got back to me!

Disappointing.

The missing hymn book

I played for two services yesterday: the last time I shall do so in the benefice.

When I arrived at church #2, I found that the organ copy of the hymn book was not there. A cupboard was located with spares and so this was not a disaster.

Later, I emailed a contact in the choir (the choir had not been at the cafe service) to say that the actual organ copy was missing. I was stunned by the reply which was:

"I think they all got swept up together and put back into the case after the wedding last week"

Hold on!

Who played the organ for the wedding? Not me: I had not even been offered it. As yet I have not had a reply to my query to this effect. I suppose the couple could have supplied their own organist. As I am not the officially appointed organist I suppose I was not due the 'bench fee' in lieu. If, however, the vicar had engaged someone else I do feel this is unfair.

I have been playing at that church for several months, for both the monthly services and they pay a fee which I have accepted but which is small in the grand scheme of things: £20 each service, on which I pay tax. Many organists would not get out of bed for that sum.

The cafe service yesterday was particulaly tedious and dragged on for a whole hour because it was taken by somebody different: the norm has been 45 minutes.

So, to have me turn up - reliably - and play for the run of the mill services and then not to offer me the perk of a wedding fee is rather unfair I feel.

Picturing God

I lost the thread of the sermon today. It seemed to be going OK although I cannot recall what it was about. Then, suddenly, white males were being berated as privileged.

After that we were asked how we pictured God. Did we view him as a white male, a black woman or a member of the LGBTQ community? I ask you!

What is wrong with the church?

It could be tight

A request came out by email from the Organists' Association from a guy who needs a deputy for both a wedding and a Sunday service later this month. I was not able to help with the Saturday wedding as I have one at my church. I can help with the service on the following basis.

• Service #1 starts 0930
• I need to leave the console at 1040 to walk to the car
• I need to drive away at 1045 - latest
• I should arrive at church #2, 5 miles away, at 1055 which is an average of 30mph
• Hopefully - if I let people know - the organ will be open and I may even go in and get my books ready in advance at church #2
  
• Service #2 starts 1100

This all depends upon the sermon at church #1 not being too long but I am promised that the incumbent will be told to crack on. I have also said that if the service is too long the last hymn might have to be spoken or unaccompanied.

When I was a lad, I was briefly organist at 2 churches whilst I was working my notice out at the first. So I would hop on my bicycle and travel 2 miles to church #2 where the pay was better. I did have to play one hymn quite fast at the end of one of church #1's services for which I was reprimanded.

Foreign Organs

I would have thought that the C of E would want to support English organ builders. It seems that Pershore Abbey commisioned a new Ruffati organ in 2017 which is just coming into use after delays caused by the pandemic.

Buckfast also has one.

I have no doubt that these instruments are excellent and the organists will enjoy playing them but what encouragement does it give to native organ builders?

Worcester Cathedral had a new organ by the late Ken Tickell which I have heard. It is not often that a new organ is built although Manchester Cathedral recently had one, also built by Ken.

For further organ discussions see the Mander forum.

Single Sex Marriage

Honestly, all this LGBTQ+ stuff annoys me - on one level. If my father were still alive he would simply not be able to believe it. What has prompted this post is the Lambeth Conference and a letter which appeared on Facebook which I will not put here: the issue of single-sex marriage is very divisive. Even before the conference there was fury!

On another level I can see that sexual preferences (i.e. other than Hetero) have been about for a long time. As a boy I enjoyed "Round the Horne" although I was far too young to understand all the innuendo in the Julian and Sandy sketches.

It is also shameful that Alan Turing experienced so much trouble concerning his preferences after all he did for the country.

One Facebook comment was this:

The Clergy have done many horrendous things in the past to ordinary people and will continue to do so whilst they openly recruit such people into their midst.

Another pointed to

the inability of the Church to make any meaningful progress on this issue, unlike most civilised nations and their governments.

Not just the C of E

I was talking with my bowls partner on Monday who is a non-conformist minister. I told him about the noise in church before a service starts and how, when I was young, we used to have to be quiet. Also, everybody used to understand the need to calm down in the minutes before a service begins and did so automatically.

He commented that it is the same in his church and he regretted the modern trend to talk loudly. I deduce that loud chatter is a 21st century cultural thing.

Ecology in churchyards

More and more churchyards are becoming places of refuge for insects and wildlife so you will fin dmore of the things shown below. A different hive of activity perhaps? (pun intended!)

Disappointed

One problem of having church services streamed is that one can go and listen back on YouTube. Yesterday the anthem was "I will sing with the spirit" by Rutter which has an accompaniment with a busy (quaver) right hand part. I could tell that my quavers were slightly 'keen' and I occasionally got a tiny amount ahead of the choir. Not enough to make a nonsense of the music but enough for me to notice.

On the day I had thought that it was the choir which was getting behind. I still think that they were taking too long to breath and not starting the next phrase quickly enough. Also, when I was a young chorister, we were all told - in one anthem, I forget which, - that the organ had quavers and we must be aware of this when the choir had sustained chords or the flow of the quavers woukd be impeded.

It is all to do with listening and rehearsing. Sadly, the choir only has a quick practice before the servcie when there is a lot of chatter.