Dont know if its any interest to anyone but I found this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A47526771


Ben again.

Ha, ha Really liked the bit about organists' partners getting their shins kicked under the breakfast table!

Very interesting, Ben; thanks for the link.

Did you know the the so called Southwark Cathedral Organ in the Dr Who episode was actually Wells.

I was on my annual visit to Wells to visit the area and catch up with friends and family, and their really proud of their location shoot with Mr Tennant et al.

Liked the bit about the 'Vox Humana' sounding like a discouraged goat.

There is a story, quite possibly apocryphal, of the cathedral organist who had to go and check out a cipher after the service, leaving his assistant at the console. While the assistant is waiting for instructions, a little old lady from the congregation wanders over, and starts asking questions.

' What do all these knobs do? Why is this one called an tuba?' etc. Assistant patiently gives a little demonstration.

'And this one - the Vox Humana? What's that one like?'
'It's supposed to sound like the human voice..' ( gives a short twiddle, of the type that might generate a swift short slap from Edwardo's son's teacher)

Disembodied voice from somewhere up among the organ pipes: 'What the f*$!!&*'s going on?'

Little old lady 'My word! That's very realistic!'

^^

how funny

That's a great story, HVJ!

It is indeed!

I'd heard a slightly different version of it with an organ tuner inside the organ and his key-holder at the console, so I suspect it's apocryphal. But very funny nevertheless!

They play with their backs to everyone else and observe the conductor, if there is one, through a tiny mirror about the size of a shaving mirror. Perhaps because of this, many organists have a slightly more relaxed attitude to strict tempo than other musicians.

I liked this bit!
I find the best approach is to ignore absolutely everybody and set the tempo myself. If they don't follow they get left behind.

Thanks for the link. Found it to be very interesting and forwarded it to an inquiring wind instrument player who is fascinated with the organ.

Thank you so much!

Appreciating-ly
GC

Maybe it's because our metronomes don't work properly, eh, Dulciana?

On the other hand, with my conductor's hat on, I find it can be infuriating conducting a performance accompanied by an organist. So many organists struggle to follow a beat and like to have things their own way tempo-wise.

Mind you, I had to accompany a choir quite recently where, for various reasons, I didn't get the music scores until the last minute. As I was more-or-less sight-reading, we just started off with the conductor setting the initial pulse, and then I just kept going, with only the occasional glance in the mirror in his direction being possible. Fortunately, I can't have been too bad, as they've been daft enough to ask me to accompany them again.

Verily!

OH was busy playing recessional voluntary at church. Organ is just tucked away at ground level, accessible to all. A few hangers on had accumulated, watching the spectacle, when one Johnny approaches organist (who's clearly got all concentration focussed on his feet, hands and the music), taps him on the shoulder and says how much he's enjoying it all!!! Meanwhile, I'm frozen in a state of shock that some-one would be so dense as to do that, and at the same time worried that OH might turn round and give him a sharp right to the jaw!

Mercifully, OH applied even more concentration and managed to get to the end of the music (bit of Bach I think) and then turned round and was charming to the wayward Johnny! There's a lot to be said for the traditional organ loft with lockable door.

I can relate to this, Susie! I don't play in church very often, being the third organist (maybe 4 times a year), so am not super-confident and really like to be left alone to play the closing voluntary. However, one of the choir members always likes to come and tell me how well I'm doing right in the middle of it!

Hubby is now delegated to keep said choir member in conversation as long as possible after the end of the service!

(BTW, hope your shins are not too bruised this week!)