I just know a friend's four-year-old is going to ask that one of these Sundays. You just wait; it'll happen. It almost happened last Sunday.
See, I'm too short for the organ; at least to play the pedals, which are a crucial part of an organ sounding like an organ as opposed to, say, a slightly mellower piano without the damper pedal. I have no idea how Grandma May, who was under five feet tall, played the organ all those years. Grandma, when I get on the other side of the veil I'm going to ask you.
Anyhow, back to the story. The few times I had to play the organ in Iowa City Second Ward, it was one of those fancy new organs that has a bass coupler, which is a nifty little lever you push that makes it SOUND like you're playing the pedals when you're really just using the keyboard. Pretty nice for short-legged pianists who get drafted into playing the organ because nobody else will admit that they play (or just plain DOESN'T play).
Funny tangent: I was asked a few years back to accompany a choir number for Easter. The number had an organ accompaniment, so I gamely agreed to play the organ. When I sat at the organ, I realized that I couldn't reach the pedals AND see over the music stand to watch the conductor. I sort of braced one leg against the bench and craned my neck, waiting for the director's opening cue. He turned to me, burst out laughing, and said, "Sheila, would you like to switch to the piano?"
So the organ in the Morgantown chapel does NOT have a bass coupler. It also has several non-working pedals. Like the B flat that's in every single hymn that has any flats at all, which is most of the hymn book. My solution: play the B flat that's an octave higher. Not a big difference in sound.
Big difference in terms of Sheila's balance, though. Keep in mind that the B flat I have to reach now is way up near the right hand side of the pedals while every other pedal I need is way at the left hand side. Also keep in mind that Sheila's already short legs have a hard time staying balanced without at least sometimes staying stationary, which is impossible when you have to move all over the pedals. Well, and I was wearing a kind of slick skirt Sunday (who knew a kilt could be slippery?).
Result? I almost slid off the organ bench several times during Sacrament Meeting. I was so relieved to NOT have fallen off the bench after four verses of the closing hymn (I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day) that I took my hands off the keyboard, thinking I was done. Nope, there's a fifth verse. I think the chorister thought I was giving a dramatic pause for effect, so maybe I got playing again in time that nobody noticed.
If you're TALL and play the organ, can you please move to Morgantown? Soon?
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5 comments:
I think dramatic pauses are wonderful, especially when they take the chorister by surprise. I'm sorry to say I do not play the organ...
Maybe I need to use that as a missionary tool: "Hey, do you play the organ? Wanna join my church?"
I think that might scare them away, Sheila. Seriously--what you just described--THAT is why I still don't regret learning to play the piano. (Even though EVERY adult told me I would when I grew up.)
My grandma refused to take organ lessons when the bishop asked her to because she knew an organist calling would come next-- but then she repented and did it, not to be called as organist until 14 years later. Meanwhile, my mom tagged along while Grandma took organ lessons and learned to love playing the organ as a child. So I guess you never know. That and you can't hide when you're supposed to learn to play the organ.
My mum is short and has the same problem reaching the pedals. I'd have that problem too, but an even bigger problem would be knowing which pedals to play.
You do a great job.
Have fun slip sliding away.
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