The Organ Forum

Why is it that the large majority of organists in the world are male? There's nothing specifically masculine about playing the organ. Does it go back to when the organ first existed, or something that's happened over the years?

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"If you can't get the orchestra any louder, add the organ"

I have wondered about this myself.  Part of it might be the liturgical connection and the whole historical concept of liturgical ministries being for males.  What about this applying to composers and musicians in general in the past?  I must say that female organists that I have heard live and on recordings, such as Gillian Weir, Jane Parker-Smith, Carol Williams, Joyce Jones, Marilyn Keiser, Cherry Rhodes, Diane Bish, an excellent organist from Denmark, whose name escapes me, etc., have all stuck me as being more precise, more in control and more sensitive than male organists in general.  I once shared these thoughts with a Catholic priest that I know who is now a Definitor General in Rome and his humorous response was:  "Of course, that's because women have more control over their organs that we do!"  And that was before he had a drink!  Oh well . . . 

Interesting points here.  However, may I be the devil's advocate for a moment?

MenchenStimme:

I must say that female organists that I have heard live and on recordings, such as Gillian Weir, Jane Parker-Smith, Carol Williams, Joyce Jones, Marilyn Keiser, Cherry Rhodes, Diane Bish...  have all stuck me as being more precise, more in control and more sensitive than male organists in general. 

I have only heard Weir and Parker-Smith live (and a few others you mention via recordings), but wouldn't they also be "more precise, more in control and sensitive than" their female counterparts in general too?  (And don't forget Marsha Heather Long!) 

Male organists I have heard live, such as Kevin Bowyer, Oliver Latry, David Briggs, Jeremy Filsell, John Scott, Gerre Hancock, Christopher Herrick have certainly struck me as "more precise, more in control and more sensitive than male organists in general"... and female organists in general.  Certainly the male organists I list are equal to any of the female organists listed above.

It is not my intention to denigrate our top female organists, just to keep the perspective.  There may be many more great male organists, but that just means there will be even more mediocre male organists.  Does that make any sense?

Makes perfect sense to me Jason.

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"The Organ is in truth the grandest, the most daring,
the most magnificent of all instruments invented by human genius."

Jason E has a good point--I never thought of it that way.  Oh well, another gender myth put to rest.  So much for the good father's theory!  Cheers!!

That organist from Denmark you're mentioning might be Bine Bryndorf, who among other things have recorded the compete Buxtehude works.

Would that organist from Denmark be Barbara Dennerlein with the travelling B-3?

Come on people...you forgot Ethel Smith. Geez! <chuckle>

Allow me to throw in Ruth Barrett Phelps.

I've got an LP (presently spinning on the turntable) of her playing the monstrous A-S organ in "The Mother Church" Christian Scientist.

It includes:

Prelude and Fugue in G Minor- Buxtehude

In Thee is Gladness- J.S.Bach

Piece Heroique- Franck

Tallis' Canon from 7 Chorale Preludes- Purvis

Fantasie and Fugue in G minor- J.S.Bach

Symphony VI adagio- Widor

Choral Prelude, Lo, a Rose is Blooming- Brahms

fantastic stuff in my opinion...  and she's good looking from what I can see in the old B&W album pic :) They have the stoplist on the album cover too...takes up half of it!

I have been to many concerts(in the UK)given by women organists(both pipe and electronic).

They have been superb,and I really think gender has little to do with musical ability.

It has been,traditionally,yet another `male dominated`  activity,but,as in many contemporary areas,the ladies are showing that they can do the job just as well!

Probably one of the most universally famous organists was Ethel Smith-she `paved the way` where others are now following!

It`s the same with all things that are perceived as being a `little out of the norm`` -eventually,the wider public become to accept them.

wombat11.

 

Well, although Ann Wilson isn't as well known as her ex-husband, Todd Wilson, with whom it is my understanding she still concertizes from time to time, she is equally brilliant, I've heard her live twice, once at graduation my junior year (I had to be there for a number of reasons, including the fact that I was running a spot light) and once in concert on the two manual Noack in Hudson.

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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

Well, in the Dallas area I think there are as many women organists as men.  Our church organist is female (but we have recently added an assistant who is male) and our former organist was female.  Several of the larger churches here have female organists, and the Resident Organist for the Lay Family Organ in the Meyerson Symphony Center (Fisk Opus 100) is a female.  Then, of course, there is Diane Bish in Florida--I believe she is fairly well known, ne ce pas?

David

We do have many female organists in the Cleveland area, Mrs. Wilson happens to be probably the best known. Our current AGO dean in Cleveland is a lady (and a very good organist [first church job at 12]), as was her predecessor, and her predecessor, likewise. Also, one of the most respected professors of organ in the area is a female (Dr. Margaret Scharf [I believe she is also organist at Old Stone Church downtown]). My organ teacher is a lady, and I guess this is getting old, but my point is that Cleveland has a fair number of lady organists, and certainly a fair share of men (at least in the AGO anyhow).

 

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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

I'd say MOST organists in Southern Indiana are female....where as in NYC indeed most are male.

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www.nycfarmboy.com
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Without a doubt, my two favourite female organists are Suzanne Chaisemartin and Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin. I have met the latter and she is a charming character as well as a fabulous organist.