Played a Church Concert Tonight

[afuller5]

Hi all,

I will preface this by saying that I am not a trained organist or pianist. I consider myself a gifted amateur, although I have been playing organ at my church since I was 15.

I was asked to give a concert at small Baptist Church in a neighboring town. The music director there was at my church for about 1.5 years. I played hymns and gospel songs--some on organ and some on piano. At the end, the pianist there and I played a couple of impromptu numbers "for fun." (They have no organist.)

The organ was a Conn Minuet Model 461, Type 002, Serial Number AA1723 (or the A's could be triangles; it was hard to see). I knew that it had not been played much recently so I was a little concerned about its condition. However, all the stops and controls functioned, and it did not sound bad, especially for an approximately 50 year old organ. I think the people really enjoyed the organ. Many commented that they did not know that it could sound that good. One person jokingly asked if there were some other people hiding and helping me.

The piano was a Kawaii grand; I did not get the model number. I don't really consider myself a pianist, especially for solo work. I am decent at playing the piano for hymns and accompanying a choir but do very little solo work on piano. In fact, I played my entire repertoire for solo piano tonight, plus a couple of quick arrangements that I did.

Well, that's enough of my rambling.

Later,
Allen

[Piperdane]

Well done :-).

So happy to hear that another organist has been able to use the resources at hand for an organ concert.

[Silken Path]

It was very well done. (I was there.)

The old organ could sing under his hands, and it sounded like he used most of the features of it. I saw some calculating looks going around the church while Allen was playing, and especially during the impromptu part where they got a great rolling rhythm going, which I think actually surprised the pianist (Allen was back on the organ then). I heard some foot stomping going on back behind me.

I didn't get to look at the sound system, but there were two covered speakers high up the wall that the sound of the organ appeared to be coming from. Then again, it could be the echo from the organ resounding in the choir area and baptismal. I thought of cramming some huge old speakers in there.

The big black grand sounded awesome in the building, and it smelled good, too. (I was seated on that side, all the way up in the critic's corner.)

It was a thoroughly pleasant place to be.

[davidecasteel]

Sounds like a wonderful event.

[andijah]

Thanks for sharing this!

[afuller5]

Lamar,

Thanks for the kind words. I only had about 30 minutes with the Conn before the concert. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Later,
Allen

[jbird604]

Wow! I only wish I lived close enough to have attended, with all the illustrious talent on display, and my good friend Lamar in the crowd too!

I certainly can identify with you, Al. I too am just a "gifted amateur" and by no means a recitalist or concert player. Now and then I have done something like you did, and I find that people are generally highly pleased and very grateful for the music. Perhaps even more so that they are when a famous "concert" organist comes to town. That's because the playing of familiar hymns and gospel songs and the general good times of impromptu duets and the like are more accessible to the majority of church-goers than are the big classical pieces, regardless of how magnificently they are played.

While a certain type of player would likely "sniff" at the prospect of sitting down at an old Conn spinet and putting on a program, you must have given the old gal a run for the money. And a "talented amateur" is much more likely to do that than many a degreed performer. We amateurs have been dealing with little instruments like that all our lives, so we know how to get the most out of them! I'll bet you made the folks in that church wish they had an organist again. Maybe somebody will be encouraged to give it a shot!

Personally, I think we need MORE such fun organ programs. This is perhaps akin to the popular and beloved "singings" and "music clubs" and such that used to draw big crowds in the days before people go so busy and got glued to their i-phones and computers. If we could get people involved in doing stuff like this, who knows what the effect might be on the popularity of the organ?

Anyway, I'm sure a good time was had by all. Thanks for reporting!

[Silken Path]

Ahem. I've been thinking that little church needs a better organ... Who knows when something crazy like my W5000 or monstrous, deligtful Allen comes along? Either would have worked in that church.

[afuller5]

John,

Thanks for the encouraging words!

Allen