I think this piece would have more impact without the implied “F” word at the beginning. “Damn” and “bloody” are in common enough use so as not to be overly offensive but think the “F” word is still too much of a shock for a lot of people, including some teens and young adults.
I too, as a supposedly retired organist ( a hobby) hate this week. I seem to be working harder than ever at the moment because there is a paucity of organists; however, the playing is still fun on the occasions I’m forced back into the trenches. Ravishing minor works up to Good Friday and then I can open the instrument up on Easter Day.
Your essay is a clever approach to a necessary topic.
Dave B
Member by distance of West Hill United and a Non-theist
Ah! Yes! The first time I said the F-word, I was five years old and showing off at the dinner table by telling them I could read the word spray painted on the back of the STOP sign at the end of our street. It didn't end well. But it got attention, and with my father a champion swearer (not the F-word), my mother regularly expressing a fervent "Fishtails!", I grew up in a cloud of expletives and alternatives and embraced the former for myself fairly early on. Fishtails just didn't seem to feel the same!
I can only imagine the joy you got from the music you used to love to play and how your love of it would have changed over the years because, again, of language. In my first pastoral charge, the organist was so angry that the Good Friday service had lasted longer than imagined. that he played O Sacred Head Sore Wounded at a horridly clipped pace with which the congregation had a hard time keeping up. Gah! But the music, otherwise, was always powerful.
I can beat that organ story. The Dean of the cathedral wanted the tune Hydan, also called Austria, a number of weeks in a row. To that I said “fishtails”. Not wanting to put up with that lack of musical ingenuity I switched the tune to Ebinezer also known as Ton y botel which is a slow minor key dirge. Amazing the things one can do when clergy are not cooperative! I could write a book of pranks I pulled. Glad organist was just my hobby and not a full time job.
Thank you so much. You've covered ground that I've needed to hear expressed.
Thank you, Elaine. It's all about the dream for a better world. But now, it needs to be about this one.
I think this piece would have more impact without the implied “F” word at the beginning. “Damn” and “bloody” are in common enough use so as not to be overly offensive but think the “F” word is still too much of a shock for a lot of people, including some teens and young adults.
I too, as a supposedly retired organist ( a hobby) hate this week. I seem to be working harder than ever at the moment because there is a paucity of organists; however, the playing is still fun on the occasions I’m forced back into the trenches. Ravishing minor works up to Good Friday and then I can open the instrument up on Easter Day.
Your essay is a clever approach to a necessary topic.
Dave B
Member by distance of West Hill United and a Non-theist
Ah! Yes! The first time I said the F-word, I was five years old and showing off at the dinner table by telling them I could read the word spray painted on the back of the STOP sign at the end of our street. It didn't end well. But it got attention, and with my father a champion swearer (not the F-word), my mother regularly expressing a fervent "Fishtails!", I grew up in a cloud of expletives and alternatives and embraced the former for myself fairly early on. Fishtails just didn't seem to feel the same!
I can only imagine the joy you got from the music you used to love to play and how your love of it would have changed over the years because, again, of language. In my first pastoral charge, the organist was so angry that the Good Friday service had lasted longer than imagined. that he played O Sacred Head Sore Wounded at a horridly clipped pace with which the congregation had a hard time keeping up. Gah! But the music, otherwise, was always powerful.
I can beat that organ story. The Dean of the cathedral wanted the tune Hydan, also called Austria, a number of weeks in a row. To that I said “fishtails”. Not wanting to put up with that lack of musical ingenuity I switched the tune to Ebinezer also known as Ton y botel which is a slow minor key dirge. Amazing the things one can do when clergy are not cooperative! I could write a book of pranks I pulled. Glad organist was just my hobby and not a full time job.
Cheerio,
David L. Bythell
Austria is beautiful but Ebenezer is tremendous!! I would have loved to see his face!!