Jen nifer Graham’s screed against organs betrays an ignorance of music and currents in sacred music practice (no serious organist takes Cameron Carpenter seriously). However, the fundamental point is that Graham seems to blame the organ itself for the Roman Catholic Church’s colossal failure, since Vatican II, to devise a viable body of quality hymnody or to show any respect for its own glorious musical tradition or the skills of trained musicians.
I speak from bitter experience as an organist. The attitude of Roman Catholic leadership toward musicians is usually punitive at best. Organists are routinely tyrannized by so-called music directors who insist on practices violently antithetical to congregational singing, and who hold up trite rubbish as “relevant” music.
Comments
Well said on all counts! I remember the same bitterness from playing in a Catholic Church. On my final Sunday after 11 years playing in a Catholic Cathedral there was no acknowledgement from the clergy or the congregation. It was as if 11 years of service had not happened nor was ever appreciated. The following week, my first Sunday at at Protestant Church (with a fine organ) people were lined up to greet me after the service with handshakes and words of appreciation for bringing fine music to them. After only one service. And thus it has been ever since.
Sadly Ms. Graham's article exhibits the fact the many cannot discern between inspiration and entertainment, nor between a masterpiece and a jingle. It was surprsing to me that the Globe would publish an article promoting such ignorance in a major newspaper in a world class city.