Jennifer Graham (“Save the Church! (kill the organs),” Op-ed, Oct. 25) misses the point about church organs. They are used extensively in most Christian churches not for their capacity to amuse, entertain, or even frighten, but because they are the best instrument to lead and support congregational singing. To put it bluntly, they are not principally solo instruments.
Organ recitals around the world are generally poorly attended — most great composers did not write volumes of work for this instrument — but this has no bearing on the use of the organ for worship.
Comments
it's a sad note when considering the Catholic Church was where so many great composers presented their works. Then there was Bach and the Lutheran Church in Germany. Growing up in the Catholic Church in America and recalling their attitude toward music as entertainment rather than part of the worship service was a great loss to their worshipers.
I understand your plea, but I think you have the US Catholic Church's stance on music a bit wrong. I agree that American Catholic music comes across as utilitarian and NOT artistic, but this is not the intention. As a Catholic, I am constantly dismayed at the poor quality of music in our hymnal, especially when I know that Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and hundreds of other composers wrote some of their best work for worship. Indeed, "Ave Verum Corpus" is considered by some to be Mozart's most sublime work. It is a song of adoration to the Blessed Sacrament.
This bad music is not a problem in Italy or France, where I've been and seen their services. From what you tell me and what I saw in the royal wedding, Anglican music is also very beautiful. I think that the USCCB has to get together and really attack the problem of bad music. It's not an organ problem, it's a failing of aesthetics. Organs don't kill music, people kill music!
Suzanne Gonsalves, Taunton, USA