Chris Lawton shares some thoughts on ignorant and discouraging organists

[hohlflute]

Sadly, this is not just a problem in the British Isles! Here in middle America, stupidity is also alive and well. Just how are you supposed to generate interest in an instrument when you never let anyone play it?

[mrstevebournias]

Chris the problem is deeper....the churches and their organists are not christianity;they are churchianity, a horse of a different color....

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@mrstevebournias SPOT ON!

[Charlie89572]

Enjoyed your Video, Chris. How you named and shamed these Control Junkies! Sadly, they're in all walks of Life. Whatever our accomplishments, we must always encourage the younger generation. It's vital they seek apprenticeships and look for full time work. I remember a young lad in the Whisky Country telling me he wanted to serve his time for a Cooper. I often remember that super laddie and hope he found work at the Cooperage. One of today's precious assets, Chris. God bless. Charlie.

[EddieE1977]

On a plus try the Cotton Musical Museum near Diss/Stowmarket. Lovely devoted team, lovely WurliTzer, lovely atmosphere. Strumpshaw were also happy to let me play the Christie (albeit at -4, Brrrr) and even provided a warm mug of tea to ease frozen fingers. Lol!

Should you ever venture to Norfolk Chris, you are more than welcome to come and play/record the mint refurbed Yamaha AR80 I have just bought (Still have my Blackpool registrations disk!). Some decent Classical organ sounds too! Cheers.

[EddieE1977]

Viva la revolucion! High time someone started the ball rolling to quash the archaic attitudes shown in what can only be described as a "dying art". The organ world was once described to me as a "dead duck" and it's attitudes like those both you and I have had to endure that WILL further damage the whole organ scene. Thank you Chris!

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@EddieE1977 here! here!

[MrOrganlover]

I couldent agree more what you sayed in your video is so true chris. Its the church`s organ and the church pay for there organist to play that organ...On meny accounts this has happend... Its very sad. but i hope this video works to inprove the church organists to change there views...

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@MrOrganlover sadly doubt it but we can only hope!

[cornwall59]

Pt 2, he said you can play to your hearts content great! i am happy about that because i didnt even think i was going to get that far ! well you can see that he doesnt want me in there on my own does he ? but its ok when theres plenty of people milling around, so i thought beggers cant be choosers & agreed,its a lovely organ i didnt mention anything about filming it lol ! thought better of that,anyway its a flower festival there will be people taking pictures !

[cornwall59]

Only yesterday i rang up an organist about playing it not to far from me, i was already having second thoughts, so i rang up, he said "Why do u want to play are organ" ? i explained why kept my cool didnt want to ruin this opportunity i heard he is difficult, in the end he agreed !!!! couldnt believe what i was hearing,BUT! this was crafty really, you can do me a favour ? if u like, we have a flower festival coming up near Easter & u can play to your hearts content!

[adknorth]

If these instruments are to end up anywhere besides a trash bin in the church parking lot, they need three things - attention, interest, and organists. Shame on the Organist at Penn United for short-sighted thinking, and a bad attitude. Although our pipe organ here is under lock and key, I would never deny any organist (or amateur enthusiast, for that matter) the chance to play it. Ever. I will be writing a letter to the Pastor at Penn United, cc:ing the Organist, and I will message you a copy.

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@adknorth will be very interested to hear the result!

[Wurlitzer2ify]

It is so amazing that the church organist who was so selfish ended up two years later very mentally ill, and never ever held the post as regular organist again. I was young, and had so much to learn. In the meantime a mainline church offered me an opportunity of a lifetime where I could lean more and develop into a decent playing church organist. I was able a few years later to confront the hateful old preacher about his mistreatment of me, and told him that God honored my sincereity well.

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@Wurlitzer2ify there is certainly a lesson in that!

[Wurlitzer2ify]

I am so glad this has been posted. I understand I am not the only one who has been pushed aside and even mistreated over a church organ. One reply mentioned those who are so selfish are insecure which I do agree. My personal ordeal happened when I was in high school, and to not sound vain I could play better than either of the church ladies.

I was put through hell itself over that organ, and all I can say it was nothing but the work of Satan. yes the devil can work quite well in church.

[PhantomOrganist]

Having been a kid with a love for organ and music, I can't even tell you how many organ lofts I've been kicked out of by grumpy, snide, overbearingly pushy organists that think they are Gods gift to the organ. Ask to play the organ at church and you'll find out how unchristian people can get. I've never treated anyone like that and will never crush someone's interest like I've had mine crushed on numerous occasions. Kill them with kindness, that's what I've been told to do.

[cornwall59]

Chris, have you noticed the organists who say NO are always the ones who cant play the bloody thing anyway! i think the word here is- INSECURITY.

[cornwall59]

This had me laughing so much, but it comes back to haunt me how many times have i been told ,No ! i am sorry its not possible ! or one excuse recently was, Oh well we dont use the pipe organ now anymore lots of the stops dont work & it needs lots of money being spent on it, just in case you damage something, our organist is elderly & is very fussy about who plays HIS ORGAN ! this is what the minister said to me on the phone only very recently, its so maddening!

[goodchappy]

I've never been turned down to play an organ, in fact it seems quite the opposite.

When ever I mention that I play, the reaction is to get my name and address.

I never push the issue though, I've played the organ in St. Albans Cathedral the St Albans organ museum Wurlitzer. If a church rejects you, that is their loss, plenty more organs to choose from.

The URC you mention may change their mind if the organist suffers ill health and they need a replacement, can't stand stuffy attitudes!

[JamesEncliffe]

worldwideweb (lol).npor(dot)org(dot)uk/cgi-­bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec­_index=N02128 if u want to preview the spec.

[JamesEncliffe]

Visions of a graveyard in Wolverhampton with ranks of pipes sticking out of the ground...

You are always welcome to have a tootle on the 1908 Lewis at Macclesfield URC :) But it will be freezing! Better when the weather warms up! Just let me know when you want to visit so I can check the church isn't in use at the time.

[jccaudell82]

These selfish organists needs to be fired from their church organist jobs for their hatin' comments to these young organist that want to learn to play the organ. Further more, these selfish organists are nothing more than a bunch of punks that need to be whacked upside their heads for hatin' on the student organists. May GOD bless you and have a wonderful 2012 Chris! Keep Up the great Organ work!

[RealXpression88]

I applaud you SO much, and thank you SO much .. for having the nerve to make this video. It was LONG over-do ! Thank you, Chris.

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@RealXpression88 haha thank you! 3 people obviously disagree - no doubt they are organists who have the attitude in it being 'my organ'! LOL

[007vauxhall]

Very True ! And very well presented too...I have had this attitude once, I approached the organist of a church, asked would it be possible to have a go, NO was the answer, firstly he said I HAD to join the choir, the second reason was that I could not read music...but i won in the end, when the vicar heard of this, he said you will play the organ, and told the organist straight. Thanks Chris, all the best :-) Paul.

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@007vauxhall thanks mate! I rather like my little comedy sketch! That vicar sounds like the right person thats needed! Unfortunately now many vicars and ministers are scared of their own flock. The amount of times that a vicar or minister has said 'I will have to ask the organist first'.......

[007vauxhall]

@ChrisLawtonorganist , Yes I enjoyed your comedy sketch too Chris...More I say!....More :-)

[kejcolley]

Going back at least 30 years - the late Les Greenaway (a very accomplished musician) who was organist at St. Philip's, West Bromwich (a decent instrument) would let anyone play the organ - he'd say that it didn't belong to him, it was the property of the church, he was just the organist. He'd been the organist for about 30 years and was also churchwarden but he wasn't in the least possessive about the instrument.

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@kejcolley Les Greenaway sounds like my idea of a true legend mate!

[kejcolley]

@ChrisLawtonorganist Les Greenaway also used to say there was nothing, unless they took a sledge hammer to it, that they could do that would damage it; his only insistence was that the shutters on the swell were left open afterwards. As for the 3 dislikes, you've obviously hit a very raw nerve there, mate (well done!) they'm just yammpy, aye they!

[RobCharles1981]

Chris you have hit the nail right on the head there 100% I emailed a Church the other day and this is the reply I got "Sorry but my organists are quite possessive and will doubt if they'll let

'outsiders' have a go - but I'll ask all the same" when can people think?

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@RobCharles1981 thought you would agree mate! That church that describes us as 'outsiders' need to have a good look at themselves if they regard us as 'outsiders'.  That is disgraceful!

[RobCharles1981]

@ChrisLawtonorganist Exactly!

[ChrisLawtonorganist]

@RobCharles1981 I see someone has disliked this video - obviously hit a raw nerve! lol

[StevenBlakemore1994]

I don't see the organ at my church as mine. I don't own I didn't pay for it. It is the churches organ and therefore anyone can use. (providing they look after it.) unfortunately, some organists are like that! :-( It is the same in some bell towers not just organs. Some bell towers won't allow any viisting ringers.

I have an interest in the organ and it is a grand instrument, the king. The skill, the art of playing needs to be kept alive, Like English bell change ringing does. :-)

[StevenBlakemore1994]

I couldn't agree with you more though. :-)