Some interesting things show up from time to time, and this is certainly one of those.
The writer in this two-part blog covers a great deal of territory but I think adequately summarizes
the debate facing religious organizations the world over...
http://hubpages.com/hub/churchorgandebatepart1 (http://hubpages.com/hub/churchorgandebatepart1)
http://hubpages.com/hub/churchorgandebatepart2 (http://hubpages.com/hub/churchorgandebatepart2)
Eric
KB7DQH
Hi!
Thanks for posting this. I wonder if these articles show up a different perspective on the two sides of the pond in possibly focussing on liturgical aspects? For UK churches I have half a feeling that there's a shortage of players who know or can play the exciting repertoire - and there are sphisticated players who will insist on playing Messiaen and more esoteric areas of Vierne than the more rumbustuous Norman Cocker Tuba Tune sort of thing that tells people that the Organ really is King of Instruments. So the organ becomes that boring thing in the corner. And not worth its maintenance costs. Nor the space it occupies.
And then there's the parish that thinks it should have an organ even if it's played boringly, so it economises with a fancy three manual exciting electronic replacement of a gem of a simple pipe instrument for an organist who doesn't know what to do with the two other manuals, such as the Methodist Church on the Island of Alderney where the rather better than expected 3 manual analogue instrument has the keys on the Swell manual seized solid for lack of use . . . (Having offered to service and repair it without response I feel that any perceived rudeness is both justified and almost intended!) So a piano gets moved in next to it whilst a cipher on the pedals renders the instrument (which for a toaster is fundamentally good) unplayable. (As an aside, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBkjf2u0AK8 demonstrates just how good a toaster can be . . . but this, of course is merely in the home environment).
And then there's the parish that's simply seduced by the switches, knobs and buttons of the toaster touts at a perceived lower cost than a 30 or 50 or 100 year rebuild of their pipe organ. What they don't realise is that now technology in trackers and simple electric actions will be much more intuitably maintainable in 100 years time than anything based on current electronic circuit boards. And sadly that includes pipe organs such as the network connected consoles and instruments at St Pauls Cathedral London and other disparately arranged Cathedral organs. I have a fundamental disagreement in using complex electronic technology in pipe instruments as it reduces such pipe instruments to the reliability and longevity of electronics . . . with the only advantage that the pipes, soundboards and windchests enure.
Best wishes
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