Playing the organ

When I was about 11, I began to play the organ in church. In retrospect, I was probably not very good, but we were a small branch (congregation) and I was right there with the best of them. Mother said that as soon as I could play several hymns in the hymnbook, I would be ready. I think I started by playing for Sunday School. The organ was a funky little thing, probably a Hammond. I remember going to some lady's home for a few organ lessons. She gave me some basics, (most of which turned out to be not exactly correct, according to what I learned in Group Organ at Ricks College, taught by Darwin Wolford, required for all piano majors. They assumed we would most likely end up as ward/branch/stake organists sometime in the future. They were right). But, at the time I was in the 6th grade and the tips she gave me were helpful and appreciated.

We moved to a new area when I was 13. I was soon asked to play the organ again, this time for the Sunday School practice hymn. It seems I was the "assistant organist" for a little, elderly lady who had played the piano in church for years. It seems that she played mostly by ear, and her hearing was on the decline! The leaders thought they were doing her a favor by helping her to feel needed. I found out later that she felt she was doing them a favor by continuing to serve, and she was more than ready to be done with that calling, but until released she continued to serve faithfully. I played through most of my high school years, off and on, depending on who else happened to live in the ward that also played the organ.

As mentioned before, as a piano major at Ricks College I was expected to take group organ, which was so helpful. I learned basic stops and settings. We had to learn to mark our hymn book with "heel/toe" reminders so we could play the pedals. I pedaled enough to pass the class and haven't marked up my hymnbook since! One fun sidelight to the group organ class--Dr Wolford presented us with our "organ pedigree'. I can trace my pedigree to JS Bach. I studied with Dr Wolford, who studied with Alexander Schreiner, who studied with--I can't remember whom--but in not too many generations we end up at JS Bach, who is the best there ever was!

As expected, I've been a ward organist off and on for the past 30 years. I've enjoyed myself, and also been relieved when it became someone else's turn, depending on my particular season of life.

Tonight I went over to the Stake Center to practice on the new organ on which I'll be playing this Saturday and Sunday for Stake Conference. When I was approached about playing, I was warned that it's a new organ and "it's thrown some of the organists in the stake for a loop". My first comment was "Thank goodness!" The old organ was well past its prime. I think my exact words were, "The old organ was a piece of junk," which might be a bit harsh, but when I would listen to organs in other buildings in the valley, it seemed like we were well overdue for a new instrument.

What a delightful time I had tonight. I experimented with settings, checked out a couple pre-sets, pushed every button on the panel, and thoroughly enjoyed myself for about 45 minutes. I still just push a 16' stop and don't bother with the pedals, but the varied effects that came out of that instrument on basic LDS hymns was pure delight. I am very much looking forward to Saturday night to play again. I'm grateful for my mother insisting that I become comfortable on the organ back when I would have preferred to just stay on the piano. I have come to recognize the wisdom of a music department that realized that we most likely wouldn't become concert pianists, but we would be needed to share our talents in various situations and callings throughout our lives. I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have to contribute to the meetings this weekend. I pray that I may help to invite the Spirit as we sing the Hymns of Zion!