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Extolling the King of Instruments By DANIEL SULLIVAN
Continually attracting a variety of interesting visitors, The Juilliard School's weekly organ performance class was recently privileged to have Michael Barone—the distinguished producer of Minnesota Public Radio's nationally broadcast, weekly organ feature Pipedreams (pipedreams.publicradio.org)—as a guest on October 14. A highly perceptive individual, Barone graciously offered comments on the students' performances, participated in a discussion with the class, and agreed to an informal interview. Here's what he had to say:
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| Michael Barone |
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Daniel Sullivan: There is a thought that instrumentalists have much to learn from studying and hearing each other play. For example, organists often find inspiration in the bowing decisions that string players make in Bach's music. What does the organ offer to other instrumentalists?Michael Barone: Perhaps a sense of awe that one person can "do all that"! Beethoven had a high regard for organists for this reason—they could manipulate the beast and still make music with it. As we all know, Mozart thought of the organ as "King of Instruments" ... for every good reason.But in a way, this is a "trick question"—since you could ask what other instrumentalists learn from, say, pianists. Also, since keyboard music generally predates the violin repertoire, does one use "bowing suggestions" across the board in Baroque music, or only when the keyboard writing is imitating a string concerto? We all learn from each other, ultimately, as we attempt to create a beautiful sound and a memorable experience.DS: It may reasonably be argued that the organ's seemingly indissoluble association with the church is found to be helpful in some cases, but in others, to needlessly drive away potential enthusiasts. Where this connection with the church stigmatizes the organ, what might possibly help to correct a faulty awareness of the organ's potential and musical value?MB: I'm not sure why the church association should be viewed as a stigma. Churches are often inspiring pieces of architecture, beautifully decorated, and both the look and the sound of an organ in a church really does "move the spirit." I don't understand the prejudice some people have about entering a church to attend a concert, and the fact that they feel uncomfortable doing so. What an opportunity for the non-churchgoer!On the other hand, there is plenty of repertoire that is unabashedly secular, and should be performed in appropriate venues. The number of new instruments being installed in concert and recital halls around the country should provide opportunity for a new outlook for organists. We do confront the challenge that these venues must be appropriately and sufficiently funded (with an endowment account), so that use of these organs is fiscally possible. Donors should think of this when they shell out hundreds of thousands (or millions) of dollars to pay for an instrument. Plan for the future; simply creating the instrument is not enough.And it wouldn't hurt for classical organists to learn about programming—which, in the end, is the biggest barrier to a broad-based organ appreciation.The organ is only a tool (check the Greek root for the term "organ"), and our intelligent and imaginative use of it makes all the difference between an agreeable experience for the audience or a distasteful one. Almost any repertoire can be offered successfully if the instrument is appropriate for it and the presentation is friendly. And if you're afraid to talk, get a knowledgeable friend who isn't.DS: Increasingly, musicians are finding themselves compelled to become vocal advocates for art and to undertake a widespread, overall musical education of the masses that used to be part and parcel of a standard educational upbringing. Other instrumentalists are afforded the luxury of being able to take their instruments into classrooms and hospitals as part of this outreach, or perhaps to at least find a piano already there. The pipe organ, however, is immobile. Is it possible for the organ to play a critical and prominent role in this educational outreach … and what are some ways this might be done?MB: Yes, easily—and the American Guild of Organists' PipeWorks programs are showing real results. Also, scheduling a field trip for school kids to visit a facility with an impressive pipe organ is not at all difficult or costly. Watching an organist play, looking inside the case (or, in some instances, standing in an Austin Universal Wind Chest), having various pipe types shown and demonstrated ... all of this is always amazing to young kids. Get them in middle school—they're the most inquisitive ones.Any church organist who does not take the opportunity to have an "organ demo day" each year for the Sunday-school classes (young and old; don't forget that adults are inquisitive, too) is missing a huge opportunity.The pipe organ has an immense repertoire that spans more than six centuries. Virtually any pipe organ can be played (and programmed) with music that will cause people to be inspired and entertained.A case study: The late Earl Miller (a gung-ho Organ Historical Society member who taught at a prep school in New England) would arrange, every summer weekend, to go around to a different little village church and give a recital on their historic pipe organ. Some of these instruments may have had only six or 10 stops; many had never been played in a recital before. Using varied period repertoire, bringing along an assisting instrumentalist (flute, violin) or singer, and remembering to include music with memorable melodies and good rhythm—plus inserting a smile and bit of charm (personal and musical) now and then—made all the difference. Earl's recitals were a summer attraction, enjoyed by many.One struggles to achieve the balance of art and entertainment … and all art is entertainment—if you are not attracted to it, you cannot experience it. Audiences are like timid animals, but once you have them "with you," then you can take them places and make them hear things that they would never otherwise have imagined.Bach's admonition about "playing the right notes at the right time" is only the beginning—and he knew it, too. (Though Bach didn't much care about audience appeal, since his was a captive audience … and we all know what happened to his music in the years after his death.)Daniel Sullivan is an artist diploma candidate in organ.
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