I went to the church today to have a play through the carols and work out which stops and manuals give the most satisfyingly rousing sound for the final verses of the really well known ones. It is a great feeling of power, sitting at something the size of a small truck, and being able to summon up a heavenly row, fit to raise the roof. As a professional musician who is not an organist, I am guilty as charged of always assuming that the vast majority of organists have a peculiar love of solitude, and can be rather self sufficient and occasionally odd !
If one had to spend many hours practising in an empty parish church, full of darkness and echo, I guess you need a certain ability which allows one to shut off and work in a vacuum. Many musicians are solitary folk, able to be emotionally self supporting, the many hours of practise mean that is almost a requirement, but organists are somehow different!
Anyhow, I am not of that ilk, but now and again it is great to have all that power to rev up like a celestial engine, and fill the church with Hark the Herald.............thank the Lord it was on the list!
I am not a member of the chuch, but I could not leave them without suitable backing for the midnight service, and I do actually enjoy it, and it is a lovely beginning to Christmas Day. Thankfully this year I don't think the weather will be as Arctic as it was last Dec 24th, so hopefully we won't see the familiar and loved words of said carols in our freezing breath !
I then will have a happily busy, and Vicar of Dibley Christmas Day, having two Christmas feasts, one at lunchtime and another in the evening.
Hopefully there won't be a sprout eating contest.....
For my international readers see info below! A well loved British sitcom about a small traditional English village who, much to their horror are sent a lady vicar! Lots of trouble for awhile but gradually they thaw and she is so popular she has 3 invitations for Christmas Dinner, NONE of which she can refuse! Brave woman !
