Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-06-23
aMiseellamu.
The Orsanist,s Story.

Pme IRON business, met Moretown. the
Iganist. Moretown is stout man, with
ink cheeks, and pleasing expression oi
bee, and looks like anything in the world
Pbut musician.
MEM.-How does it happen that so
many eminent violinists, pianists, orches-
ira conductors, and divine tenors and
sopranos, are such lumpy persons to the
eye2 One would naturally expect to see
bare bundles of muscles and nerves, from
which all the flesh had been worn off by
the fret and tear of musical life.
Moretown was rolling through the gate
Jay of the church. when he saw me and
stopped and, as came up, languidly
aehed ont his chubby, white hand for me
Shass ),
in and Hear ne play.
Thank You, George, said l, returning
his hearty grip, nothrBg could give me
kreater pleasure which was true, for ad-
nired his playing, and often attended SER
vice at the Church Of the EEangelto hear
him and-Seli, Ees-Drs. Jessanin's ser
mons, though, perhaps | onghtsto be
Sashamed to say: that some timesthe music
I was. the chicst stfsasff6n for daisaerate
= = see. Ssrrrcr eas&fs1s s.S2
=crss 4 {, = = = >;ssscsa.. =
Alone, JACK sBsfring she blower, who
isno~ whiting for me inside. | suppose
you'll be the whole audience
This il delicious, shall enjoy it
greatlyscs
we found the blower in the porch
seated on the lowest step of the gallery
stairs, lookine as if he had lust walked up.
He was 80 heavy of aspect, that L at once
rated him as person of great, but possi-
bly, neglected musical gifts. Nodding his
head at US, he walked up stairs, knocking
is boots at every step.
Blower some musical taste George p /
Hhispered.
He don't know orc note from another.
1t spoils a blower to have an ear for
music
You astonish me. Explain
h Simple enough A blower who knows
music is apt to forget himself, and stop
v bellows are empty; and the tune dies
with squeak. Been caught that way
or three times. but since [ got this
7, feel safe. If the angel Gabriel
sit down to the keys and play the
music from heaven, Tom would
away in dead earnest, as if he were
ships hold
pressed my amasement in an All =
is time VIC had reached the organ
| looked about me and marked the
beauty Of the church, which seemed
sacred and solemn in its emptiness
hush than when it was thronged with
lonable worshippers. The sun was
81 an hour high, and his slanting beams
4 struck great masses of rich colors from the
upper windows and sifted them into the
atmosphere of the edifce
Tom, never saying a word, went to his
place behind the organ, and began to get
up wind 1t sounded like horse wheel
ing, and the effect was not bettered by an
asthmatic accompaniment from Tom him
self. Having been a street paver previous
to mis- engagement by Moretown, he had
acquired the habit Of his class Of emitting
a sigh at every stroke.
When George sat down to the instru-
ment and began to play, his whole appear
ance changed His face shone, his eyes
flashed. his body swayed to and fro,
with plant grace his hands few like
lightning over the keys. | sat silent,
and drank in the harmonics while he play
4 ca ia luv, III ruvcv==Iou, scraps OF sonatas
from Bach, anthems from Cherubini,
rges from Chopin, crashes from Wagner,
" plants from Rossini 1t was a won
ul medley, meant to try the resources
be organ, and the skill of the perform
suddenly shifting keys, styles and
rcssions. As became . critical bu,
q I Ill
ny thumbs at the end of every rag
t. Finally, cut of the sweet jargon,
Ie stole the simple, heart-moving air OF
lubert's Wanderer'-the wall Of the
lie, the dirge of desolation. My OWL
Lriations,' said George-as he began tC
weave it all over with the broidery of hi:
fancy. At intervals the mournful all
would re-appear on different stops and oc
taves, and at last George got it down tt
the deepest bass As he moved amor: al al;
profoundest notes, striking out deafenint
volumes Of sound, / observed that, a
times, the whole church trembled sympe
thetically, seemed to catch a note, multi
ply it indefinitely, and fondly prolOng it
self When George stopped to rest, and
: had thanked him, said L
Please tell me what eau 'es that deel
: thrill all through the church when yoI
touch some Of those bass keys?'
Il strike the key note Of the church
See now (blow away, Tom.O He commen
ced at G g and went by semitones to G &C
the bottom Of the bass. 1t was thunder 0
different degrees. l remarked vibration
in the choir, aud parts of the building nea
US, at each successive note but there wa
M ono 70 which tho uhola 1,ocpnpIol
waited until he re-ascended the octave
and when he touched the note, said /
That's it
f sharp. The keynote Of the Churcl
of the Bvangel.'
And does every oui lding have its key
note?'
Undoubtedly This church, for in
stance, is only a gigantic organ-pipe
pitched on L sharp, octaves and octave
below my lowest. When L touch tha
note on the deepest bass, sound is produ
ced loud enough for .ie church to catch an
Z vibrste to sympathetically'
\ very curious and interesting fact
said J.
What would you think if told you tina
every human being has his or her key
note?'
should not doubt it, but would lfk
some proofs, if it is the same to you
George turned on the music-stool in
very animated manner. Il won't theoriz
on this singular proposition of mine but
will tell you true story TO illustrate it,
you have twenty minutes to spare
The subject interests me. So does you
earnest air. L am a bachelor. and wi
piVe voU all pioht