St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-08-07

wv hbhi lOo SiA >
even though it might be a treat"
~ thought | wonld play 'Thiele's
Airs and Variations,' so that you could
form some idea of my STYLE" replied
the young man, somewhat abashed.
"What idea do you suppose | can
get of your style from that ? Would
you ever play it in church? Do yOu
take a church organ for n concert
piano? ! want to hear you play some
thing suitable for a voluntary for style,
and a hymn or anthem for service.
You may try the hymn abide with
Me- first"
The melody is simple and the har-
mony rich and broad, but one would
never have imagined it from hearing
the young man play it. 1t sounded
more like an extract of IL French opera
than one of the most touching selec-
tions from a church hymnal, and the
director wasrso astounded at the per-
formance that he allowed him to begin
the butchery of the second verse before
he stopped him. "There, there, that
will do. You don't seem to get the
idea of the hymn, Mr.. Jones. How do
you suppose choir could sing that
hymn with that accompaniment ? 1t
would set the congregation to dane
ing"
"Well," apolOgized the player" 81
thought you wanted to hear it played
with expression"
"True, do," interrupted the direct
or, ''but the expression of a hymn and
the expression of pas de seul are
somewhat different. 1t does seem
,tV hat iInaS rNlnN-
ers have. You never played in church,
did you ?"
''No, sir; but you recollect brought
you a letter from my professor telling
You | had taken lessons for two years ?"
eyes, remember. Where did you
practice ?"
81 took lesson every other day on
the church organ, but had to practice
at home on Il reed organ. | found it
was rule with the churches not to
allow the pupils to practice on the
church organs, and so | have had very
little experience in playing, but think
| could suit you if | only had a chance.
| need the practice terribly, but don't
see how | am to get it without having
an engagement"
"Yes," returned the director, ''it is
rather discouraging to beginners in
this city. The churches demand good
players, and they won't allow pupils
to play on their organs until they are
regularly engaged as Organist. 1t is
rather like the father of the story book
refusing to let his son 90 in swimming
until he had learned how to swim. But
in spite of the absurdity of the thing,
it is a custom here, and established
customs are hard things to break. |
think the fault lies with the musical
committees, who usually have charge
of the church music and hire the sing
ers and organist. The members are
not chosen so much for their musical
ability as for their generosity in sub
scribng to the music fund. They raise
the money to build the organ, aud are
frequently called upon to pay heavy
bills for tuning and repairs. Conse-
Quently they object to letting nOvices
practice in the church. The rule has
caused New York churches to look
outside of New York for its new organ
lists, and very few of the players you
hear the most about, studied the in
strument in this city. They came here
well equipped for the work, and soon
had no difficulty in getting positions,
while scores of brilliant young students
have been kept ont because of their
inability to secure the requisite prac-
tice.r
81 supposed that the practice | got
on my reed organ might help me to
get an organ" suggested the young
man as he left the bench.
at will. Every good organist must
play the piano or reed organ before he
can master the organ, because he must
begin his playing when he is young
and his fingers are pliable. If boy
| should begin practicing on the great
organ his feet wouldn't touch the
pedals. He would he too short. Then
he couldn't reach the stops. So every
good organist you will find can play
the piano too, and piano and reed
organ playing are not very different
But even if yOu had practiced on the
large organ alone, that would be O
very little aid to yOu as an Organist
You need choir practice. An Organis
should he both independent and de
pendent. He both leads and follow:
the singers, and above all he must be
self possessed. Now, what would &;
person without practical experience dc
if his leading soprano sang a hymn il
the wrong time or got off the key
The whole responsibility of the chOi
would rest on the Organist. He wOnlt
have to sustain the rest and bring thu
singer back into the correct time ant
key. The ears of the Organist mus
be acute. He must he like a wis,
woman in sewing circie--if wis
women visit such bodies. He mus
hear everything and pay attention t.
only what concerns his own business
That comes only from practice, and al
the teachers in the world can't impair
the secret. Practice makes perfect il
nothing more than in organ playing"
John S. KOutz of Toledo, O., the ney
commander-in-ch of the G. A. r.
| has Il war record which has been cele
brated in many verses. He is tn
Youngest commander ever elected
When fifteen years old he went ou
with the 37th Ohio regiment as drum
mer boy, and ut the battle of Missio
Ridge he quit drumming, took a mus
ket and fought until badly wounded
: and was picked up, the nearest UniO
] soldier to the confederate line. In tn
. battle he lost his left leg. On his re
| turn home he attended school for
year or two, and afterwards held i'm
Z portant county offices. In 1865 he bt
came one of the charter members {
5 Forsyth post in Toledo, and in h
5 state has occupied all the importar
$ positions, from post adjutant to d,
5 partment commander.
u When the fast trains now operate
: between Chicago and New York arriN
at the end of their run, each engine,
steps around to the front of his loc'
Il motive and brushes the dead birt