Are you old enough to recall the movie, "Never on Sunday"? Before I could vote – and before my consciousness was raised, this movie struck a chord with me. Why, I'm not sure. Maybe because it was set in Greece, a place of ancient mysteries? Or was it because it was a foreign art film? Was it the earthy nature of the dialogue - so far removed from the Doris Day movies of the '50s?
Besides images of the glamorous and fun-loving Merlina Mercouri, I recall one of the themes. You don't work on the Sabbath, especially not at the world's oldest profession. Check it out here:"Never on Sunday" But I've always worked on Sundays - well, not at the oldest profession, but an old one. Over the years it dawned on me how stressful it is to serve as an organist-choir director, to put on live performances, and to do it every Sunday, if not several other days, too. And if you're the only organist at the church, when do you get a weekend off?
I chuckled about that movie. Were organists and church musicians exempted from the traditional Sunday work prohibition? Of course, I recognize that ministers work, too. But I've always been the first person at church – the one who started the coffee, who practiced the tricky keyboard passages, who gathered the choir music, greeted the choristers and rehearsed them – all before the minister arrived to confer with me about worship service details.
Now I'm at the age where Sundays are “pro-choice”, so to speak. I decide whether I want to spend Sunday at a church job - churches always need a sub or temporary musician. Unless the church in question has a particularly fine organ or choir and, true confession, they pay well (gasp!), I often elect to join my husband these days on the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel veranda (See photo) in downtown St. Petersburg near where we live. We sip our coffee and tea, read the paper, surf the Internet and watch the passing stream of humanity.
Sometimes people recognize me and say, “Aren't you working today?” I smile and say, "No." Inwardly, I muse on that fact. I do miss playing those grand organs. But, mostly, I love my freedom. And the wonderful pipe organ music I hear in my mind sounds perfect - no wrong notes. More and more, my theme is “Never on Sunday”.
"Sometimes people recognize me and say, “Aren't you working today?”"
ReplyDeleteI get also get approached in public with my guitar playing at St. Elizabeth. My problem is that I'm so busy paying attention to the sheet music that I only look at the crowd and not individual faces. I see the forest, not the trees. So, I will be standing in the produce aisle and hear, "Hello Gary". When I turn around, I don't see anybody I recognize! I have to stand there until I notice someone making eye-contact. More than often, its an elderly lady wanting to say "thank you", which is always a welcome part of any day.
I love your post. I also had an organ gig for over 40 years. It's so nice to just stay home on a Sunday morning. Only we can appreciate that fact. However, that 6th day of work ( I usually played 4 masses on Sunday and one on Sat. evening) is what enabled me to pay my "cottage bills" at Van Buren. It was a blessing to use my special talent that would allow my kids to spend the summer at the Point. But now I can rest.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up as a child of a choir director, I usually had something to do during the service. I don't know if I could imagine having sat through so many services without knowing that I would have something to do - the singing or playing the cello (rarely) helped pass the time.
ReplyDeleteNow, when I talk to people in my set, I'm the one who knows about doing the "church" thing. Interesting what you can learn following your mom to church most Sundays!
Thanks for the comments. It's great fun to share our reminiscences. Everyone has a different take on their time in the loft, pit, or pew.
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