Have you attended any church weddings lately? So many people stage their festivities in other places these days - a beach, a hilltop, a back yard - where the logistics can be flexible, even casual. But in a church wedding, especially one with numerous participants, the service must unfold with theatrical precision .
A wise organist, the "loudest" yet often the most invisible member of the "cast", assures the smooth unfolding of the drama . Before the ceremony begins, she will locate the minister-in-charge to check out the details. Something like this:
Organist: "How are you? I want to confirm when you expect to start the service."
Minister: "Two o'clock. I've got another wedding later at the Lenox Hotel. So we've got to move it along."
Organist: "All right. I'll start the general preludial music about 1:40 - they agreed to Bach and some Brahms. Then I'll switch into the "mother's music" at 1:55. Exactly at 2:00, I plan to transition to the bride's processional, a trumpet tune by Purcell."
Minister: "Sounds good. This couple has been very punctual for their marriage counseling sessions. I imagine things will go smoothly and on time."
Organist: "That'd be nice... nothing worse than being stuck on the organ bench, doodling and improvising, long after the wedding should have begun. Don't forget to come tell me if there's a delay."
Minister: "Of course."
* * *
Back in Buffalo one June day, I settled at the organ in an Anglican church's chapel (instead of the main sanctuary). Only a small four o'clock wedding, I'd been told; the chapel was large enough to accommodate the expected 125 guests.
Trouble with the chapel is the placement of the organ console or keyboard. Encased in its own "private room" in the chapel front right, the organ seems meant to be heard, but not seen. An organist feels disconnected from the service, even ostracized. What have I done in life to be relegated to this stuffy cubicle? And how am I supposed to see through this narrow opening? What did they use, a floor grate? Well, at least there's a mirror. Hope the bride is dressed in white so I can see her to start the processional.
I never enjoyed playing in that space even though the pipe organ was grand. One thing, that little room was private. One could knit during the sermon without being seen - not that I ever did.
I never enjoyed playing in that space even though the pipe organ was grand. One thing, that little room was private. One could knit during the sermon without being seen - not that I ever did.
After completing my planned preludes, I started improvising. Nice that I studied improvisation under Searle Wright, an adjunct professor at Union Theological Seminary, who was organist at St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University. Like exercising on a treadmill, his students learned to execute chord sequences over and over until the fingers played without much mental oversight. Now all I have to do is push an imaginary button and, presto, out comes the music. However, I do have to observe what my fingers want to do - can't let them slip into some pop tune!
I glanced at my wrist watch. 4:15! Where's the bride? It's way past time.
Just then, the minister tapped my shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said. "We received a call from the bridegroom. His car broke down on the Thruway...it's fixed now. He hopes to be here in half an hour." In the days before cell phones, delayed communication was normal.
Likely story, I couldn't help thinking. Maybe the groom's got cold feet. Or did he "kick up a rumpus" last night a la "Get me to the church on time"? And now his "Fair Lady" bride is left cooling her heels? As I climbed off the organ bench to wait in the anteroom, that tune stuck in my mind like a victrola needle grooving on an old record.
* * *
Delays would not be tolerated in an Anglican service in Great Britain. Can you imagine the royals being late? The April schedule for the Royal Wedding was enough to make an organist drool.
Look at the fine tuning of the details. For example, from 10:20 the Members of Foreign Royal Families were received at the Great West Door. At 10:42 Their Royal Highnesses...were received at the Great West Door. At 10:45 a fanfare was sounded. And so on. The musicians were never forgotten or left to improvise to fill time. Get me to the church on time, indeed!
By the way, that bridegroom finally showed for his wedding - one hour late. Did I get paid overtime? Oh, I can dream...
My college roommate at Carleton College knew how to plan. She and her long-time boyfriend married the day after graduation in the college chapel - with her roommate at the organ. (It was a tri-semester system, so graduation took place in June.) Their friends and family members were already on campus. Wasn't that practical? This month is the 49th anniversary of that occasion. I doubt the quality of the wedding music had anything to do with this longevity, but you never know! ;-)
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| Skinner Memorial Chapel, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota |
Been to any interesting weddings lately? I've recently attended my niece's ceremony on a hilltop outside Nashville. A friend is headed to Malibu in July for a "barefoot" one on the beach.
