The first pipe organ I heard live is listed here. My first memory at my first Mass was hearing the sound of the organ float down upon me like a musical cloud.
This was not the instrument I heard, left. It’s an older console from the Austin Organ Company. Austin #653 I never touched. Just heard.
Word got out to the school principal that I could play the organ. (Well, I could play this one.) Would I be willing to play the big one for school Masses. (Eep!) I gave them a hard no. But many, many years later, something occurred to me. It’s something I would offer a young musician in my parish: what about lessons on the instrument and a bit of play in return.
One of my colleagues used to offer piano lessons in our parish. A few times a year, we’d host a recital. One of the more delightful of these was after her six-week “unit” on the pipe organ. That would have been fun to participate in as a lad. No eep! on that.
Catholic Sensibility 