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Views from the Choir Loft

The Future of the Pipe Organ

Fr. David Friel · March 15, 2015

OMETHING HAS STUCK with me since I read an early post of our new contributor, Dr. Lucas Tappan. In his second post, he recalls his parish priest offering to pay for the organ lessons of any student in 4th – 8th grade who was willing to learn. That generous endeavor turned at least one young man into an organist.

A recent article in the Catholic News Herald (newspaper of the Diocese of Charlotte, NC) addresses the modern travails of the pipe organ in Catholic worship, but with a decidedly positive outlook toward the future.

The article interviews Paul Skevington, a past chairman of the NPM section for organists. Skevington observes that the main problem is not so much a shortage of organists, but rather a dearth of full-time, well-paying, church organist positions. This strikes me as sad, especially in a Church that grants principium locum (“principal place,” as translated by Dr. Mahrt) to the pipe organ. Too often, the instrument that should hold “principal place” in the sacred liturgy is allocated “no place” in parish budgets.

These ideas have been rolling around my head for the last couple of weeks. The result is the following set of three easy steps to be taken at the parish level:

1. Increase the amount of funding allocated to sacred music. Quality music programs come at a cost, but so do poor music programs. The difference is that quality music programs only cost money, whereas poor music programs cost money & parishioners.

2. Deliberately foster the talents of potential young organists. What better investment could a parish make than to offer lessons for a couple of its aspiring musicians? If you want to go whole hog, pay to send them to the CMAA Colloquium, too.

3. Help parish building committees to understand that the cost of a pipe organ & its maintenance are worth it. If a parish is building a new church or undertaking a renovation, make sure to include qualified musicians in the design phase. Instruments, choir areas, & acoustics should never be treated as mere afterthoughts.

Most of our readers do not need to be convinced of the importance of the pipe organ or the “principal place” it deserves. But perhaps we could choose one or more of these steps and become a leader at the parish level. That’s where real change happens, and that’s where the future of the pipe organ will be secured or lost.

“The manifold possibilities of the organ remind us of the immensity and the magnificence of God.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Passing on Tradition, Pipe Organ, Sacred Music Colloquium, Simple Steps To Improve Parish Music Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    PDF • “For the Season of Pentecost”
    During the season of Pentecost, you might consider using this 2-page Piece “for the season of Pentecost.” Rehearsal videos are available at #40691, but the lyrics are different. Therefore, make sure your choir members understand that one can rehearse songs that have different lyrics (“CONTRAFACT”).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • (This Coming Sunday)
    Our volunteer choir appreciates training videos, so here's my attempt at recording “Exáudi Dómine Vocem Meam,” which is the INTROIT for this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday is Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the feast of the Ascension”). It is sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Volunteer Choir Attempts “Kýrie Eléison”
    My volunteer choir attempted the polyphonic KYRIE that will be sung at this year's Sacred Music Symposium. If you're interested, you can listen to the live recording from last Sunday. The piece is based on the ancient plainchant hymn melody: Ave Maris Stella. Polyphony like this is truly intricate and wonderful. It reminds me of the quote by Artur Schnabel: “music that's greater than it can be performed.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

These prayers were not peculiar to Good Friday in the early ages (they were said on Spy Wednesday as late as the eighth century); their retention here, it is thought, was inspired by the idea that the Church should pray for all classes of men on the day that Christ died for all. Duchesne is of opinion that the “Oremus” now said in every Mass before the Offertory—which is not a prayer—remains to show where this old series of prayers was once said in all Masses.

— Catholic Encyclopedia (1909)

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