[HANASHIR:9072] Re: wedding music & the organ

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

Actually, Erik, I like organ music.  Jimmy Smith, Stevie Winwood, Dave
Cortez, and yes, Bach & Handel.  Nothing like a B-3 with a big old Leslie...

Where we part company in our opinions, I think, is the use of organ as an
accompaniment to congregational singing.  I'm sure it CAN be good, but in
my experience seldom is.  I've too often heard the congregation completely
drowned out.  And it's not just a matter of volume, but of sonic space;
often, the organist will play too many full chords, leaving little space
for anything else.  To be fair, pianists used to playing solo will make the
same mistake when called on to play with others.

Your mileage may vary!

Kol tuv,
Andy Curry
heyquitstompingonmybasslines.com


At 05:21 AM 5/15/01 -0400, you wrote:
>regarding weddings & recessional music...
>
>the recessional should be joyous & upbeat... Erev Shel Shoshanim and 
>the like are too mellow for a recessional. 99% of the weddings i 
>conduct end with Siman Tov, people clapping, and YES, the pipe organ. 
>My reaction to those of you who are closed to the pipe organ as an 
>accompanying instrument is that you either have not heard a decent 
>arrangement of siman tov on the instrument, have not worked with a 
>master of the instrument, or have an electronic or electric 
>instrument whose sonority leaves you little to be desired.
>
>in the right hands with a decent arrangement, the pipe organ can be 
>most affective (sp?) at a wedding. I would strongly recommend that 
>one should use, whenever possible, through composed and realized 
>music and not lead sheets. It makes a world of difference. Tara's 
>books on wedding material are not bad, but they tend to be solely 
>lead sheets, limiting the accompanist to their ability and 
>imagination (and even the best accompanists sometimes do not know 
>what to do with a lead sheet). However, Tara also sells music 
>arranged by Edward Kalendar for keyboard which is quite good. I use 
>Kalendar's arrangement of Siman Tov, as well as a host of other 
>pieces for weddings, even though Kalendar's material doesn't appear 
>in a separate volume just for weddings (perhaps it should!).
>
>Still desparate for music for the pipe organ/keyboard? It just so 
>happens that Transcontinental is publishing and producing a music 
>book that should fit the bill for weddings ranging from traditional 
>to contemporary, from european to sephardic. It is being marketed now 
>and should be ready for distribution over the summer.
>
>mazal tov!
>
>
>
>
Andy Curry, Kansas City
acurry (at) san-carlos(dot)rms(dot)slb(dot)com

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