100 Mile House's friendly, social & entertaining online news source!

By Daven Mapson

The organ is a magnificent and powerful instrument, but it has been declining in recent years.  It can sound angry, happy, sad, or almost anything else, and it is wonderful to hear.  In various movies, such as The Phantom of the Opera, the villain is portrayed making brilliant, ominous music on it. This brings out our fear and awe for him (or her).  

(Daven will perform at the Christmas Eclectica Choir Concert at Martin Exeter Hall at 2:00pm on December 11.)

Unfortunately, the organ is not portable and it is somewhat tricky to learn, although very gratifying.  Because of this, it is swiftly being replaced by pianos and synthesizers.  Very few competent organists remain.  But I have been taking organ lessons and performing on a large theater organ, and this has heightened my admiration and respect for this majestic music maker. 

The organ has two or more keyboards, of which the ‘swell’ and the ‘great’ are the most prominent.  The great is on the bottom and is lower-sounding.  There are various knobs (stops) you can pull out to add other sounds - hence the expression, ‘pull out all the stops’!  Buttons can be used to bring out preset combinations of stops, of which there are some for the great, swell, and the pedals.  The pedals, worked by the feet, are on the bottom of the organ. 

Spanning a couple of octaves, they make the lowest notes on the organ.  Volume is controlled by the volume pedals, also on the bottom of the organ. The organ is generally viewed as an old, classical music player.  But this is not true.  There are small, portable organs, and it is commonly used for such music styles as jazz, rock, and gospel. The organ is remarkably versatile.  

The organ does not deserve to become less popular in any way.  It is a glorious, grand instrument, enjoyable to learn and absolutely beautiful to listen to.  It gives me an invigorating sense of power and majesty when I play it.  But now that true masters of the organ grow far and few, new students are rare. If you would like to help, go out and buy or download a recording of organ music. Even on YouTube, there are organ videos, though some are small home organs.  Hopefully, you will be persuaded to become a student of the potent, stately organ. Who knows?  Maybe there will be a revival!  

Daven Mapson,

Youth Columnist

Age 13