Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!usc!ucsd!hub.ucsb.edu!ucsbuxa!6600dt
From: 6600dt@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Dave Goggin)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: organ research
Message-ID: <8145@hub.ucsb.edu>
Date: 13 Jan 91 22:30:44 GMT
References: <9101112035.AA22841@hplpm.hpl.hp.com>
Sender: news@hub.ucsb.edu
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Hi Mr. Stauff!!!!!!!!

Gald to hear from you again.  I think you are
_again_ entirely correct on your comments about eh
organ and it's music.  I'd like to comment on a
fewof your points.

a)  Please, OH PLEASE, post a copy of this in
rec.music.classical and any other similar areas.
This must be distributed for all the wolrd to see.

b) I have tried to do some popular music on the
organ, with mixed results.  I think that there is a
sigular aspect of popular music which is basically
incompatable with the playing of classical
instruments, in anyexcept a margeinal way.  That is,
modern pop music relies to a large extent, on
percussive effects, particularly with respect to
drums and guitars (usually electric.).  The organ
(and piano, to a lesser extent) is not good at
capturing these. and as I have been reminded of on
numerous occasions at my concerts, "Gee, that would
sound really cool with a drum track."

Howeer, I must add that in my experience,
instruments follow music and not the other way
around.  The organ developed because it had the
sound the the music called for.  and the same can be
said of the pop music, however, I don't think the
popular music today requires the knind of sound that
is implicit in the organ.

Second, And perhaps most importantly, the pop music
fans today have VERY NEGATIVE though patterns, re:
organs and organ music.  As far as many of them are
concerned (I have gotten this from my concerts.)
organs belong either: 1) in churches, preferably in
wedding ceremonies, and 2) in second-rate holloween
movies, usually covered with dust and played by
figures of questionable benevolence.  This is an
outrage.  Pianos and other 'classical' instruments
do not have this stigma attached to them, since they
are intruduced, (usually by a benevolent visit
fromthe local symphony orchestra) in the elementary
school years, but I have never heard in either
American Organist or elsewhere of any such thing
happening in the elematry schools re: organ.
In addition,don't forge the benvolent teacher who
could also play piano.  This is the main reason why
the organ is so far out of favor (perhaps least
liked instrument, second only to the pan flute)
amoung the mainstream music world.

Anyway, mr. Stauff, I think all your comments about
the electonic modifications, etc. are entirely
appropriate, although there are members of the the
more concervative school of thought that would not
agree, I think.   Anyway, that's it from mee.
followups to my article are very much invited,
especailly from the electonic musicians here.

*dt*
Dave Goggin
6600dt@ucsbuxa.bitnet