The Choir Conductor’s E mail To His Organist
I just want you to remember your philosophy: “If something goes wrong or I enter into a dispute I readily pay it as this is so small compared to the misery it causes when I don’t pay for it.” Something like that you said before.
As we exercised with your organ at home, some keys didn’t go up again. You got stressed. How high would it cost you, just to compensate your stress? Every time you played this organ you’re stressed again. Just add it up. How many million rupiahs does it cost? But when the organ was in good condition, you played so well and for us, I, my wife, your wife, your daughter, your brother and sister, it was a joy to hear. Imagine, we all got a share of it. How many millions would it amount to in our enjoyment? Now you are forced by the organ to play very poorly, you were stressed and we too who heard it were stressed, annoyed.
Before going home, you played another organ downstairs. I never knew you could set it up so well. You played one of Bach’s fugue. It was as though its beautiful sound, forces you to play well, It was almost impossible for you to play badly though with a poor technical ability. How we enjoyed and think of it, we both suddenly became very rich.
When we sing well, beautifully, the audience would have a share of the joy, beauty in it and we all would be going home richer. When badly performed, the audience would get a share in the misery, disappointment ugliness. What does that cost?
July 2009
