CHURCH ORGANIST

Evening Star, Issue 20388, 21 January 1930, Page 11

CHURCH ORGANIST

MICE OF PROFESSIONS AVERAGE SALARY OF £7O A YEAR A few days ago we were told of the suicide of an ex-cathedral organist who, at fifty-nine, was unable to procure another. post, writes “An Organist’’ in the ‘Daily Chronicle.’ London. If most organists did not regard themselves chiefly as coworkers with the clergy, doing their job for the love of the thing and supporting themselves mainly by outside work, there would be more tragedies of the kind Most people; I suppose, would say that the organist helps to bring beauty and consolation into their lives with his music. Yet he is still the church mouse of the professions. In a fashionable church like St. Margaret’s, Westminster, or St. Mary Abbot’s, Kensington, he will earn perhaps a salary of £260 a year, supplemented by two or three weddings a week, for each of which he receives five guineas. But there are few posts so lucrative. The majority of churches are poor, and the average church organist does not get more than £7O a year-some-times it may be as little as £6O. For that he will do one or two services and three or four practices during the week, possibly evensong daily, and, of course, three services on Sunday. There will bo extra duties, such as 11 a.m. service on Saints’ day. He will have to devote five or six hours a week to his choir. He would like to have them every day, but in most cases cannot afford to give the time to them.

The result is that these posts have to be filled by amateurs who get their living outside the church, usually by teaching pianoforte and singing. When they have finished earning their living and discharging their obligations to their church, they find little time left for normal recreation. And think what has gone to tho making of such an organist who can only command such meagre sums for his earthly reward. At least four years of ' hard study with several hours’ practice a day, which have cost hi mov his parents from £2OO to £3OO in fees. And remember, in order to pass the examination of the Royal College of Organists lie will have had to train as an all-round musician in composition for orchestra, harmony and counterpoint, musical form and history, and so forth, so that he can combine the practical work of organist and choirmaster

Talk about the lot of the organist to-cla.y to an authority of long and wide experience like Dr Hickox, professor at the Guildhall School _of Music, and organist at St. Phillips, Kensington, for forty years, He will tell you: “When one hears so many clover young organists. playing large organ works faultlessly and brilliantly, one wonders where they are to find posts worthy of their talent. Unfortunately, ’ they are often driven to do work i'n cinemas, which, while sav,ng the situation, means the degradation of theii art.” Such is the lot of the man who uplifts us with his divine music Sunday by Sunday How many churchgoers are really• aware of it?