Climb Every Mountain?
Not long ago I met a young student who had never heard of the film that captured the hearts of many in the 1960’s, The Sound of Music. That made me feel rather old. Between 1960 and the present day, following some unproductive years, some youthful aims are being slowly realised, the mountain peak being now dimly visible. Apart from doing better quality playing, I am pleased to assist candidates for RCO diplomas, including preparatory lessons, registration assistance and page turning on the day occasionally.
Present day candidates are no different to those when I passed ARCO in 1972 and FRCO in 1982. Their age range seems just as wide today as those of yesterday. Aged 30, doing FRCO paperwork questions in the Kensington Gore upper room in the company of about half a dozen, seemingly very old male candidates, was curious. These were experts in other professional fields, e.g., chemists, doctors, lawyers. One felt humble, sharing the space with those whose brains ticked on higher levels than mine. The letter containing news of my pass provided a joyous moment. It seemed that I was the only candidate at that sitting to do so, if my memory serves me correctly. I still wonder if those other candidates eventually achieved their goal.
Some things don’t change and these include a significant number of people who want to achieve the best in organ playing that they possibly can, in their sixties and beyond. Some succeed, and I learn something new from every candidate I assist. The level of dedication and desire to achieve is impressive, as is the amount of work that has been put in to every aspect of the exam. From these people I have observed the value of systematic preparation both at and away from the organ. Such people, used to working in a methodical and objective way, apply their well-honed professional skills to their music making.
Some, however, leave it too late to put right basic technical skills, and are not always fully aware of what is lacking. This saddens me and I wonder how it came about. Prior to many of us having electronic organs at home, access to church or theatre organs will or may have been limited. Maybe practice was confined to a once weekly session, which sadly, is not enough. They may have worked hard on their own, without proper help. Still eager to climb that mountain, some have passed many of the component papers, perhaps leaving one or two with which they struggle. That is still a good achievement, but frustrating and disappointing if the last laps can’t be managed. Today’s modular approach at least enables anyone to take their time and do it well, helpful when full time work in any job leaves little time for the favourite pursuit.
How many have heard a suggestion that people who practise music are being self-indulgent? A colleague once remarked to me that people of her acquaintance were supportive when she said she was going out to work, it seemed the right and purposeful thing to be doing. If she was going to do two hours’ practice, the response was different, as if her time was being wasted on what for many is a hobby. It is as if the individual is indulging in playtime, not doing anything purposeful, including earning money. Amateurism tends to mean that someone is not very good at what they are doing, and that it is perhaps ok to be so. It should mean that you love doing what you do, and do it to the very best level that you can manage. So often, one plays a well-known piece of music, and someone else says that it doesn’t sound right. It is hard to accept when the observer has no obvious musical skill, and hurtful to the player who has done a lot of hard work, but we should notice. Such observers often know through repeated listening to a piece of music how it goes. Those of us slogging away at our time signatures and fiddly semiquavers want a bit of recognition rather than undiluted criticism, but should heed what has been said and learn from it. Hard.
When some find RCO exams hard to pass, I wonder if it is realised that is a professional qualification requiring professional level skills that, in addition to talent, require a lot of hard work and time to hone. In another world, no- one wants to be operated on by a surgeon whose hand is not steady, and whose head is not cool. Neither does anyone wish to be diddled by poor financial advice, or driven in taxis or buses by someone whose driving skills are questionable. All professionals are subject to high standards of proficiency and it is the same for organists. At cathedral and collegiate level, it is expected that the skills of sight reading, score reading, transposition, improvisation are more than competent. Organists in these roles do these jobs every day, as well working with modern communications and administrative systems which also require skill and know-how. Yet, many in non-musical professions still hanker after an ARCO, keen to satisfy a long held ambition. If you are one of these, I wish you well. Keep calm and carry on climbing. Seek help where you know you need it, and do it with plenty of time for any changes in approach to sink in. The music is what comes first, and we players have to be fully fit in body and mind in order to play it properly.
Marilyn Harper
