Tuesday, December 31, 2019

A Different Birthday Gift

On Sunday mornings, after the service ends, and the benediction is declared and the choir sings a final Amen, the organist plays a little improvisation on the music of the service. Usually the congregation is up and talking and making their way to the door and it's basically, "Walking Out Music". A few weeks ago I mentioned to the organist that it was my birthday. I sing in the choir and so I know the organist well. Pay attention after the service is over he said. And at the end of the service, this is what he played. About half of the choir caught on to what was happening and, I learned later, a few of the congregation also noticed. It was a different but appreciated birthday present.















Our organist has done this kind of thing before. Every Sunday morning, he does a nice improvisational transition from the music of the offertory to the Doxology. Last year, on the occasion of Leonard Bernstein's birthday, we heard this.