We have a loooong way to go, folks.

This is incredible. My eyes can't believe what I just read. This comes off the PIPORG-L list. Read it and be incredulous. Clergy Creatures like this one need to have their brains extracted, re-educated, and then re-inserted into their pointy little heads.

Read it, and weep, gnash teeth, rent clothes, etc. etc.

This was contributed by Terry Charles.

I've been a long time. and I MEAN a LONG time admirer of all things musical at Saint Mary The Virgin in New York City!

A "clergy" friend, this evening, upon viewing the website for the organ/concerts at Saint Mary's and the photos of the main organ in the gallery, its history and specification, its appearance and position in the building... SAID -

I'm not at all convinced that a digital (Walker) organ could not replace that organ and, in doing so, create a magnificent and new appearance for the church by doing away with all that clutter up there. I'm not at all a musician, but the clutter of the organs pipes and related components, in my view, are a distraction to the beauty and reverence of the building.

Oh MY......... what can I say, folks? As said in Ben Hur, perhaps I have lived tooooo long!

And my reaction to that: Honey, it's a good thing you're not a musician!!! Organ pipes a distraction to the beauty and reverence of the building, indeed! IMHO, there are plenty of cavernous, barn-like "church" buildings whose stadium-like atmosphere with a decided lack of reverential environment are themselves distractions to its beauty!!! And, IMHO, organ pipes are never a distraction from beauty and reverence, but an addition to it!

... jumping off my soapbox now ...