On
Sunday evening October 1, 2017, 6:00 PM, I will officiate at All
Saints Church at a celebration of a Sung Evensong, a Blessing and
Dedication of our old Moller Pipe Organ, rebuilt, renovated and
enhanced by the Quimby Pipe Organ Builders in Warrensburg, MO. It was
a major project headed up by the talented and dedicated Steve
Blackstock, our Music Director, Organist and Choir Director. I have
missed the Organ while it was gone for renovation because I would
often use the prelude as a means of centering myself in prayer before
the services; especially when Bach was used with his structure and
order.
As
it was being installed, I was immediately struck with the section of
the 97 bourdon pipes, the lowest pitched stop. The word “Bourdon”
comes from the French word for bumble bees, that droning sound it
makes and it is also used in the drone pipe in bagpipes. The Organ is
a huge stationary wind instrument cousin to the small mobile bagpipe
and my Scots heritage made that connection. It is an ancient Scottish
custom for a Bagpiper to accompany the procession to a gravesite and
as I thought of that I thought of my hope that this Quimby Opus 74
bourdon drones would play at my memorial service when I die,
hopefully, years from now in the future. This poem is my thankfulness for this organ.
On
the Occasion of Blessing the Quimby Opus 74
Hearing
the 97 pipes of the 16 foot bourdon drone,
memory’s
transported to where I have never been,
on
hills in Scotland, my trusty piper plays me home
in
soil resting after all my battles won, lost or seen.
The
mists melt as Johann Sebastian, he commands
an
instrument to enter into moments of holy awe,
bypassing
plodding thought using dancing hands,
entering
the spirits eyes never knew or even saw,
until
I close them in order to pray before service,
shutting
out all harsh cacophony of random noise
of
busy life so I might hear, not tentative nervous
searches
for nice words to say, but to be in poise
swimming
in divine wind washing over/ through
so
I can welcome angels and bid demons adieu.
No comments:
Post a Comment