Stahlke Adoption

Halloween and the Pipe Organ

Halloween is such a big day for children. And it was great fun to watch them last Wednesday.

Wednesday is also confirmation day for Ruslan and Bogdan. So at 2:30 pm, having gathered a portable snack, juice, and coffee for everyone, I ran out the door to start picking up children at school. While leaving, I saw a package left by our mail carrier on our front porch. It was a box with Halloween gifts from Jonathan's parents. There wasn't time to open it, so I put it on the table and continued on my way.

Not only do Ruslan and Bogdan attend confirmation classes, but I also serve as one of the teachers. Having my own children in 6th and 7th grade helps me to better understand the psyche of junior high children. This year, I assigned the 35 confirmation students into three handchime ensembles. One of the groups has very limited experience with music, while another group contains all instrumentalists. The middle group lies just there--in the middle as far as musical ability. Each Wednesday, I get fifteen minutes per ensemble, so we work fast. I also make sure that all the parts are doubled or tripled, so that absences on performance days are not so glaring. My goal for the confirmands is to increase their musical literacy, which should carry over into their worship life.

But as I prepared for handchime rehearsals on Halloween afternoon, it didn't take parental experience with teenagers to anticipate the potential pitfalls awaiting me. Spotty attendance, bodies buzzed on sugar, severely diminished attention spans--all made even worse by the timing: rehearsals in the late afternoon on Halloween. It was clear that a change in plan was needed.

As the students entered the darkened church balcony, the only visible light glowed from behind the organ console. The sound of tinkling bells (Zimbelstern) filled the air as they gathered behind the organist, dressed in black. The high bells ceased, followed by a low bell tolling continuously. Then the "tell-tale" heart started beating, as the organist played a minor 2nd (two notes together) in the lowest notes of the pedal. Some of the students went over to the pipes to feel the air emerging from them.

After the sound effects show was over, I showed them a handout with the beginning of Bach's Toccata in D Minor. Each student took a turn practicing with me, and then we jointly played the first line (with the organ at full volume, of course). The student played the first mordent (a three note theme), then I followed with the next few notes. They then played the next mordent, and so on. To end their organ-playing experience, the student hit the low D on the pedal with their left foot, while I played the full, rich chord above it for them.
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After confirmation was over, we drove home and found out that the package from Jonathan's parents had been opened. Among the items they sent was a Halloween greeting card for Jonathan and me. It had music notes on the front, and when I opened it, guess what melody it played?

posted by Stahlkes @ 11:03 AM