Ah, memories... As an erstwhile public school and college level teacher in the musical arts, one branch of my teaching over the years, was in Middle School. One course I taught over said years was a kind of potpourri experience, which touched on many different facets of music, and its place in society. One of my two-part lessons was on the history, function, use, repertoire, etc., of the pipe organ. I had the good fortune to live a stone's throw away from a local excellent organ builder - Brunner & Associates. I took organ lessons in my youth, until my teacher passed away, and had some knowledge of the instruments, in general. The organ builder gave to me quite a number of discarded organ pipes - both wooden and metal - plus other paraphernalia, which were organ-based.... The largest pipe I could safely have in my classroom, was an 8 footer. I also had a small wind chest, plus huge pictures of the Wanamaker and other huge instruments. The pictures, pipes, and tech were spread around the room, on lesson days.
The experience was a winner, and I usually placed the 8 footer in the front of my classroom, on a shelf below the blackboard, lying down - so that it was there during the lesson before the first of the organ lessons. When the students came in, they would invariably ask what it was... I would tell them it was a scud missile, or something like that, and ignore it for that day's lesson.
When the 2 lessons on organ tech were complete, I would always give brave students who wished, the opportunity to attempt to get a sound out of the 8 foot pipe. 'Twas kind of cool, because the big and strong ones - who at first were those who wished to try - blowing as hard as they could - were unable to get a sound out of the pipe. It slowly dawned on the kids, that it was not blowing 'hard' that would seize the day. It was low pressure - volume - of air that succeeded. It was often the smallest students who won the day. Very nice...
Yes... memories.
_________________ 'Everything Matters...'
Lisa Diane Cope 1963-1979
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