Masonic Organists

[MaineMason]

I will be installed as Organist at Triangle Lodge No. 1 in Portland, Maine in January. The lodge has a pipe organ which needs some TLC but was used to great success today by the Scottish Rite organist as we did five MM degrees led by the Scottish Rite 33rd Degree team with the Grand Master of Maine in the East (and four past Grand Masters and a veritable "who's who" of Grand Lodge and Scottish Rite in our state and it was very exciting, but I digress!). I've done a great deal of research on this and on Masonic music however it would seem that installed Organists are increasingly rare in Blue lodges. I'm wondering if any of you have experience with music at Lodge (or any appendent bodies) and if any of you have ever served as an Organist--installed or otherwise--for a Masonic body. I am looking forward to it and have even composed an original March for the Temple and the occasion!

We tend to forget that Organist is an appointed officer position many places. For those of you who have never seen it and for general information, the apron and Jewel bears a lyre in a circle. Looking forward to any input on the subject any of you brethren may have.

 

[Bloke]

Hi Bro, congratulations (and thank you) on your appointment. It might sound strange to thank a stranger, but for those of us used to having an organist, we understand their importance, *not* having one is a real blow. Hences the thank you.

It is ususual here for a lodge not to have an organist. It is extremely rare for organists to only be working in one lodge. Recently one of our organists was ill and when we could not find a replacement, we tried to use recorded music - terrible. A good organist plays to accompany the action in lodge and varies what he's playing according to the pace of lodge officers..... no existent technology can match a moderately good one.

A couple of years ago a GL organist started an organ school. He assembled about 8 or more organs and ran a course. Lodges were pushing men into that course with great encouragement -but we're still short on organists here. If ours can't make it (i'm in two craft) its hard to find a replacement.

I'm pretty sure Mark and Chapter also use organists here.... i guess music and singing are part of our masonic experience here (as it is in many other places).

Another important thing to note is we have set odes for degrees. They have wonderful words such as:

"O Masons blest, Who pity shows,

And learns to feel another’s woes;

Lends to the poor man’s wants his ear,

And wipes the helpless orphans’ tear;

In ev’ry want, in ev’ry woe

Himself true pity then shall know."

We also have lodge songs, often with two themes friendship/welcoming and toasting

So to recap, we have set odes for degrees with beautiful words that allow a beat to move around the room.. we have songs in the festive board, some very traditional and masonic, we generally sing old lang syne and our national anthem at the end of our meetings, last night there were a lot of Christmas carols.... but when organists are installed you often hear "money, money" by abba lol... so it's not all serious. .

 

[coachn]

I am not a Lodge Organist. In FL we changed that title to Lodge Musician. I am a Lodge Musician for several lodges, and do so as their officer. I play the Irish Whistle (through a condenser microphone, out into a guitar synthesizer and finally into an amplifier) and Digital Drums. I play mostly revolutionary war and civil war music as to accompany each degree - it fits the mood. This and cadences on the d-drums when it suits the movements of the degree.

 

[Ressam]

I am not a Lodge Organist. In FL we changed that title to Lodge Musician. I am a Lodge Musician for several lodges, and do so as their officer. I play the Irish Whistle (through a condenser microphone, out into a guitar synthesizer and finally into an amplifier) and Digital Drums. I play mostly revolutionary war and civil war music as to accompany each degree - it fits the mood. This and cadences on the d-drums when it suits the movements of the degree.

Wadup, Coach!
Are You Republican or Democrat?

 

[Bloke]

Wadup, Coach!
Are You Republican or Democrat?

While not a lodge, I would suggest we try to stick to the "no religion and politics" rule in general threads.

On the topic music - we also have "grand lodge heralds" who play the trumpet. They are also used at subordinate lodges during Installations of the Master.

You might be interested in reading some of the lodge songs or odes - there is a link to there here

 

[Brother JC]

My lodge in NM was lucky enough to have the Grand Musician as a member. Most lodges there have no music during ritual.

 

[MaineMason]

Hi Bro, congratulations (and thank you) on your appointment. It might sound strange to thank a stranger, but for those of us used to having an organist, we understand their importance, *not* having one is a real blow. Hences the thank you.

It is ususual here for a lodge not to have an organist. It is extremely rare for organists to only be working in one lodge. Recently one of our organists was ill and when we could not find a replacement, we tried to use recorded music - terrible. A good organist plays to accompany the action in lodge and varies what he's playing according to the pace of lodge officers..... no existent technology can match a moderately good one.

A couple of years ago a GL organist started an organ school. He assembled about 8 or more organs and ran a course. Lodges were pushing men into that course with great encouragement -but we're still short on organists here. If ours can't make it (i'm in two craft) its hard to find a replacement.

I'm pretty sure Mark and Chapter also use organists here.... i guess music and singing are part of our masonic experience here (as it is in many other places).

Another important thing to note is we have set odes for degrees. They have wonderful words such as:

"O Masons blest, Who pity shows,

And learns to feel another’s woes;

Lends to the poor man’s wants his ear,

And wipes the helpless orphans’ tear;

In ev’ry want, in ev’ry woe

Himself true pity then shall know."

We also have lodge songs, often with two themes friendship/welcoming and toasting

So to recap, we have set odes for degrees with beautiful words that allow a beat to move around the room.. we have songs in the festive board, some very traditional and masonic, we generally sing old lang syne and our national anthem at the end of our meetings, last night there were a lot of Christmas carols.... but when organists are installed you often hear "money, money" by abba lol... so it's not all serious. .

Thanks for your lovely response! Ritual without music can be a bit trying, to say the least, however it has become very much the norm in the United States. Our incoming Master and several others of us belong to what we call the "Anglican Mafia" (we are all members of the Cathedral parish and one of us is Sr. Warden there) and there seems to be a real sense of wanting music to accompany ritual. We also have set odes for degrees under the Grand Lodge of Maine though the only ones you might normally hear are installation odes and our funeral dirge for the Third Degree which is set to Pleyel's Hymn (my understanding is that it is not used much outside of the Eastern US though oddly, by the Grand Lodge of British Columbia). We have two Blue Lodge rooms at Portland Masonic Temple as well as a Scottish Rite hall. Two organs, though for the "smaller" hall--which itself is two storeys tall--I am donating my practice organ so there will be an instrument in all of our meeting halls. Its a beautiful building, build about 1911. The original lodge charter goes back to colonial days here and was chartered by Paul Revere when he was Grand Master of Massachusetts, Maine in those days being a colony of Massachusetts. We have quite a history. As far as Festive Board/Table Lodge (we call it "Table Lodge" here) is concerned most of the old songs have gone by the wayside; that being said, we have some wonderful voices and I may try, over time, to teach a few to bring our old British/New England Masonic traditions back to life. Thanks again for the well-wishes! Bro. William.

PS: Mark Lodge and Royal Arch are one in the same in the US, and being a member, music would be a good idea. I belong to Scottish Rite (32nd degree) but they have their own organist who played today. However, I'm working York so I can play for Commandery. They used to have a band but that was years ago. BH

 

[MaineMason]

I am not a Lodge Organist. In FL we changed that title to Lodge Musician. I am a Lodge Musician for several lodges, and do so as their officer. I play the Irish Whistle (through a condenser microphone, out into a guitar synthesizer and finally into an amplifier) and Digital Drums. I play mostly revolutionary war and civil war music as to accompany each degree - it fits the mood. This and cadences on the d-drums when it suits the movements of the degree.

That is excellent and rather inventive! We have by the way, at the Maine Masonic Temple a Civil War museum which is properly curated (Maine was very enthusiastic for the Union Cause so there is a lot to be learned there though we also have some Confederate artifacts as well) so you've given me an idea. When I have heard lodge organists the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is sometimes used. I couldn't get away with "Dixie" in Maine! Here in Maine, as far as I know, "Musician" is a term for a brother who is substituting and not installed; "Organist" regardless of what they are playing remains the Officer title here. I am so glad to hear that you are bringing music to Lodges in Florida. We had a bagpiper for our MM degrees today who just happened to be a past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Maine. In our enormous hall it made a rather large impact and was well appreciated. I think alternative forms of instruments at Lodge can find a place. You're certainly doing it. I really appreciate your reply. --Bro. William.

 

[MaineMason]

Wadup, Coach!
Are You Republican or Democrat?

Since I started this thread, I would appreciate it if we kept politics out of it like we would in open Lodge. This is a thread about music in Masonic Lodges. Much appreciated. --Bro William aka MaineMason.

 

[MaineMason]

My lodge in NM was lucky enough to have the Grand Musician as a member. Most lodges there have no music during ritual.

You are very lucky indeed! I seem to be seeing that some Grand Lodges are indeed changing the officer title to "Musician". Which I suppose fits the times. We are pretty old fashioned here in Maine I guess, then again, I have been a church organist for 30 years and actually play the instrument and we have one at both my mother Lodge and at my affiliate Lodge where I will be organist. I'll start talking about this to my non-Masonic colleagues. Perhaps some will ask to join and be willing to serve in that capacity. We have a lot of silent organs here.

 

[MaineMason]

While not a lodge, I would suggest we try to stick to the "no religion and politics" rule in general threads.

On the topic music - we also have "grand lodge heralds" who play the trumpet. They are also used at subordinate lodges during Installations of the Master.

You might be interested in reading some of the lodge songs or odes - there is a link to there here

Thanks for the link. Now, we have some very nice voices at Triangle/Portland Masonic Temple. Sadly, three of them are senior Officers and one is about to be Master though they sing in the Scottish Rite men's choir. However, I am going to try to put together a men's quartet to do degree and installation odes. We're the first Lodge in Maine (actually, three merged hence the name "Triangle") and the oldest and we ought to have proper music and I think we ought to have a quartet. In the Victorian and Edwardian era, in New England, men's quartets were all the rage not just in Lodges but also in churches. While it is a very outmoded style today, it fits well in the Lodge and there are tons of musical arrangements. I know our incoming Master would like to have it. I would love it too, and then we could work on some of those old, old songs for Festive Board/Table Lodge. Given that Installation is on the 9th of January, I suppose someone should sing Bro. Burns' "Auld Lang Syne" or perhaps, at the end, the whole of the Brethren. Stated is on Wednesday and so we'll discuss it. From what I have heard this will be the first music in decades at the State's oldest Lodge.

 

[Warrior1256]

Congratulations on your appointment brother. I recently joined the AASR and they have an organist but I have never been to a Blue Lodge here in Kentucky that has one. Until reading this post I didn't even know that this existed in Blue Lodges. I envy those that have them, sounds like a great idea.

 

[coachn]

Since I started this thread, I would appreciate it if we kept politics out of it like we would in open Lodge. This is a thread about music in Masonic Lodges. Much appreciated. --Bro William aka MaineMason.

AMEN!

 

[coachn]

... We have a lot of silent organs here.

Same here, which is precisely why I stepped up and played upon what I knew best to fill a gap that was sorely needing to be filled. I am under the overwhelmingly supported opinion that music is sorely missed when Brothers realize the important gaps it fills.

 

[MaineMason]

AMEN!

So Mote it Be.

 

[MaineMason]

Congratulations on your appointment brother. I recently joined the AASR and they have an organist but I have never been to a Blue Lodge here in Kentucky that has one. Until reading this post I didn't even know that this existed in Blue Lodges. I envy those that have them, sounds like a great idea.

I am sure there is a Blue Lodge in Kentucky with a pipe organ. Scottish Rite and Shrine halls usually have them all over the country, as you've noticed. Thanks for weighing in.

 

[Bloke]

Most of the organs in our city and county buildings are electronic - but at GL, every lodge room had a pipe organ with Lodge Room #1 having a big one and the main auditorium having a monster - a real pleasure to listen to...

 

[MaineMason]

Most of the organs in our city and county buildings are electronic - but at GL, every lodge room had a pipe organ with Lodge Room #1 having a big one and the main auditorium having a monster - a real pleasure to listen to...

Good electronic or digital organs can work well in Lodge rooms. The Scottish Rite Auditorium in Boston, Massachusetts has one--why they did not restore their pipe organ remains a mystery to me--but it sounds just fine.

 

[flipster]

While not a lodge, I would suggest we try to stick to the "no religion and politics" rule in general threads.

On the topic music - we also have "grand lodge heralds" who play the trumpet. They are also used at subordinate lodges during Installations of the Master.

You might be interested in reading some of the lodge songs or odes - there is a link to there here

Do you have any recording of what was played on trumpet or the tin whistle? Thank you

 

[Bloke]

Being a Scottish lodge we are pleased to have an office of Piper. .

Nice ! Are they hard to find ? We use pipers on special occasions but completely at the WMs discretion... but in my humble opinion, a Burns night is not complete without a bit of tartan and a piper