Many of you may remember a television show called The Joy of Music. It was hosted by Diane Bish, who was touted as the “First Lady of The Organ.” She hosted a weekly television series, where she would travel the world, performing on historical organs, bedecked in the most ornate statuary, and Baroque filigree. Actually, with her silvery blonde hair, and her sparkly gold organ shoes, she brought the instrument to life and made it appealing to the masses. Say what you will about her dramatic flair, her sequins, and her diamond rings, but she was one of the few that could pack the house for an organ recital!

When I was much younger, I loved watching the Joy of Music. I had to look it up in the TV Guide to see when it was to be broadcast, so that I could program my VCR and tape it. The first time I ever stumbled upon The Joy of Music, I vividly remember that the Bach Sinfonia from Cantata 29, the piece for today’s postlude, was used during the opening credits of the show. I had always dreamed of one day being able to play this piece as compellingly as the legendary Diane Bish. In 1989 I was able to meet her, when she came to Baton Rouge to give a concert at the First Baptist Church. A highlight of my young life, no doubt. After the performance, I stood in line to get her autograph, and her exact words to my 14-year-old ears were, “Keep practicing!” Never have I ever received more wise council.

And practice, I did. They say it takes 10,000 hours to really master something. I think the organ may take longer. I may be getting to that mark now in my career. I’ve had my fair share of doozies however, and utterly embarrassing disasters, during my 10,000-hour climb to proficiency. But many say that you have to fail your way to success. The good thing about music is that there’s no penalty for said failures. A surgeon doesn’t have as much grace. God allows us to play music over and over and over again, with no real consequence for being bad at it. It’s that allowance that makes you want to repeat it, and to try again. But many budding musicians get discouraged by such a grace period, and ultimate trial. But the battle is only in your mind. For me, my failures made me determined, and I learned how to hone that skill at a young age.

Even though today’s postlude sounds wickedly complex, when you get it going, it’s not that effortful, if prepared diligently. In music like this, there’s so much going on, that when you get it up to tempo, it becomes automatic. At that level, it’s not playing the organ, it’s more like you are “being played.” I cannot describe it, but it’s a feeling of taking your hands off of the wheel, and allowing your fingers and toes to dance, as if they had a mind of their own. You just relax and stay in the groove, letting it all happen. However, it takes a mind-boggling amount of time to experience that effortlessness, but it’s so worth it if you ever get a chance to climb to 10,000 hours. Soli deo Gloria!