×

On becoming a music teacher – Part III

I grew up in Europe where “improvisation” is considered “normal.” In fact, it is very difficult to secure a church organist’s position without the ability to improvise. It is considered a necessity. In my organ study in The Netherlands, my organ teacher quite often would put a musical composition in front of me and had me begin to play it. And then, while I was playing, he would remove the piece and tell me to finish it “in the style.” At other times he would pick out a familiar hymn and ask me to improvise a musical introduction to it, play the hymn using my own harmonization and then improvise a Postlude for the same hymn. I also had to play and analyze a lot of Bach Chorales (Lutheran hymns).

Much later in my development, I learned that jazz is essentially “improvising, using popular music idioms. Johann Sebastian Bach was, and always will be, the greatest classical improviser of all time. It made me wonder what would have happened if Johann Sebastian Bach and Louis Armstrong would have ever had a chance to “make music” together.

In Protestant churches during Bach’s time, it was a common practice for the organist, by way of introducing a chorale (hymn) to be sung, to first improvise on the melody to familiarize the congregation with the tune. Bach stories are told that quite often the custodian would have to go up in the organ gallery and remind Johann, who had wandered off into his world of improvisation, that the congregation was getting restless, and wanted to sing!

At the end of each semester, all Grand Rapids Junior College music students had to perform at least two prepared music selections in front of a music jury (professors from nearby universities). It determined one’s semester grade. Needless to say, these were very stressful times! When the music jury came to Park Congregational to hear me play, my organ teacher would proudly tell the jury members that he had a student who could improvise. Consequently, I never had a chance to finish playing my “prepared pieces.” Instead, they would give me a hymn title, or they would sing a short melody, and tell me to “improvise.” It always saved the day for me, especially if my “prepared pieces” were not “A” material.

In the meantime, our country became embroiled in the Korean and Vietnam Wars from 1950 to 1974. All eligible young men were being drafted (Selected Service) for two years of military service. I had two choices: (1) Wait for the draft to “get me” and have to go into full time service for two years, or I could enlist in the National Guard. In the Guard, I would have to take 6 months of regular army Basic Training, serve my remaining service time (8 years) in a local Guard unit, by serving one 50 hour weekend per month and two weeks of training in the summer. I joined the National Guard before the end of my second year at Grand Rapids Junior College and a couple months later I was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, for Basic Training. Grand Rapids J.C. gave me special permission to finish my second year’s final exams while in the service.

My Grand Rapids, Michigan, commanding officer was a National Guard Chaplain. In civilian life he was a pastor in an area church. He helped me fill out the needed paperwork to sign up for Basic Training. We talked about what I wanted to do after my basic training period. I had a lot of choices. The Chaplain, knowing that I was an organist and would eventually return to college to finish my degree, made it easy for me. He suggested that I should request “Chaplain’s Assistant” for my M. O. (Military Occupation). After Basic Training I would be assigned to one of the many chapels on the Post and would be assisting the Chaplain of that chapel. I signed the paperwork and within a couple of weeks I received the date on which I had to report to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. The date was before the end of the Grand Rapids, J.C. Spring semester.

I “put my house in order” and drove to Fort Leonard Wood. It was about 570 miles one way, about nine hours (this was in the days when the famous Route 66 was still in existence). I stayed in a nearby motel and was ready for a good night’s sleep. A whole new world was just ahead of me and I was not terribly enthused! I felt a bit sorry for myself, but I knew that I was really never totally alone, and with God’s help I would make it through this ordeal also.

Gerrit Lamain is a former Copper Country resident who served as a music professor at Suomi College. He has published a book, “Gerrit’s Notes: A compilation of essays,” which can be found on Amazon. His email address is gerrit.lamain@gmail.com.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today