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Actually playing the organ well is a hugely, hugely difficult skill -- you might think it's similar to a piano, but that neglects (a) the whole separate pedalbo

Actually playing the organ well is a hugely, hugely difficult skill -- you might think it's similar to a piano, but that neglects (a) the whole separate pedalboard for your feet; (b) the mental load of sometimes seeing up to eight-ish lines of music simultaneously across a series of different manuals (keyboards) with different voicings, that you have to control and change, whilst playing (±turning pages!); and finally (c) -- in piano music, you "play the notes" and if you hold the key down a little bit longer or shorter than is strictly indicated, it's not the end of the world and easily either becomes a form of articulation or a convenient way to change hand positions. In organ music, you have to "play the rests" – hold on each note exactly for as long as is required; no more, no less, and still get expression and tone in there, either with a swell box (≈volume knob for the feet) or, better, by your touch. Here's a fairly extreme example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHLRgvNh6Lk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHLRgvNh6Lk (Bohemian Rhapsody on a ~33k pipe organ. He's got a bluetooth button for turning pages on an iPad; the rest of the tech could easily be victorian).

cubefox 3y ago
When I was little, my father often complained about the terrible organist performance in the church close to where my grandmother lived. It really didn't sound very good, the sounds blended together and it was too slow. But apparently good organists were hard to come by, so they had to keep him/her. Of course the problem is not just the difficulty, it's also the fact that you can't just buy an organ and start training on your own. And with declining popularity of Christianity, there are fewer people who want to learn it in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised if today many existing organs aren't played anymore because there is nobody who could do it. Especially in European countries, where religiosity has declined dramatically.
- jabroni_salad 3y ago
  You also have to specifically like the organ. I grew up with an electric one in my home (two ranks and a pedal board) but spent all my time on the piano instead. Kinda wish I had given it a better chance now. They are cool instruments and the experience would have been good as I have since fallen into synths, which play similarly.
  - chrismorgan 3y ago
    The specific instrument will have a big impact too. Most organs around now (which is an unspecified period of time after when you’re speaking of) have two manuals, each of four octaves, one octave of straight pedal board, lacklustre voices and speakers, and issues of at least some form (e.g. a few notes that just don’t work any more). They’re just not particularly fun. But get one in good working order with three manuals, two of which have five octaves, and two octaves of properly curved pedal board, and power, and it’s altogether another matter: then, if you’re a child, your only difficulty will be that your legs aren’t long enough. It’ll be more enjoyable, and even a bit easier to play (though the difference in ease of playing won’t be as stark as between a poor upright piano and a good grand piano).

cubefox 3y ago

When I was little, my father often complained about the terrible organist performance in the church close to where my grandmother lived. It really didn't sound very good, the sounds blended together and it was too slow. But apparently good organists were hard to come by, so they had to keep him/her. Of course the problem is not just the difficulty, it's also the fact that you can't just buy an organ and start training on your own. And with declining popularity of Christianity, there are fewer people who want to learn it in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised if today many existing organs aren't played anymore because there is nobody who could do it. Especially in European countries, where religiosity has declined dramatically.

jabroni_salad 3y ago
You also have to specifically like the organ. I grew up with an electric one in my home (two ranks and a pedal board) but spent all my time on the piano instead. Kinda wish I had given it a better chance now. They are cool instruments and the experience would have been good as I have since fallen into synths, which play similarly.
- chrismorgan 3y ago
  The specific instrument will have a big impact too. Most organs around now (which is an unspecified period of time after when you’re speaking of) have two manuals, each of four octaves, one octave of straight pedal board, lacklustre voices and speakers, and issues of at least some form (e.g. a few notes that just don’t work any more). They’re just not particularly fun. But get one in good working order with three manuals, two of which have five octaves, and two octaves of properly curved pedal board, and power, and it’s altogether another matter: then, if you’re a child, your only difficulty will be that your legs aren’t long enough. It’ll be more enjoyable, and even a bit easier to play (though the difference in ease of playing won’t be as stark as between a poor upright piano and a good grand piano).