Bandstand Stories

Faced with an aging organ that was slowly and irrevocably disintegrating before his very eyes, our choir director began to voice his concerns and tried to engender some interest in the purchase of a new instrument. Such instruments are not cheap these days, with some commanding prices way into seven figures. The finance committee was cool to the plea. The old organ continued its slow decline for several more years. Several times during services, strange noises would emanate from within the electronic bowels of the ancient instrument and once, ceasing completely in the middle of a stirring vocal solo!

Finally, an anonymous parish member made a six-figure donation towards the purchase of a new organ. Happy days! Unfortunately, there would still be a few additional funds needed to be covered by the church. A meeting of the church's finance committee was called to discuss the proposed purchase. The music director, backed up by the local representative of an internationally known and very reputable organ company, were invited to the meeting to justify the purchase of such a grand instrument.

No matter how it was explained, no one on the committee seemed to understand that while it seemed like a lot of money, it was still a very modest purchase considering the astonishing prices a 21st century instrument can command. Finally, in desperation, the music director said, "Look at it this way: if we were buying a car, I would not propose buying a Rolls Royce. This instrument would be more like a reliable, tough, American-made Buick!" The organ manufacturer's rep, eyebrows raised, looked at him askance and silently mouthed, "BU-ick?"

The committee finally agreed to the purchase and many months of custom construction began. Finally, six days before Christmas, the long anticipated day had at last arrived. The pristine new organ was delivered on the promised day and lovingly placed in its final position. The music director walked slowly around it and savored every view: the subtly finished lustrous wood, the soft ivory of the "white" keys on all three manuals, the walnut 'black" keys, ...and, what's THIS? Bending over to get a better look, he found something unexpected below the lowest of the three manuals. There for all to see, was a discretely placed, factory-installed, well-known, fully authentic, gleaming BUICK logo! Who says a large corpoporation has no sense of humor?

To paraphrase that fine company's advertising slogan from years ago...

"When a better organ is built, Buick will build it!"