Why do Christian organists play in a different key to the choir?

Question

And is it an Anglican tradition or do Roman Catholics do the same?

Thank you, Lunarsight, yours is a very impressive explanation. However, what I'm listening to on the radio isn't nice at all.

On reflection, perhaps I should be asking why they play and sing different tunes.

Martin, I don't consider myself musical, but I promise you, even a truly tone-deaf person could tell the difference.

Surely, Araknid, you must be mistaken. If I understand correctly from Christian doctrine propagated on Y!A, the Lord loves everyone.

Answer 1

They do sound awful don't they !

Answer 2

The organist may be playing in a different mode of the same scale that the choir is using. This is to create harmony relative to the notes that the choir is singing.

An example would be having a singer sing in A Minor with the organist playing in C Major. The two scales have all the same keys, except with different starting points. They complement each other nicely when played together.

Answer 3

Usually they don't. Most church music has the organ and choir parts in the same key.

Can you actually tell the difference? Maybe it's your ears, not the organist!

Answer 4

It's an Anglican thing. There's always some "nice" gal called Dora, or chap called Norbert, who likes "touching the organ for pleasure"

Answer 5

I was raised Roman Catholic and really, I can't say.

We were mostly too busy remembering when to stand, sit, kneel, and cross ourselves to notice the music.

Roman Catholics only rush through the first verse of the hymn anyway, so does it really matter?

Answer 6

organs are complex instruments and it could be because the organ is in a diferent key or the 2 parts of the music (organ and Chior) are written in different keys?

Answer 7

Maybe your organist and choir director should get together and plan.