Crawling seventh-chords

By Vidas Pinkevicius

Every organist has to do 3 things at least once in life: play in a church service, perform a solo organ recital, and improvise a horror story.

A horror story on the organ is interesting. What kind of a sicko would take a cliffhanger that raises people's heartbeat, keeps them breathless and jumping from the edge of their seats, and play it on the instrument which is devised to elevate their souls into the realm of beyond?

In a horror movie, we cover our eyes when it gets too scary. In a horror organ recital, are we supposed to cover our ears?

And does the organist really think playing a bunch of notes in the octatonic mode will make the listeners say:

"Don't turn the light off, daddy. I'm afraid these diminished seventh-chords will crawl from under my bed."