How to get a headache

By Vidas Pinkevicius (get free updates of new posts here)

My organist sense of good taste was damaged a few months ago.

I've heard an organist practice for an upcoming recital. The music was loud and louder, almost without any use of soft stops, too dissonant at times even for my ears.

And I have a great tolerance for modern music. I have to because I create music myself.

I'm not sure how it sounded during the concert but I got a headache from this music just from listening to the rehearsal.

And by the way, I never went to the event (not surprisingly).

Now I try to imagine what led the organist to choose this repertoire?

Obviously the organist liked this music, right?

But... is this a good enough factor of deciding to perform it in public?

When you play organ in public, do you do it for yourself or for others? Both?

Do you have to have compassion and empathy of how your playing might be perceived by the people in the audience?