Once more the time has come to consider a thoughtful and generous Christmas gift for the organist in your life. It’s not that difficult, honestly: allow me to offer some acceptable suggestions.
For starters
Here’s an easy way in – browse the organist and pipe-organ related mugs, cards, cushions, calendars, jigsaw puzzles on Zazzle. In particular, look at Jenny Setchell’s fine organ photography on all sorts of organist gifts on her own store on Zazzle, and also on Redbubble.
Fine Art America reproduce her pipe organ photographs as wall art, and also as shower curtains, towels, phone cases, t-shirts, bags, duvet covers, cards, pillows….find them here.
(Some of these online stores have dedicated websites for different countries – check you’re on the best one for delivery in time for Christmas.)
Writing implements
It’s one of the lesser known laws of cosmic entropy that all pencils finally end their lives under organ pedalboards. Before they reach this state of nirvana, they are frequently filched from the organ console by lazy choir members who have forgotten to bring one to choir practice. All organists are therefore endlessly engaged in topping up their supply, so get her a stash of really smart pencils – with her name on, just to show you really care. (Search for ‘personalised pencils’ online). And go on, get her the best pencil sharpener money can buy, and an expensive pencil eraser from an art shop as well. Classy stationery items are a joy forever.
Box sets
A really grand, once-in-a-lifetime organist present is a box set of the complete organ works of Bach – the sheet music, that is, not recordings. Even if your organist is a beginner, she will be completely flattered that you think she’ll be playing all this one day. Barenreiter sell their 11-volume New Bach Edition in a slipcase for just over £230. If that’s a bit outside your budget, ask her which of the individual volumes she might like to study next.
Publishers Peters also have the Bach organ works in 9 volumes – here’s Volume 1
A more conventional box set is Fugue State Films’ splendid DVD/CD documentary on The English Organ, just out in time for Christmas (2019).
Beauty products
Karen Gerrard developed SEAMS hand cream for couturiers and seamstresses to help mend their pin-pricked hands, without leaving greasy marks on fabrics. Good for organists too, who don’t want to play with oily fingers. Find it on the Seams Beauty website.
A workshop
If (as suggested) you bought your organist membership of the Royal College of Organists last year, you can build on this with the offer of paying for one of their excellent workshops: held around the country, at all levels. See what takes her fancy: they’re listed on their website here.
A book
I Saw Eternity the Other Night, Timothy Day’s elegant account of the history of the English Cathedral Singing Style is now out in paperback from Penguin. Here’s my review of the original hardback edition.
And in case you missed it…here’s the original What to get your organist for Christmas.
and What to get your organist for Christmas 3
and What to get your organist for Christmas 4
That redundant organs website? Here… Institute of British Organ Building
