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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the church organist deserves to burn for this?!

172 replies

purpleloosestrife · 16/05/2012 20:09

I'm getting married this summer, but everybody in the village knows the local church organist is awful and sounds like Les Dawson playing the piano on a GOOD day.

Anyway, I rang him - and he told me that he was on holiday on my wedding day.

(whilst secretly extremely happy & punching the air) I oh so tactfully and very politely said what a shame and said not to worry as I would organise someone else, and really hoped he enjoyed his holiday. All very nice... but then just as i was ringing off and saying my goodbyes......

Right, he said, now about my fee....I said what fee, you're not even going to be in the country so won't be playing at my wedding??? to which he replied... it is £100 regardless.

He's not even going to be there or play and I have to pay him £100 !!!!

I've had to also pay a second (professional) organist - who incidentally only charges £80 which also includes his travel and an hour of practise ( on a strange organ ooh er !!) before the wedding. So the local organist is overcharging as well as fleecing me!!!

AIBU to think a regular church goer should actually have more christian values????

Oh and he wants it in cash and seemed EXTREMELY put out when I said I would only pay him if he gave me a dated itemised invoice for tax purposes.

OP posts:
lou2321 · 17/05/2012 12:44

I got married in a CofE church and we paid the church for everything including the organist. If the usual one could not do the wedding another one would have taken his place. I wouldn't have had to pay the one who was on holiday as well!!

IAmNotACowbag · 17/05/2012 12:48

I've read the whole thing and I'm still baffled as to why you'd give him any money, or why a vicar would let themselves be intimidated by an organist!

CarolynR · 17/05/2012 12:55

definitely have a word with the church minister

AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 17/05/2012 12:55

Frisky, you are also a sometime church organist..? Grin truly, your talents know no bounds. nice to see you!

GAH

skybluepearl · 17/05/2012 13:01

tel the vicar

skybluepearl · 17/05/2012 13:05

if he wants holiday pay, he should work out his needs money wise and add x amount to the weddings he actually does cater for. not expect you to cover his costs.

Thats how I'm paid.

klaxon · 17/05/2012 13:57

Tell him you'll be delighted to pay once he's introduced you to the person who will be fulfilling the contract and that person has confirmed s/he has been paid already.

TheRhubarb · 17/05/2012 14:06

Erm, I don't really get this?

Does the church 'own' the organ?
Because if the church owns the organ then asking you for a fee is not only out of line but also illegal as he has no contract with you. I.e. he is not providing a service for you to pay for.

If he owns the organ, then he can only charge you a fee if you intend to use it as he is providing the use of his organ.

Therefore, you tell him, thanks very much but you don't want to use his organ on that day. Therefore it would be illegal for him to charge you for anything.
Get a different organist with an electric organ, or even classier, a flute player or violinist.

He cannot legally charge you if he is not providing a service.
So I don't really get why you are still stating that you are going to pay the man. Just don't use his services, incl the organ?

amicissimma · 17/05/2012 14:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheRhubarb · 17/05/2012 14:28

OP, seriously if he is asking for money for the use of an organ that belongs to the church then that is illegal.

You don't have to get the vicar involved, just threaten him with trading standards. To pay for the use of something that does not belong to him is called a scam and trading standards would be delighted to instruct him further on this issue.

IF he owns it and you have no intention of using it then the same applies.

Molesworthiscool · 17/05/2012 14:35

Apparently this is a common practice Angry

www.ukbride.co.uk/forum_topic/the-organist-is-damanding-more-money-not-to-play-its-a-con?DiscussionID=28276

TheRhubarb · 17/05/2012 14:43

Oh my Giddy Aunt, this is true! Look at a typical organist's contract Shock

That is unbelievable!

HOWEVER that contract also states that the organist must make maximum endeavours to get a fill in organist when they are on holiday. So tell the organist and the vicar that you are happy to pay the fill-in organist that he is required to get to cover his leave.

Hulababy · 17/05/2012 14:48

Tell the vicar that you won't be paying the organists fee as he will not be present at your wedding, and if he does not agree you will take your £500 (which seems high to me anyway) to another church instead.

WillieWaggledagger · 17/05/2012 14:51

rhubarb's link to the contract suggests the fee goes to the organist if he is available but if you want someone else to play (that does make sense). this is not the case in this situation - he is the one not available therefore you have made other arrangements (which could ahve been made by the vicar otherwise)

TheRhubarb · 17/05/2012 14:52

We got married in a catholic church. The priest wouldn't take a penny off us because apparently he enjoyed the wedding so much himself! The organist was a lovely old man who only baulked at playing The Exorcist tune as I walked down the aisle Grin

He charged £50.

There was no obligation to have him or any organist on the day.

I still say that if you don't want to cause a fuss, simply inform them that you do not require use of the organs. You can get a much better musician and a much nicer musical instrument for £100.

StrawberryMojito · 17/05/2012 15:09

The way I interpret that contract is that if the regular organist is available but the couple choose to have a different organist then they still have to pay the organists fee. If the organist is unavailable and an alternative is found then the church arrange payment. The regular organist still gets holiday pay from the church. I maybe (probably) missing it but I don't think it says that the organist can demand a fee from the couple if he has made himself unavailable. In the above linked example, I think the couple were choosing to have another organist as he was rubbish.

Bottom line, don't pay OP.

Katisha · 17/05/2012 15:13

Yes but rhubarb solo instruments like flute and violin are not great if you are having hymns. At the very least you need a piano.

mummytime · 17/05/2012 15:24

Well nothing like this exists her or any other Church I know. At the Cathedral the Organist would want to veto unsuitable organists, but wouldn't charge. DH only gets paid when he plays (more funerals than wedding ins actually).

TheRhubarb · 17/05/2012 15:38

True Katisha.
I would definitely go back to the vicar and ask about the contract.

How about a guitar? That might be nice? Or, just thought, even better is a mandolin!
Have a word with the music department of your local college or University, I'm sure some of the students would love a bit of extra beer money!

thebody · 17/05/2012 15:38

But if say he was employed by the church and got holiday pay it's the churches responsibility to pay him not the 'customer'.

I add the cash thing is dodgy and tell the vicar.

TheRhubarb · 17/05/2012 15:48

She's told the vicar. The vicar sounds like a wet rag.
I'd ask to see his contract and ask about holiday pay.

nickelbabe · 17/05/2012 15:51

i think you should talk to the RSCM about this.

it is normal that if you choose another organist and are therefore putting him out of a job, that you pay him.
but as he's not available to play, then he should not be asking for a fee.

Talk to your priest, too, because that's immoral.

DH is an organist and he would never dream of charging if he was going to be away anyway.

WhiteWidow · 17/05/2012 15:53

Refuse. There's nothing he can do. Prick.

nickelbabe · 17/05/2012 15:58

you need to contact these people

they're linked to by the RSCM (because the organist might not be an RSCM member)

email them and ask them their opinion.