Organists and Me: Half a Century as an agent for musicians Paperback – August 16, 2020

I read Phillp Truckenbrod's book "Organists and Me" this past Friday and was amazed at the backgroundand details of this particular group of the music industry he provided. He was able to incorporate all of hiswealth of experience and decades of background with personal stories that were informative, educational, humorous and dramatic at times.I highly recommend this book as you will not be disappointed!

This is a easy and interesting read about many organ recitalists of the past, andthose active in the world today. From their manager's point of view. The most interestingparts were the dishy inside stories of difficult personalities, and competition with othermanagers to represent the same artist. Probably not a book for everyone, but intenselyinteresting to those who go to organ recitals, Organ Guild members, and friends, family andacquaintances of the organists herein profiled! Or those who want to see what a good managercan do to help a career.

This book can best be enjoyed by readers who are already reasonably familiar with the pipe organ and the world of professional organists. For such readers, the book provides many vignettes and insights, most of which are informative and entertaining. Readers need to be aware that professional organists are overwhelmingly male and gay, something that is not at all unusual in the performing arts. The author openly discusses this topic, which in many ways is a primary theme of the book. But the dominant theme for this author is the dual identity of most organists as both church musicians and concert performers. That theme recurs repeatedly throughout the book, in parallel with the author's musings about the American Guild of Organists, the primary professional organization of pipe organists. The author sees a significant tension between organ music as a means of religious worship, and as a rather unique secular performing art, and makes no effort to conceal his disdain for the former and attachment to the latter. Overall, the book is entertaining. The writing is informal and chatty, often "gossipy". The author freely expresses his many biases. For readers who want a good introduction to the world of the pipe organ, this book is NOT intended for that purpose. If you are fascinated by the organ and its music, and want a well-informed insider's perspectives and anecdotes, along with his biases, then -truly- the book is worth the price and the time to read it.

Phillip Truckenbrod's book is a timely, sensitive, and personal treatment of the pipe organ, concert organists, and the musical agency he built and led. The memoir is laid out in rich and engaging prose, and it will be enjoyed by a wide ranging audience. Though it focuses on the pipe organ, it will be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone who appreciates the arts.

In his memoir “Organists & Me”, Phillip Truckenbrod gives an unprecedented look behind the scenes at what it took to build and run a management agency that handled mainly concert organists during a time when their numbers and their audiences were generally in decline. Through a combination of business savvy, promotional knowhow, hard work and talented performers, Phillip not only built a business that survived, but one that thrived in this difficult environment. If you want to learn how he did it, this book is for you. But if you’re just looking for some interesting and amusing stories about the people he knew and adventures he had during his half-century odyssey, that’s in here too. This is a book that will interest all organists and fans of the King of Instruments.

"Organists and Me" was a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read from start to finish. As a non-musician, I wasn't expecting this book to be the page-turner that it turned out to be!

This is a well written and witty behind the scenes look at the organ "business," its personalities and politics. The book is a perfect read for non-musicians who enjoy the grandeur of the instrument.

Organists and Me - Half a Century as an Agent for Musicians - Phillip Truckenbrod - A Holly Grove Book - 176 pages - (2020) - 21 photos - Contents: Preface; I - Early Organ Fever; II - First Parish - First Organist; III - My Defection Over to the Organist; IV - Newspaper; V- Canterbury; VI - Religion and the Arts; VII - Virgil Fox; VIII - Louis Vierne; IX - Eye of the Beholder; X - Organizational Identity Confusion - The Agent as Disciplinarian and Disciplined; XI - Business Perspectives; XII - Personalities; XIII - Conventions; XIV - AGO Competitions as Trade Shows; XV - Competitions for Organ Performance; XVI - Towerhill Recordings; XVII - Out on a Limb; XVIII - Why Organists are Unique in the Performance Business; XIX - Glancing Back; XXI - Flavor of the Scene; XXII - A Note in Parting; Appendix 1 - Cast of Abbreviated Characters; Appendix 2 - TAO Interview; Appendix 3 - PTCA Roster and Staff - Organists - regular roster - (w. commentary); Organists - regular roster by virtue of absorption of the Howard Ross Agency - (w. commentary); Organists - regular membership by virtue of competition with agreement - (w. commentary); Non organist or organ duo artists - (w. commentary); Staff members of the Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artist between 1967-2015 - (w. commentary); AGO and Related Convention Treated as Trade Shows - (w. commentary) Appendix 4 - Stephen Z. Cook - Remembering His Work at PTCA; Appendix 5 - Kenneth J. Bartschi Recalls His Work with PTCA; Appendix 6 - Charles A. Miller Recalls His Initial Time with PTCA; Appendix 7 - A Quotation from Paul Bisaccia's Book, 'Piano Player Memoir and Masterclass.This really clever and extremely well-written in a sense autobiography makes for fascinating reading. HIs skill as a past newspaper reviewer helps to give the reader a total background in his talent agency which has featured some of the world's greatest organ talent as well as other musicians who were non-organists. This book is full of delightful stories of select musicians as well as touring stories with its ups and downs. Here one finds a very realistic encyclopedia of facts, figures, musicians and their personalities. Mr. Truckenbroad also shares many personal feelings and preferences which adds to the overall enjoy here. This book is an excellent source for any young organist or musicians who needs to write and compose a proper and professional resume with an Do and Don't attitude.The chapters dealing with Virgil Fox and other greats such as Robert Glasgow and John Rose in creating the Louis Vierne Festival are sensitive and with much humor. Great artists from the 47 artist list include the following from said list: Rollin Smith, Anthony Baglivi, Peter Richard Conte; Nicholas Kynaston, Robert Glasgow; Michael Murray; Jane Parker-Smith; Thomas Richner; J. Marcius Ritchie; McNeil Robinson; John Rose; Dame Gillian Weir; Bradley Welch; John Scott Whitely; John Walker; Christopher Herrick; Paul Jacobs; John Scott; Christopher Houlihan.This book is highly recommended for any open-minded organist, musician, or organ aficionado who attended and heard any of Phillip's exciting and wonderful touring artists. This book will bring many fond memories about select, thrilling, memorable musicians who are no longer participating in the land of the living.A special personal remembrance is given now Bishop John O'Hara, New York, who was the host to this reviewer many, many years ago when John was not a Roman Catholic priest or bishop but rather a fascinating lay person who really knew the organ, musicians, repertoire and instruments in the NY, Pa and NJ locations and he was doing a superb organ program out of Seaton Hall University and introduced same to Phillip and John Rose as well as othering great artists and musicians during the week which followed several radio broadcasts.

Fascinating!