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Virgil Fox

1/23/2015

25 Comments

 
Only one man in our lifetime ever created mass audiences for pipe organ music, and he was gay.

Virgil Fox did miraculous things, controversial but fabulous things with the pipe organ and with his life.  He was a virtuoso, a genius, and as queer as a three-legged goose.

Pipe organs are the most complex musical instruments so far ever invented.  They were perfected in the 18th century in Germany and then in France.  Johann Sebastian Bach was the undisputed master, the greatest composer for the pipe organ who ever lived; and the music world is divided between those who think Virgil Fox was the greatest performer of Bach’s work and those think Fox was the most egregious desecrator of Bach’s masterpieces.  

First some facts.

Virgil Fox was born in 1912 in Illinois, not far from where I was born.  He was a church organist when he was ten, and played his first solo concert to an audience of 2500 at the age of 14.  He began to record for RCA and Columbia in the 1930s, and after serving in the Army Air Force in World War II he was hired as organist at Riverside Church in New York City in 1946 where his lover and partner was choir director.  Fox developed the Riverside Church pipe organ into one of the largest instruments in the world.  In the 1950s people lined up two hours early to be assured a place to sit inside the church for services and concerts.  Fox’s improvisations on hymns were phenomenal.  His recordings of organ music made both him and Riverside Church world famous.  But the music so overwhelmed other aspects of the church services that he was asked to resign in 1965.  His very public conflict with the choir director and their break-up may or may not have had anything to do with his leaving the church for a concert career.  All of this was when being out, gay and a church musician were supposed to be incompatible.  As a concert performer Fox played to large audiences.  His flamboyant style, his glittering shoes and colorful jackets, and his embellishments of classical works of music earned him critical scorn and large audiences.  He was routinely compared to Liberace, with whom he was a good friend.  At the time, Fox, Liberace and Leonard Bernstein were the best known gay musicians in the world … before Elton John and Prince.  But like his gay successors Fox played for younger audiences and brought classical music to them in a time it was thought to be impossible.  He toured the USA from coast to coast with a massive Rodgers electronic organ he called “Black Beauty”.  Some of his concerts featured light shows and smoke – when all the color of Woodstock music was provided by shirts and skin, a decade or more before rock concerts dared such extravagance as Fox’s concerts.  His success enabled him to buy a 26 room mansion into which he moved with a new young lover, further scandalizing conservators of social values, as patrons of classical music tend to think of themselves.  Fox continued his concert career and his celebrity status even after contracting pancreatic cancer.  He died in 1980 and is buried in Illinois, not far from where I was born.

Before reading further, I suggest you watch this YouTube clip of Fox at his controversial best “dancing” and encouraging his audience to dance to Bach’s “Gigue Fugue”.  The picture quality is not good, but you can see how Fox thought relating to his audience was more important than the music itself.  That was outrageous to many, but there was far worse, and it had nothing to do with his personal life, his lifestyle or his gender orientation.  The fact that it did not, indeed, is remarkable.  If you enjoyed the dance, click here to listen to Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in D major.  All his critics admired his ability to instantly play more than 250 pieces of music from memory.

The unprecedented offense that Fox committed was to depart from the norm with the music.  For a century the musical world had been trained to respect the importance of maintaining the authenticity of the music.  Great effort was made to recreate the sound of Baroque music, like Bach’s, as closely as possible to the way the original audiences had heard it.  Fox broke all the rules.  He rehearsed his concerts at double speed, and played pieces faster than any other organist dared, or was able.  Critics sniped that Fox also was unable to play as fast as he did.  “His left hand lacked accuracy” critics thought.  “He’s showing off at the expense of the music.”  There was an obvious element of showmanship in Fox’s playing, both in church and out.  Performers were expected to wear black ties and tails.  When Fox did, the lapels were velvet and he came with a cape lined in scarlet.  For the most part he preferred psychedelic colors and collars and cuffs of lace, which “distracted from the music”.  Classical music concerts are traditionally solemn affairs where the audience is to be extremely quiet and even applause is scripted.  Listeners are to appreciate the music and how well it is performed as opposed to how fabulous the performer is.  In order to reach his young audiences Fox did not apologize for classical music or pander to them, but he played for them.  Never did he popularize for the sake of being popular himself.  But he adapted and contextualized.  He was hopelessly sentimental when he played romantic pieces by Mendelssohn or the French composers of the 19th century.  A Bach organist is not supposed to do that.  And most of all a performer is not supposed to tell audiences what they are to like about a piece of music, which Fox loved to do.  “Listen to how I spell out B A C H with my feet,” he’d instruct them, drawing attention to the rhinestones wrapped around the heels on his slippers.  Critics hated that. 

The name Virgil Fox has not survived in popular culture into the 21st century.  He died 35 years ago this coming October 25.  But his concerts and albums have been digitally re-mastered and are still selling well.  He is the only performer (as opposed to composer) whose works are still often featured in concerts in his memory.  No person coming into prominence as an organist fails to kneel to the legacy of Virgil Fox. 

What’s more he is a gay hero, a model for being out and honest, and a model for taking ones talent and going as far as possible with it.

There’s no reason I chose to write about Virgil Fox right now except that a new organist has appeared on Facebook several times recently.  Cameron Carpenter ("Neo Organ Boy") reminds me of Virgil Fox in terms of talent, eccentricity and self-assuredness, and he is on Wikipedia’s listing of “Bi-sexual people A-F” a few names below Caligula, so he’s one of us.  That’s why.  I encourage you to watch this 6-minute video about the sensation that Carpenter has generated from his genius maneuvering of the pipe organ.

25 Comments
David Snyder, Lumierist
6/3/2019 01:35:16 am

I have never read such a diatribe of crap as this unknown know-it-all bank of misinformation has spewed out about Virgil Fox,who if still alive would likely be collecting money from him in court for slander. Having worked for Dr. Fox for 18 years I KNOW everything he writes is garbage in his obviously bent tirade bent on branding Virgil as gay, which he was not I assure you. The biography of Virgil just released at his request for the first time tells the truth about his unknown real lifewhich did not include the likes of the author of the crap story of the greatest organist since J.S.Bach. Note, all the simpering attackers waited until he was dead and couldn't defend himself. That includes his former Manager and the bald liar that marketed himself as a student, whom in fact Virgil detested.

Reply
David Snyder, Lumierist.Author of The Secret Life of Virgil Fox"
1/21/2020 01:41:24 am

I'd like to see you replace that ridiculous picture of Virgil wearing the silly "Bib "he was asked to wear as he performed for TV,The Belle Epoc. The Producers thought that suitable type of period dress would accent or enhance that theme. How about a photo of him on stage in one of the thousands of places he performed?

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Kenneth Dobson
1/21/2020 10:01:20 am

David Snyder: the picture you would like replaced is part of an article that is 5 years old. It would be like me requesting my home town newspaper to replace a picture they published 5 years ago. Archives don't work that way. But the idea of composing a new blog-essay for posting sometime soon might work. Remembering that my essays are very eclectic and diverse, I'd be interested in developing a posting about your work as Fox's archivist and especially your effort to amend what others have said about him. Your previous comment last June was angry and unfair, but if you would like to calmly describe how you see Fox as one very close to him, I would like to hear from you. Again, correspond directly, please: kdobsoninsiam@gmail.com.

Roger C
3/5/2021 10:01:56 am

My David Snyder, you are just full of vinegar aren't you? Everyone knows all about how you are the 'absolute' authority on Virgil Fox and everyone knows how you go around and leave terrible comments if anyone DARE to even mention Fox's name. The thing is, most of the time, you never explain what it is that you hate that other people are saying? What exactly did Ken Dobson say that was soooo absolutely slanderous? That he was gay? That is pretty well known. It would seem that you are the one in the dark and Dr. Fox hid things from YOU. Oh, the thought huh.....

Brent
5/23/2023 06:13:32 am

Thank you for telling the truth. You would know better than anyone, as his adopted son.

Kenneth Dobson
6/30/2019 01:35:56 pm

Response to David Snyder 6/30/2019
I just discovered your comment of June 2 (or was it February 6) to my blog about Virgil Fox originally posted in January 2015. I would like to respond in brief.
I intended to inform my largely gay readers in 2015 about one of the outstanding personalities they may not have known about.
I understood from all the information I could gather online at the time that the controversy about Virgil Fox’s gay identity was diminished now that stigma has been reduced.
I am certain you are in a far better position to know about these things firsthand over nearly 2 decades, whereas I relied solely on information on the Internet in January 2015.
I assure you Virgil Fox is one of my heroes even as I take you at your word he was not gay.
I hope you do not include me in your list of “simpering attackers” despite my “misinformation … spewed out about Virgil Fox” because I am deeply indebted to Virgil Fox and E. Power Biggs for elevating my appreciation 60 years ago for pipe organ music by Bach which impacted my entire life and career.
If you wish to reply to my response I invite you to do so directly to kdobsoninsiam@gmail.com or here with a copy to the e-mail so I will be sure to see it quickly.

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David Snyder, Lumierist
3/18/2021 09:18:15 am

Thank you Mr. Dobson for your note to me which I only happened upon today or I would have responded promptly. It would seem to me that since I presented a truthful view of the private life of Virgil Fox that space has opened up now for the education of many writers about him that dwell upon his supposed gay life rather than dwelling upon his astounding accomplishments in his field of music that he gave to the world which is not equalled to this very day. I do admit that perhaps I snap a bit too hard on the nay-sayer victims that through no fault of their own came to know of him only because of the crap said about him that has nothing to do with his professional life nor is in fact anyone's business. But I admit getting as upset about that as I am hearing from those who think the falsehoods spread by evil tongues about Jesus Christ are true also. As humans we seem to begin to accept as truth anything told to us as "fact" if we hear it enough times. Lies become truth, and truth become lies. Amazingly it seems to come so often to writers who have the most to say that have never even met Virgil Fox nor ever even heard him play,yet consider themselves able to write all about him.Anyway,,thanks. Hope someday I have the ability to help you really get to know the truths about this great man and exceptional Artist. Blessings and Peace to you. David Snyder, Lumierist.

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David Snyder, Lumierist
6/29/2021 01:25:17 am

Kenneth: Only today did I read your response to me even though you sent it quite some time ago. I want you to know I deeply appreciate you responding as you did considering other notable writers have only shouted crucify him for many years now. Interestingly none of them have ever experienced Virgil Fox in person yet their opinions are predicated upon dirty gossip. Virgil was a Christian and my book tells of astounding spiritual protections so powerful when he performed his last concert in Dallas that it nervously affected the entire orchestra. They said they felt angles around him, protecting. Blessings to you and yours. David Snyder, Lumierist, Creator of Heavy Organ Touring Production.

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Joe Snizek
4/22/2020 11:47:52 pm

I never got to see Virgil, the recordings of him are amazing. He played the organ like it was a Lamborghini, where everyone I've heard doing his compositions sound like their driving an AMC Pacer 0-60 in a mile.
(I had one). Cameron Carpenter is really good. I just discovered there is an organist from the UK named Wayne Marshall. He played the newly installed Rieger pipe organ in Paris. When I heard a video of him playing Widor Toccata, It was the speed that Virgil played it. Check it out you might enjoy it.
Not sure if everyone knows, the Hazel Wright organ which was in the Crystal Cathedral was designed to Virgil's specifications. He played on the Ruffatti that was combined with the Skinner pipe organ that was in Lincoln Center in NY. I got to hear it several years ago. But it had been neglected and fell into disrepair as birds were making nests in some of the pipes, and parts of the organ stopped working. There was a rebuild done by Ruffatti that was just completed. The organ was suppose to be rededicated May 2020, not sure what is going to happen due to the pandemic. I hope you are alright in the midst of all this chaos.

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kenneth dobson
4/23/2020 08:35:13 am

Thank you Joe Snizek for these notes. It is my impression that pipe organ music may be making a come-back, but the impact of the rapid demise of churches using pipe-organs is yet to be determined. Also ominous is the closing down of courses of study for pipe organ students, even in some major schools of music.

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Bill G
6/12/2020 09:41:31 pm

Hey Joe, watch out what you say about an AMC Pacer; we currently have one (red '75) and people now love it! OK, though on the slow part, I suppose! Re Virgil, I attended 3 of his concerts but never really saw him play. First time was 1963 or thereabouts in Albany NY where he played at a Catholic Church where the organ loft was way up in back. Only the back of his head and shoulders could be seen. Next was at the Saratoga Perf Arts Center with the Philly Orch ca mid 70's. Of course it was the SS 3rd Symphony, but the organ was way back from the front of the stage and virtually nothing of Virgil's playing could be seen. Would they let him do a solo piece or 2 later for Virgil fans? Ummmm, no! Third time was '78 or maybe '79 in San Diego. The concert was poorly promoted and there were hardly any people in the audience. The performance was cancelled! Three strikes on me and I'm out. Then, Virgil has to up and die on us the next year, and that was it. Today, I agree Wayne Marshall is right up there. Also there is Kalevi Kiviniemi, and probably my favorite Vincent Dubois. CC of course is CC, and sometimes goes a bit over the top, because he can. Do you ever watch the live on line every Thurs organ concerts by Gert van Hoef? He's quite good and always plays some off the wall interesting stuff.

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JANNAR W DAVIS PhD MDiv
10/12/2020 09:56:10 am

Hello from one Reverend (Retired Presbyterian Church USA) Doctor ( Retired Counseling Psychologist) to another- I saw and heard Virgil Fox play at an Atlanta Presbyterian church venue one Sunday evening c. 1962. No light show,no theatrics,but heart pounding, head pounding music from a virtuoso, complements of Columbia Seminary senior Jim Kershaw, Youth Director to my home church, Newnan Presbyterian, when I was a high school senior.

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David Snyder, Lumierist link
4/13/2021 07:41:37 am

Kenneth, greetings. I'm a bit surprised after reading again your earlier report of Virgil Fox strengthening the garbage that has been spread about him in his non music existence, that in fact, is unknow today of the contributors that followed up reinforcing the fables about him that have been now made to be truth still remain misinforming. Anyway,I'm surprised you have not purchased the only book ever authorized by Virgil Fox in which he tells readers who the real man was that he hid from public life called "The Secret Life of Virgil Fox" He made me promise that I'd write it and tell the world all about the real guy. But OK, I understand he pushed his own buttons so to speak and did his own damage that went to far leading him to a sorrowful ,silent lonely life in his real personal life. You join the "Don't want to know Club" that do not dare read it and have to realize how tragically wrong they have been all these years to this great man,,even the Organist organisations turn away from hearing the truth.

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Matthew Wojciechowski
6/28/2021 08:04:18 pm

David Snyder, where can I get a copy of your book about V.F.? Thanks.

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David Snyder, Lumierist
6/28/2021 10:32:31 pm

Matthew. Regarding The Secret Life of Virgil Fox, the book Virgil authorized be written by me,can be ordered (if still available) from me at davidanddiane@cabletv.on.ca Thank you for your interest.

EDWARD WILLIAMSON
12/4/2021 06:26:36 pm

Hi David,

We have corresponded before on YouTube. How is life going for you? Thank you for standing up for what is right. The organ world, the music world, and the world in general lost a not only a one-of-a kind talent, but an exceptional human being in 1980. What people do not mention is that while Virgil was supremely gifted, he also took his responsibility to develop the gift that God gave him to its fullest potential. It takes more than just talent to become an organist of his caliber, and in my opinion, the greatest ever. It takes hard work; it takes discipline; it takes intelligence; it takes committment, and it takes character. He enriched the lives of countless people. He did so much for the organ world, and as an organist myself, it is about time that he gets the accolades, respect, and gratitude that he deserves. He deserves our thanks, our admiration, and gratitude. I have been told by teachers of mine that he was very interested in the careers of others, and he did a lot to help many young organists get their careers started. The way he was treated by many in the organ world was appalling. I love how he took the time to talk to his audiences and connect with them. He was not there to simply earn a paycheck. He wanted to create experiences, memorable experiences, for his audiences. They were never shortchanged. He respected those who came to enjoy his concerts, and he understood that his audiences deserved the best that he could give, that he respected that they paid with their hard-earned money, and he was going to give them a recital of their lifetime. He invested himself completely. Those "purists' or whatever they called themselves should be ashamed of themselves as Virgil did so much that benefited them and their careers as well.

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david snyder Lumierist
12/4/2021 11:08:14 pm

Thank you Mr. Williamson. Your remarks are deeply appreciated.
Blessings and peace to you and yours.

David Snyder, Lumierist
7/18/2021 07:23:40 am

Mr Dobson: In the book I am currently working on, in which I tell experiences with most of the authorities that wrote so much about Virgil Fox following his death, now many years ago. Interesting eh!! well it is actually because I am doing what most of the writers of organ interests do, when it comes to,, about Virgil Fox and how they wrote pages telling details about Virgil Fox's supposed gay life,,mind you without a shred of first hand information only gossip, and in most cases never actually ever hearing or seeing him play a concert but then, magically they become filled with truths usually made up or heard usually from the drunken mouths of friends (organists who are unknown) over cocktails in "UNKNOWN TOWN" population 3. I am the only person alive that worked for him,,at his side for 18 years and I KNOW most certainly he was NOT gay, though most all his friends were because they energized him with enthusiasm,so he created his own image of seeming to be gay. I note you still have not bought HIS authorized book in which he tells his secrets and about his sex life and why all the secrecy all his life. Certainly you would not want to know the truth would you? Naaaa me thinks not. More fun in the reading by continuing with slander about his sex life. Certainly gets opinion letters. Interestingly no writer so far has apologized for their Trump type truths.

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Ally
6/10/2022 09:26:32 am

David Snyder is a liar

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David Snyder, Lumierist
6/10/2022 09:28:18 pm

Strong statement.So, prove it.

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David Snyder link
4/18/2023 07:14:08 am

Dear Ally:
I heard from someone, can't recall where now, that told me your mother dropped you on your head when you were a baby. Seems she didnt fasten the door to your cage very well and you dropped out. Yaaaa likely all lies like your wisdom in calling me a liar because I printed Virgils last words he wanted the world to know.So,at HIS request I followed his instructions.

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Sondra Carter
7/11/2023 12:21:33 pm

My husband’s grandmother was Virgil Fox’s first piano teacher in IL. Later in life she was in NYC on business and visited him at Riverside. She quietly went up to him as he practiced, asked him if he remembered her. He jumped up from the organ, picked her up, twirled her around, saying, “Of course I remember you, Hildie!” She was quite happy that he had not forgotten.

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David Snyder, Lumierist
7/11/2023 10:11:52 pm

Bless you for sharing that beautiful experience. Obviously it was very important to Virgil. He never forgot those that helped him along his spectacular path in serving his Lord with his talent and ability.

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C. Hathaway link
7/29/2023 01:02:39 pm

My teacher studied with Virgil Fox at then-Peabody Conservatory and substituted for him at Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Baltimore when VF made his first European tour in 1937. I first heard Fox play in person in late 1973, in one of the marathon mostly-Bach concerts he was doing in those days, playing the three-manual Rodgers with which he toured. Fox’s playing of contrapuntal music was much more lucid than any other organist I had heard. This was quite apart from the distinctive coloring (registration-wise) that he applied to everything he played. Even so, that coloristic approach was integral to what he did; but more significant, at least for me, was his ability to get inside the music and to communicate its essence. Every artist has relative strengths and weaknesses. Fox was not a good sightreader and lacked the facility for improvisation. Once he assimilated a piece, whether it was organ repertory or an oratorio accompaniment, he owned it. His pedal technique, which I think was a legacy from Louis Robert, was mostly based on the use of alternate toes (for optimum control and readiness for a wide variety of different kinds of touch, emphasis and articulation). I have for years been trying to obtain a copy of a book called “The Innermost Secrets”, which I believe was put out by T. Ernest Nichols. I have never been successful in finding this. There are also known to exist (where, I don’t know), some of VF’s unpublished notes on technique and interpretation. Some of these jottings, I have been told, have to do with pedaling. I hope there is someone who could help me find those treasures. Fox tended toward brisk tempi in fast movements, but he always listened to himself. That set him apart from “fantastic technicians” who tend to play, unfortunately, from a motor impulse. One of the records he did for Command was an all-Bach one made at Riverside Church in New York, which included the complete sixth trio sonata. The outer movements are borderline too fast for my taste (you have to play them so that the listener can keep track of the voices and their relationship to each other), but it is still —- in my opinion —- perfect playing. The articulation is precise, everything is obviously well thought out and I know of very few organists who can come close to this elusive perfection. It defies description. His playing of the Vierne second symphony and the finale of the sixth had similar qualities —- very different music, but demanding similar finesse and insight. You do this mostly by highly disciplined, systematic slow practice. You also have to look and hear beyond the notes.

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David Snyder, Lumierist Snyder link
7/29/2023 11:33:51 pm

Thank you so much for recalling for most of us the precious memories you have about Virgil Fox,God gave you to remember them and to relive many of them with us. You hit te nail on the head in most all of your remberances of the ways and means Virgil employed in the creation of his colourfull style .I'll add one thought. Virgil required the majesty of the magnifigant orchestral,completed American expressive pipe organ.Anything less robbed him of presenting to us his style of expression with use of the perfected American Classic imitative that crowned those instruments as representative of the evolution of the organ and its possibility to its zenith in its own evolution. These ranks have now been discarded over the years pulling back to the limited mechanical boxes's of whistles that have taken their place minamum what they give us now as being the REAL organ to the imatative style of a stringed instrument,,the piano,teaching and imitating it and teaching it to students who progress on to note pushing,,not to expressiively playing of the simple notes on a page offered to them by the composer that required no colour in them,,just hitting percecr notes. If you obtain the only authorized book :The Secret Life of Virgil Fox"" you will have run the complete gauntlet. Blessings and peace. David Snyder, Lumierist.

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