There is a wonderful story...
Illustration
There is a wonderful story told from the life of Beethoven. Once he made a long trip to a distant cathedral in which was said to be the greatest pipe organ in the world. Weary from his trip, he went to the side door of the cathedral where he was greeted by a monk in a red robe who asked what he wanted.
"I understand you have here the most wonderful organ in the world. I have come many miles to see it." The monk looked at the seedy little man, and reluctantly led him through the corridors to where he could get a view of the great organ. Beethoven stood at the console looking hungrily at the keys. "Oh sir," he said, "Would you permit me to play it?" "Not so," replied the monk, "and please don't ask, for only the head organist of the cathedral plays this instrument."
"Then if I might but touch the keys," Beethoven pleaded. The monk looked around to be sure he wasn't seen and reluctantly consented. The seedy stranger sat down, and with his great genius swept the keyboard and the music echoed throughout the cathedral. The organ had never sounded like that before.
"Who are you?" asked the monk.
"I am Beethoven."
The monk uncovered his head, crossed himself. "My God! To think that I almost missed letting you, the master, use this humble instrument!"
The tragedy at Nazareth that day is that something wonderful could have happened, but didn't.
--Kirby
"I understand you have here the most wonderful organ in the world. I have come many miles to see it." The monk looked at the seedy little man, and reluctantly led him through the corridors to where he could get a view of the great organ. Beethoven stood at the console looking hungrily at the keys. "Oh sir," he said, "Would you permit me to play it?" "Not so," replied the monk, "and please don't ask, for only the head organist of the cathedral plays this instrument."
"Then if I might but touch the keys," Beethoven pleaded. The monk looked around to be sure he wasn't seen and reluctantly consented. The seedy stranger sat down, and with his great genius swept the keyboard and the music echoed throughout the cathedral. The organ had never sounded like that before.
"Who are you?" asked the monk.
"I am Beethoven."
The monk uncovered his head, crossed himself. "My God! To think that I almost missed letting you, the master, use this humble instrument!"
The tragedy at Nazareth that day is that something wonderful could have happened, but didn't.
--Kirby
