A Memory of Ron Emery

A Memory of Ron from Alicia Stroud

Alicia, a long-time friend of Ron’s who lives in London, shared this anecdote, as well as the photo (which is unrelated to the story but very nice nonetheless.)
This is a photo of Ron and his mother enjoying a lobster dinner together. Just one little story you might like. In about 1980 when Ron was staying with me in London, he had the idea of us going for a weekend in Cambridge, with the following task in mind. He was a very good organist and he wanted to see how many organs he could play in that university town over a week end. We had the list of colleges, a list of churches and chapels and a map of the town. It was a delightful time . Organs are locked but the key was usually under a ledge, easy to find. I think we had to make awkward questions to various clergy or vergers or even organists 2 or 3 times…but by Sunday afternoon we had sat in about 15 organ lofts and Ron returned to London delighted with mission accomplished. At Kings College, tourists flocked in to hear his playing and the organist arrived to hear all stops out and Ron playing toccatas at fever pitch…he was congratulated but told that it would have been more polite to book an appointment, rather than rummage through various hiding places for the key!

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