This Easter Vigil marked two years since the retirement of long time St. Augustine Church organist Linda LaFleur. Her retirement likely marks the end of an era of organists at the local Catholic church.
LaFleur has had three stints as organist at St. Augustine Church, playing first during her school years. She started in 1957 at age 12 and continued until she graduated from Basile High in 1962 when she was Linda Guidry. She later became the church’s organist in 1972 for a few years. In the early 1980s, she accompanied a choir made up of both youth and adults. Since the mid-1980s, she has accompanied the long time adult choir that sang at the 4 p.m. Saturday Masses. She played at all special occasions and holidays at the church as well. When the Basile Sing Out was reorganized in 1985, she also took on the position of keyboardist for the group.
As years went by and groups of singers came and went, Linda remained constant at the organ until the spring of 2016. She had to make an extra effort to remain on the organ bench when she moved to Eunice in 2002.
In addition to her volunteer time as organist, she also played for countless funerals and weddings not only in Basile, but throughout southwest Louisiana. All of this was done free of charge. Most of the time when someone did offer her a stipend, she gave the funds back to the church to use for the purchasing of music.
In her years of service, she played on three different organs at St. Augustine. They included a Hammond that was purchased in the 1940s, a Yamaha Electone (predecessor to today’s electric pianos) which was donated by Mrs. Fabius Douget in 1984, and the present pipe organ which was donated to the church by Gary and Sheryl Doga when the new church building was occupied in 2005.
Linda, like most accompanists, whether they be on organ, keyboard, or guitar, are usually unappreciated. The singers and choir members are often complimented, but rarely is the musical accompaniment even mentioned.
LaFleur may be the last in a long line of organists at the local church. The organ was once the only instrument allowed in a Catholic church. This was prior to Vatican II. The renewal in church liturgy that took place post Vatican II not only brought in new types of worship music, but it also brought in new instruments including guitars, drums, horns, pianos, etc.
In many churches, not just in Basile, the new instruments replaced the organs. As time went on, fewer and fewer musicians chose to study the organ. Nevertheless, it remained the dominant instrument at St. Augustine until 2016.
Lately, the organ at St. Augustine’s has been unplayed by available musicians, who play a Clavinova piano keyboard in its place. Currently, Angela Aguillard and Darrel LeJeune are playing the keys at the church. Jennifer Ryan also played the keyboard for a few years with the Assumption choir, which sings at 8 a.m. on Sundays.
Most Catholic churches have made a transition to feel more contemporary rather than traditional. This, too, has led to the decline of organ music., the traditional instrument of the church. Many have introduced worship songs that sound more like pop music than spiritual. The emphasis is on ease of singing and passionately expressive lyrics, which is not so easy to do with organ accompaniment.
A list of organists at the local Catholic church dates back to 1944 and includes the following: Allie Manuel, Mable Ledoux, Rebecca LeJeune, Nelda Gilbert, Sister Angela and other unnamed nuns, Linda Primeaux, Jeanne Redlich, David Andrus, Gerald Fruge, Edwin Fruge, Alice Bacon, Becky Bacon, Jan Reed, Jeanne Redlich, Shelby Zaunbrecher, Patricia Bordelon, Madeline Bordelon, Rebecca Langley Leger, and Linda Guidry LaFleur.
(Anyone knowing names of any other organists who served St. Augustine Catholic Church is encouraged to contact me so that we may make record of their service.)
