Talk:Virgil Fox

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is within the scope of the following WikiProjects:

WikiProject Biography     (Rated Start-Class) This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography. For more information, visit the project page. Biography Portal Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the project's quality scale. [FAQ] WikiProject PipeOrgan Pipe organ Portal Virgil Fox is part of WikiProject PipeOrgan, which aims to develop and expand Wikipedia's content relating to the pipe organ and its associated repertoire, organists, and other articles. If you would like to participate, you can edit Virgil Fox, or visit the project page, where you can join the project or contribute to the discussion. Looking to help? Check out the to-do list: Get Pipe organ nearer to WP:FA status by adding references, and discuss moving some content to subpages (see also talk). Contribute to the clean up of organ pipe, flue pipe etc., see Mini-projects Find places to link to organ console Copy edit organ stop Create article about the various types of windchest Add the new {{organist-stub}} to biographical articles either instead of, or additional to the {{Keyboardist-stub}} that currently exists. Add Category:Electronic organ manufacturing companies to List of organ builders. WikiProject LGBT studies     (Rated Start-Class) LGBT Portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject LGBT studies, which tries to ensure comprehensive and factual coverage of all LGBT related issues on Wikipedia. For more information, or to get involved, visit the project page. Start This article has been rated as Start-class on the quality scale.

The following user(s) are actively involved with this article and may be able to help with questions about verification and sources: JGHowes (Talk) This in no way implies article ownership; all editors are encouraged to contribute.

Contents 1 Gay musician 2 External links still valid? 3 Gay; personal life 4 Fair use rationale for Image:Fox virgil.jpg 5 Professional degrees?

[edit] Gay musician

30.15.229.189 continues to remove the Category:Gay musicians from this article. He is unidentified and without contact. I have left a post on his User talk:130.15.229.189 I knew Virgil and the category certainly fits. Doc 05:07, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] External links still valid?

Does anyone know if the "Virgil Fox Society" and "Friends of Virgil Fox", are still active? If they are moribund, these External Links should be deleted from the Article per WP:EL

Twice I've attempted to contact them, once to subscribe to the Clarion and another time to order the DVD, and I never heard back either time. JGHowes 01:33, 11 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Gay; personal life

I find it somewhat alarming that so little has been written about such a well-known man, especially considering that we have a Pipe Organ WikiProject. Why was he not listed in any of the GLBT musician categories? (I just added some). Why is nothing said about his personal life, domestic partner(s), years at the Hammond Castle and the organ there, etc.? Any why is so little said about his "Heavy Organ" concerts? As an openly-gay organist in the 1960s and 70s, with psychedelic and flamboyant concerts aimed at youth (what other organist did that?), I would think quite a big could/should be said about him -- he was certainly a social "trend-setter" in that regard. I am not a Virgil Fox expert, and therefore do not feel qualified to do this writing about him; however, I know he has a loyal following and fan club, so there have got to be folks able and willing to do this. Remember, with folks who died within the past 50 years, this is the one space in time where we have living people who knew the person -- it's best to take full advantage of that, as some details/secrets unfortunately get carried to the grave. IMHO, it's far better to get a good solid compendium of info during this precious window, than to hope people will be able to piece together a decent picture years down the road. Mr. P. S. Phillips (talk) 08:16, 31 December 2007 (UTC)

• His Heavy Organ concerts are mentioned in the very first sentence and again further down in the article there's an entire section elaborating on his ground-breaking introduction of Bach and the organ to pop culture in the 1970s -- what more needs to be said?

As to his personal sexual orientation, it's really not notable in the context of his musical artistry for which he is known. Nor could we use unsourced info. or original research. And, of course, in naming names where living persons are concerned, we have to avoid invasion of privacy and comply with WP:BLP. JGHowes ^talk - 16:22, 31 December 2007 (UTC)

I've removed the sexual orientation categories again. Until and unless the article has a reliable source about his orientation, he can't be put in the categories. -- SatyrTN (talk / contribs) 23:28, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

It is hard to imagine anyone more openly gay than Virgil Fox and at a time when many were not. I'll start looking for references that can be cited. There isn't anyone that knew the man that didn't know he was gay. Doc ♬ talk 03:17, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Well, the New York Times reference (already used in the article as a citation) describes him so, and certainly Torrence's Dish book goes into much detail (perhaps too much detail, for many people's taste) about Virgil's flamboyance and occasionally outrageous behavior out of the public eye. But I've not come across any source that says Virgil ever announced publicly, "I am homosexual". In any case, his musical genius is not, and should not be, defined by his sexual orientation, whatever that was. JGHowes ^talk - 03:51, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

I'm certainly not suggesting that his sexual orientation be used to define his musical genius. That is not the point. An biographical article is appropriate to describe the whole person, not just that which makes a person noteworthy for an article. Articles routinely include information on children, spouses, parents and other personal information on a persons life. As such one can hardly describe Virgil Fox accurately without mention of the fact that he was gay and very openly so. A large part of who he was as a person hinges around this. Doc ♬ talk 05:31, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

This article isn't about "Virgil Fox, the musician". It's about "Virgil Fox". So for it to be a well-rounded (and accurate) biographical article, all major facets of him and his life need to be given due credit -- not just the ones directly pertaining to his musical genius. And the fact that he was openly gay, in the culture/times of his hey-day, is (IMHO) a big deal. That certainly makes him a role model for other gay organists. Since most organists work for Christian churches, and since the Christian community isn't exactly known as being the most gay-loving group, ...you see where this is going. Anyhow, again, all major facets that make Virgil Fox, Virgil Fox, need to be mentioned. Thanks. Mr. P. S. Phillips (talk) 01:22, 5 January 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for adding that - this article is shaping up *very* nicely! I was going to rate it "B", but wasn't sure what others thought? -- SatyrTN (talk / contribs) 16:24, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Fox virgil.jpg

Image:Fox virgil.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 20:03, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

Fixed JGHowes ^talk - 20:11, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Professional degrees?

Did Fox have a doctorate such as Mus.D? I recall being at one of his recitals which was given at Trinity Episcopal Church in Toledo in 1963 where he was introduced as "Doctor Fox". I even recall his opening number- Pasacaglia and Fugue in C minor by J. S. Bach. Musicwriter (talk) 17:09, 23 February 2008 (UTC)