What Should an Organist Play in Church? ⛪⛪⛪
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- What should organists play in church?
This is a question that doesn't get asked enough - too often we leave organists to do whatever they like, without considering how it might contribute to the church community and overall atmosphere. Today’s video is my perspective on this topic.
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Excellent video Titus. I agree with you totally. Lately I publish frequently pieces from (unknown or forgotten) Italian composers with music from 1870-1950. Mostly tending to romantic music, but then it was of course contemporary music. They wrote especially for organists in congrations (village churches but even cathedrals) that had people without much background in “serious” music. They choose a composing style that touched primary feelings like sadness, anxiety, joy etc. So a lot of meditational, emotional music but also uplifting, almost jazzy pieces. Understandable for the masses but also interesting for people with more musical background.
Completely agree, and well said - there's a distinct difference between accompanying a service and performing organ music.
The impact of silence can't be overstated either - great call out Titus!
I much prefer silence over horrible organ playing 😂
Yes ... I also agree ...... Holy and simple music 🎶 will make the church members feel being in church and would like to pray .... before the service starts.....
Always appreciate your insights. I wish all church musicians would put this much thought into their ministry. I am a church pianist from a Baptist tradition. Secular musical idioms have long taken over in most of our churches. Unskilled guitar strumming has replaced highly skilled sacred musicians. A worship service is unlike anything most people do all week; it is a special, sacred occasion where the local congregation gathers together to worship God. Church music should also be distinctly different from any other type of music such that it inspires devotion and an atmosphere of worship. As a church musician, I feel I have a unique opportunity to draw people closer to God and into an atmosphere of worship through the beauty of music.
Well, you have hit the nail on the head! We have a large pipe organ in our church and the organist really overdid it. The organ used to drown out the choir and the congregation. He’s gone. Church organists should be attentive to the service and encourage congregational singing by using appropriate registration and volume. Also, I agree that the organist shouldn’t be drawing attention to himself during the service. On the other hand, I feel that the congregation should be encouraged to show appreciation for a talented and well educated organist in their midst (like yourself). Great video, as always!
Thanks Modelt! You said it perfectly.
Wonderful to hear this balanced perspective! Whether our job, or we are volunteering, it is excellent to be reminded that during the service that is exactly what we are doing - working together to lift hears and minds upwards.
Thanks Jerry. Music is so beautiful in service of something greater.
Thankyou for your excellent commentary. I fully agree with the valuable points and guidelines that you make. When at a central city church for about 16 years i attempted to see myself as primarily a 'liturgical' organist. I had never ever desired to be a soloist, preferring accompanying however over the years one finishes up playing for many recitals. Keeping in mind the type of congregations, I frequently included compositions based on one or two hymns to be sung . People of course often like something uplifting for a postlude but sometimes something quieter can have a great impact. I recall the first time I ever played the Karg-Elert 'Pax Vobiscum'. It was on a Passion Sunday evening. As you would know, it begins very quietly, finally building up near the end. When I finished there was complete silence and I thought that everyone had departed. That was not the case and the piece had a great impact. Early this year at an often chatty suburban church a similar thing surprisingly occurred when I played Markus Dreja's newly composed Improvisation on 'Eventide'.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this information. All you said was spot on and brilliantly articulated! Keep up the great work!
Southern US practice of an occasional “Dinner on the Grounds, everyone brings food share after the worship service” and a “Singing where members nominate a hymn spontaneously and we sing a couple of verses of that one and move on to another request.” This is an occasion to show off a short length piece. The length of tile varies with each church. This is almost a small church thing and rarely done in big ones.
You show us the excellent guidlines for all church musicians. Not to “show off” but in a humble way, because we are worshiping God…”omnia ad maiorem Dei Gloriam”! Carry on with your yt clips! All the best, Michael
I grew up in a church with a M.P. Moeller 1928 organ. 23 ranks. 1,609 pipes. 4 divisions. 3 manuals. 23 stops. 41 registers. A long-time organist had his MM from U of Michigan. He had perfect pitch and could site read easily. He practiced diligently and often said he needed to move to the piano for some technical work. He said one problem with having perfect pitch with a pipe organ is that organs go out of tune. He said also that the notes he plays at the keyboard sound after the fact so he pays attention to the notes and the keys and doesn't listen for the sounds as they are delayed. I grew up as a pager turner. One thing that fits this video's theme is that this church organist (he was director of music) had the console and choirs moved to the congregation level so that we are worshipping as one congregation without the organ and choirs in more a "performers" position up front or hid away. I no longer attend a church that has a pipe organ. One odd thing I saw when I was on a sabbatical leave in Oxford, UK. happened in an Anglican Church. I was happy to see they had a beautiful pipe organ BUT the congregation was rearranged so that the upfront part of the service was perpendicular to the organ. And they then used a piano next to the stage ignoring completely the pipe organ. I asked about this odd arrangement in a stone Oxford Anglican Church with a pipe organ. They said they have different music sensibilities now. I found this sad.
I play introspective hymns and worship music with the idea of helping prepare people for worship and getting them in the proper mood for worship. I am happy I found your youtube channel! Thanks for the excellent videos!
Thank you Louis!
I always remind my choir that there is a fine line between performing and leading the music. I always find settings by Corrette, Beauvarlet-Charpentier and Boëllmann go down really well for subtle background as people come in to the church.
Thank you for this valuable video! Your advice is very accurate and helps me to consider the different perspectives on the musical arrangement of a service.
Great tutorial Titus. Anyway, I'm a Cathedral Organist here of almost a quarter of a century of service; these are my pointers. For general Sunday services our number one job as the organist is to play the hymns well to support the congregational singing; nothing else matters if you are not yet up to scratch. Next priority is if you support anthems and psalms; that said, most skilled choirs can carry those on their own unaccompanied. Read the readings set for that Sunday and see if anything in your repertoire fits and use it. Or else just play what you wish before the service starts as long as it is not too 'flashy', outlandish and detracts from the service. Anything quiet during communion; it is God's special time - it is good to play nothing at all once in a while. Postlude needs to be relatively uplifting but once again not too 'flashy' and outlandish - doesn't have to be full organ! - and don't put too much effort into it because the congregation have usually left the Cathedral and into the hall next door for the social and refreshments within 3 minutes - they don't care about what you are playing so don't stress yourself out learning something that will not be appreciated by anyone. I improvise a lot of my own prelude, communion and postlude material because I am paid peanuts so I can't justify countless hours at home at my practice organ learning material that won't result in a bigger pay - get a laugh out of this: the locums that fumble around, make mistakes, don't use the pedals, have no idea of the use of stops, leave the swell box closed at the end of the service, leave the pipe organ blower on for 4 days straight etc get paid the same amount as me - I know its a sick joke the way the Canons have forced this on me. Learn material of your own choice, in your own time, at your own pace for a concert or recital where you will be entitled to a fee - hopefully a generous one to make all your hours of practice worthwhile.
Titus, hope you have a great New Year and all's well with you and yours! Looking forward to hearing some more of your fine presentations. Thanks.
All the points you make in this presentation, Titus, are both reasonable and pertinent. They serve to remind organists that it is important to reflect of the purpose of music in a church service as opposed to a recital. Music should enhance worship, communicating and expressing a sense of awe and wonder in the presence of God; it should lead everyone's thoughts toward God . . . rather than toward the organist!
Your astute observations about the work of church musicians are excellent, and sadly, too rare. For me, after 40 years of it in California, I must begin by admitting that for a majority of churches, the piano has taken first place for accompaniment at many churches. But however music is produced, it must respect the activities and needs of that particular congregation, at that hour of their week. It must assist whatever holy endeavors are happening- quiet prayer, boisterous praise, or sociaizing of the faithful. Taking this seriously has meant for me, working to improvise well, and be quite choosy with myself as to which keyboard to use when, and what other instruments (among our volunteer corps) should join in when. Wonderful work- but it is indeed work!
P. E. KRETZMANN ONCE WROTE AN INTRODUCTIONtto Lutheran music Missiouri Synod. He states it is important to neither rush the music,thus the congregation nor slow the music down to such a point that it affects how the congregation sings. It's to be just right to set the right mood. Remember we are coming into the divine presence of the Holy King himself.
Thank you young man; as a pastor who is also an organist it is important to stress these exact same points. Previous Papal legislation from S. Pope Pius X and Pius XII stated these same principles.
Indeed! I was going to mention those papal documents, but wanted to keep the talk ecumenical.
The standard of music at St Mary's Cathedral is outstanding and world-class. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the rest of the Sydney Diocese!
It requires investment, and good leadership. There's no reason Sydney couldn't have great music in all its parishes, but we aren't doing a good job of educating and promoting this idea.
Amazingly insightful analysis of the role of the organ/organist in church. Music is not wallpaper. Listening to silence is important. Avoiding a bombastic racket is also important when you playing for older people. Lots of loud noises can be upsetting and unpleasant for them because the normal editing systems in the auditory system no longer work well. The organ has so many possibilities that it is a shame when people just have their foot on the gas all the time.
This explains why I'm an organ hater. It's not just the "instrument," but who plays it, his/her style, personality, etc. I'm a lot younger (about 30) and find the big stops offensive. TBH, it's worse when you're playing an electronic one (what I call a "poor man's WurliTzer," just scaled down with a Leslie speaker). The black churches are the worst at this. IDK how they can stand that. I hate tremulants and theater organ sounds too (no place for them outside theaters).
@@mrnasty02106 in this day and age with digitalisation of organs where you can specify what types of organs you want it to sound like.
, the Johannes organs are among the best before you get into pipe organs.
@@kevinklingner7712 Today's technology is amazing, because it's a tool for recreating yesterday's sounds. I've heard of Allen and Rodgers brands. I know a few churches that use them. I've heard mixed/various feedback about them.
@@mrnasty02106 I like the Johannes over all the other electrical organs I have heard.
In the manner of the Pentecostal tradition to which I used to belong, I used to play lively evangelical hymn tunes before and after the normal services at a small Anglican village church with a declining congregation. (I took over after the only local organist moved away). My theory was that happy music would encourage more church attendance. Generally this was enjoyed by the congregation although one or two staid clergy members politely hinted at disapproval. (Obviously this joyous music did not manifest on All Soul's Day, Good Friday etc.).
P.S. - The church only had a spinet organ and traditional classical organ music was not really an option.
Exactly correct, and exactly why I never played for any church.
I’m a pianist and an intermediate organist. I 100% agree that playing is to better the church and not be better for yourself.
Hey Titus,
I think you make some points that are interesting like playing certain music in services, now i am no expert on playing services but the one i have helped at are almost always a bit happy bombastic piece and then the service starts, prayers, psalms etc etc and in between sometimes a small piece but mostly not on the loud side and at the end the organist has freedom to play a walkout concert as i like to call it, organist plays a piece and then after 3-4 minutes he is done. and often a little while after the service ended the fun starts on the organ ofcourse.
What i am interested in is, do churches ever give you or other organists you know a guideline for playing. you said look for the music played there but that changes every week, and maybe im not as good as a pro. but just whipping out the belier toccata because thats the feel you got from the service and playing it in 1 try seems like a big task.
Interested to hear your thoughts
Hello, thanks for writing.
Churches don't tend to give a guideline for organ music, but if you're at an organised church, there is a good chance you'll know the choral music weeks in advance; even better if you know the hymns, but that is less common in my experience.
You may also know what the readings are from the lectionary, and there are many organ works that fit to a certain reading (e.g. think of Pastorale music for the Good Shepherd parable.)
It's certainly best to play something you know rather than trying to quickly change your piece so it 'fits'. It won't fit if it's full of mistakes, if you see what I mean.
❤️
Agree on the extra music. I'd maybe try to play on tunes or themes from the service or readings to give something to reflect on before hand.
What is your philosophy on arrangements of hymns and liturgy? It's a delicate balance, but I try to describe the text and themes though the registration and harmony. I'd prefer to depict what is happening in the music over defaulting to a prayerful sound. Obviously, don't over do it, and it depends on how the congregation views it and whether they sing in 4 parts etc, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
Hi, I may do a video separately about hymns - there are so many opinions about how they should be done!
In my experience, it's best if the choir and organ are leading the hymn for the congregation - and generally, that may mean 'boring', singing in unison with organ accompaniment. I do think the hymns are beautiful enough as they are, without reharmonisation, and unison provides a really strong support for the congregation.
This makes sense to me, as we must remember that hymns have been sung unison for millennia, and harmonised versions only a few centuries. I think a hymn requires a strong hearty sound. Only if the congregation is well-versed in the hymns can we explore SATB harmonies, descants and so on. As for word-painting on the organ, in principle that's fine, so long as it's not perceived as 'cheesy'.
As a Cathedral Organist, I usually view it as showing off when members of a congregation or the clergy wander off and do SATB or descants on their own in a congregational hymn. Singing congregational hymns is supposed to be like a team sport where everyone is working towards a common goal - to worship God. When they go do their own SATB or descants, it is akin to hogging the ball and racing down the entire field to shoot their own goal; its not a very good look and not very Christian in my opinion.
@@ldvl1875 I'm Lutheran, so I think the culture is very different. Sometimes we'll get maybe a third of the congregation singing harmony. If it's a convention sort of thing, it's usually quite a bit over half. I actually sometimes feel out of line, like I'm not being part of the team, if I play things that don't mesh well with the SATB that people will be singing.
@@johnathanclayton2887 It is a given that the organists may do alternate harmonisations on the last verse of a given hymn so don't feel bad in that situation. Some of us would go mental if we had to do every single verse of every single hymn exactly as written. We are human musicians; not pianolas or MIDI players in human form.
@@ldvl1875 yeah, I was just saying compatable with the SATB, not necessarily exactly as the hymnal. But how many verses I play incompatable harmonies depends on how much the congregation likes singing in parts.
5:04 Not GENERALLY. You never know who may be in a cathedral congregation...
My dream is to learn to play the organ- how should I start?
Definitely start by learning to play a keyboard. There are apps that can help, or having a teacher. Once you've got competent piano skills, moving to the organ is not too hard, but again will require some tuition. Perhaps I may do a video on this topic in future!
@@peporgan Making a more detailed video would be so amazing!! I’ve got a thousand and one questions if you’d like them to make the video, tho- is an app enough to learn to the point of being able to transition to the organ? And how would you define competent?
@@danichef Try a real organ first; you may not like it. Attend a few church services at said church you intend to play at because you may not like how the clergy or music staff conduct themselves.
What is a Pep organ, is it the same as a pipe organ
It's a cuter pipe organ.
Born of a noble intention, this is nevertheless an over-simplification which fails to talk adequately about this "highest call" of an organist. Maybe in 20 years time, you will hear this when listening back. The medium of a comment here is too short to go into the subject fully, however you should read Olivier Latry's book and have a rethink. Best wishes
Could you please tell me what the "highest call" of an organist is? I'd be curious to know what you think.
@@peporgan To play for the liturgy is the highest calling - and to play the great "canon" of organ music.
@@AcademieVocaleParis You are entitled to your opinion, of course.
Also, you forget that most churches don’t have a formal liturgy. Organ music is varied, and my video illustrates the need to adapt to context.
@@peporgan Most churches don't have formal liturgy?? God is like having a latte at Starbucks?? Organ music is indeed varied, without resorting to cheap repertoire that no other instrumentalist would even consider wasting their time on. High art counts and great organists are those who spend their lives preoccupied with it.
@@AcademieVocaleParis I would prefer to follow the Bible readings and worship God, rather than follow what some irrelevant French man decided to put into print and people such as yourself look to as a God. Latry is just a man on earth full of sin like the rest of us are.