Cleaning and Disinfecting Organ Keyboards

With COVID-19 precautions being undertaken in many areas of the world, I thought it would be a timely topic to discuss disinfecting organ keyboards.

Picture © Jennifer Morgan

What products are safe to use, and which products will damage the keys of the organ? First of all, do not use a spray! A spray can get into the delicate electronic workings of the organ and could cause damage. While many sources advise against using chemicals on keys, the general consensus among organists is to use disinfecting wipes, squeezing out the excess liquid back into the container before wiping down the surfaces that you will be touching.

Start at the top of the keys, and move the wipe towards you, taking care to wipe each key without squeezing out liquid that can drip into the organ. Don't forget to wipe off the power button, as well as stops or piston you will be using.

According to the CDC, coronaviruses transmit most frequently among close contacts (within about 6 feet) via respiratory droplets. They transmit much more commonly through respiratory droplets than through surfaces that may carry infection. However, current evidence suggests that novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials, which could include organ surfaces, such as keyboards, stops, and pistons.

Click here to access a document that includes antimicrobial products registered with the EPA to use against COVID-19.

Most of all--don't forget to wash your hands regularly, and avoid touching your face!

Preparing for Stake Conference

In March, for the first time, I will be playing for all three sessions of my stake conference. As I've been spending hours in preparation, I thought I'd create a post that shares the steps I'm currently taking to prepare.

The most important part of my preparation is seeking the Spirit. With the Spirit, music is very powerful and can change lives. The Spirit extends our preparation, and makes up for what we lack. Without the Spirit, music can still be powerful and awe-inspiring, but that's all it is--it fails to reach deep inside the soul. This reach is necessary to bring healing and to strengthen testimonies.

As part of this pursuit, I asked for a blessing to aid me. This blessing helped me center my focus on my Savior, and provided much-needed guidance.

Postlude

First, I worked out my postlude. I made a list of pieces that I felt would be appropriate, then played through each, listening for promptings as to which pieces would be the best, and which session they should follow. A couple of my final decisions surprised me, as they weren't what I expected to end up with, but I'm excited for them. I think they'll be very appropriate and "extend the spirit of the meeting" beautifully. I chose one piece for after the leadership session, and two pieces each after the other sessions.

Prelude

Prelude is where I've spent most of my time preparing so far, and these steps take place over a number of weeks. First, I looked through my collection for pieces that jumped out at me, played through each of them, then made a list of pieces that I felt impressed to play. Often I even felt which session they should precede, which I noted next to the pieces in my notebook.

For this conference, the pieces I chose for the leadership session prelude mostly focus on the restoration (it's the 200th anniversary of the First Vision); the evening adult session prelude pieces are all of comfort and turning to the Savior; and the general session pieces include a number of Primary song arrangements. These themes aren't by my design, but emerged as I played through the pieces, listening for the promptings of the Spirit.

Next, I roughly sight-read through each piece, at the proper tempo, and made an initial timing of each one. This will guide me as to how many pieces I'll be able to play before each session: I have been allotted 15 minutes of prelude for the leadership session, 15 (but I'm requesting 20) for the adult session, and 30 for the general session.

Now that I have the estimated timings, I will make reduced copies of each piece, and tape them together to avoid page turns, then I'll practice and register each piece. Once the pieces are learned, I'll spend time on each organ to finalize my timings with registration changes. The final piece in each set will be one that can be extended or ended early if needed. This is especially important for the general session, as the choir will be singing a piece for prelude, and I may need to pad that time a little bit, to avoid an awkward silence after the choir finishes, but before it's time for the meeting to begin.

I also plan to provide the counselor over music in my stake presidency a copy of my prelude pieces along with the projected starting times of each piece, and a list of my postlude pieces. This is a courtesy and shows respect to the presiding authority over music for the meetings.

Hymns

When I began to prepare the hymns, I first read the hymn text, marked textual breaks, and decided how I wanted to treat each verse. Then I looked for reharmonizations/free accompaniments for final verses or introductions, and played through them to see if I felt they would be appropriate. Since several of the hymns were less familiar hymns about the restoration without any reharmonizations readily available, I reached out to a friend of mine, Mike Carson, who graciously arranged "hymnbellishments" of each of them.

(For ideas on hymn preparation, feel free to read my article here, entitled, "Let the People Sing!")

Practice

Now, I just need to practice, practice, and practice! I can do a lot of this on my home organ, but I'll also be spending a fair amount of time on the organs I'll be playing for conference. The first two sessions will be at my ward building. Since we're a new stake without a stake center, our general session will be held at a larger venue with an unfamiliar pipe organ.

Additionally, one of the choir pieces, which will be performed as the closing hymn, is written for choir and organ accompaniment, so trying to get that balance in just one rehearsal Sunday morning on a pipe organ will be very tricky. I'll register and practice several options, then have someone listening to the run through who can give me immediate feedback. Hopefully the balance will be okay!

Conclusion

While preparing to play for three sessions of stake conference over two days is intense and very time-consuming, I also use these methods to prepare for every service for which I play the organ. I'm currently employed as an organist for a United Church of Christ congregation, and every week I prepare in a similar manner. Now, typically my weekly focus is less on prelude and more on the hymns, offertory, and postlude, as well as the piece I play during monthly Communion, but the concepts are the same. This preparation can also be followed for funeral services, and even weddings.

How do you prepare to play for worship services? Do you have any suggestions to share that I haven't mentioned?

White Organ Shoes for Men

Update

Please note: Unfortunately, TicTacToes has gone out of business.

Original Article Follows

Max Walker, the sub-dean of the Salt Lake Chapter of the American Guild of Organists has shared information on how to obtain white organ shoes for men. I wanted to pass this information on to you, as I know many men end up playing in their stocking feet because they're unable to find white organ shoes.

Photo composite by Jennifer Morgan

 Hi folks. This is for those gentlemen who may be playing chapel organ in LDS temples and wish to have white organ shoes. The same info can be applied to any color organ shoe. Many, many colors are available as noted below. Similar options exist for the women's style shoes, in case you ladies are having trouble finding white (colored) shoes.

Organmasters, the go-to source for many organists, doesn't sell the men's Oxford shoe in white and doesn't make it to order.

My new friend, Bill Hesterman, pointed me to TicTacToes.com. They sell dance shoes, and have a category of organ shoes. They are the factory, so they will make a shoe in white even if it is not offered on the web site in white; one simply needs to call to ask for what one needs. 

There are two shoes at TicTacToes that would be attractive you gentlemen in that case: 

1. "Applause." The Applause is like Organmaster's Oxford. It is listed only in black on the web site, but can be made in white (or any of the many colors they offer). Note that the heel will be black regardless. If one finds that unsuitable, but wants that style, one can paint that heel or have the cobbler do it. The toe is slightly more pointed than the Oxford, but not unnaturally so. It's just a nice looking shoe. The heel is the same as the Organmaster Oxford: 1.25".
2. "Cameron." The Cameron is listed under Specialty Organ Shoes. Its heel is made to match, wrapped in the same color leather. This shoe has no shank. Its advantage is the white heel. It looks normal enough viewed straight on. I have a pair on order, but haven't received it yet, so I cannot comment yet on the shankless fit. The Cameron comes with a taller heel than the Applause: a 1.75" "Latin" heel. It can be ordered with a 1.25" heel if you prefer that; simply specify upon ordering. 

Artist's rendering by Jennifer Morgan of white "Applause" organ shoe

 A couple more things to note: 

• TicTacToes' shoes run true to US sizing. If you're accustomed to Organmaster shoes, do not trust that sizing will match; it will not. Organmasters run short to size, and are more snug.
• The white shoe is made to order and cannot be returned. If you are skittish about sizing, TicTacToes suggests that you order the shoe in black, which is returnable, confirm sizing, then return the black and order the confirmed size in white. Obviously, you will confirm all of that when you order and won't rely on my account of their policies. 
• Pay attention to heel length. These vary. You can specify what you are accustomed to.
• Finally, these are not kept in stock and are usually made to order. Plan on extra time to receive your shoes; they suggest 4-6 weeks, but my first pair came at about 3 weeks.

Happy Organing!

New Hymnal Announced. Can we get one marked for the organ?

I'm sure most, if not all, of my readers are aware that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that they will be producing a new hymnal and children's songbook. I linked to the article on my facebook page.

The church has asked for input via a survey link.

Many of you are aware that Carol Dean created a trial version of the hymnal, meticulously marked for organ, that she worked on perfecting and tweaking until she passed away earlier this month. I have been tasked with furthering her work. With this announcement, can you think how wonderful it would be if the Church would publish an organ version of the hymnal? I can't believe how many members of the church contact me every week requesting Carol's markings, and most of you found out about it through word of mouth! There appears to be a huge need for a hymnal of this type.

I think a hymnal marked for organ, and a simplified hymnal for organists would be a very much needed addition to the church's publications.

If you agree please fill out the above survey and either under the "general difficulties experienced" or "other feedback" fields, state how difficult it is as a pianist to play the organ without markings, or request a hymnal with organ markings.

If enough survey takers request a version of the hymnal with organ markings, the church might make one available!

Anxiety and Nerves

Image Source

I recently received a question from S.D.:

I just finished playing for my 3rd Stake Conference this weekend. I had practiced everyday for over three months.  I knew the songs well and felt much more confident in my pedaling.  

I was pretty calm on Saturday Night's meeting but on Sunday, I felt more anxiety at the amount of people and of course hands and legs stiffen with anxiety and I really had to concentrate to keep things going.  I was able to cover okay, yet I was so disappointed because I had prepared so well.

When I received the call the size of the crowd was the biggest intimidation to me.  I have played the piano for years and accompanied a lot of groups, yet the organ is new, I have felt less in control of sounds and adjustments, therefore, I am nervous of making mistakes and that brings about the anxiety.

Have you ever experienced this or have any suggestions on how to work it out? This past two weeks I have been listening to talks on overcoming fear and having faith and done all I could think of to prepare.  I know I did okay, but I was wiped out when I was finished just dealing with my stress.  I hope to learn a little more on how other organists might prepare to overcome this type of fear or stress, so I can deal better with the next conference.

Have any of you felt this way? I certainly have! I'll share some ideas here on what I do to work through anxiety, but I'd love to hear from my readers as well!

What you're experiencing is very normal, unfortunately. There are several things that I've used to try to get past those nerves! Here they are, not in any particular order:

• Recognize that your body doesn't know the difference between fear and excitement. When you start to feel those nerves kicking in, tell yourself that you're really excited to be able to play: Either because you have a really cool registration, or you can't wait for the congregation to be able to be united as one voice, etc. Try to turn that potentially scary emotion into a positive one.


• Play in front of people more often. This is a difficult one, as in our church playing the organ is something we can't really do unless we're called. You can get involved in your local chapter of the American Guild of Organists, or see if you can be a volunteer temple organist on a regular or semi-regular basis (if your local temple has organists, and is close enough for you to serve there). Playing in the temple every other week helped me more than anything else!


• When your brain starts playing head-games with you, shut it down by saying, "I don't care!" I learned this one from tabernacle organist Andrew Unsworth. "I don't care!" saved me when I took my CAGO exam.


• Cut yourself some slack. It doesn't have to be perfect! There was only one perfect person to walk the earth, and it's not you. Making mistakes is okay! Figure out what you're the most nervous about, and see what you can do to circumvent that issue. It can be simplifying your first hymn introduction by beginning with the melody in octaves, or with just the melody stepping into the other parts.


• Shrug off mistakes. Mistakes happen, but don't let them derail you. Don't give them any room in your brain. Always look forwards, never backwards when you're playing.


• Worrying about your upcoming "performance" will make your anxiety grow. Now that you've learned some great coping techniques, try not to stress as the date comes nearer. I know that's hard to do! Also, don't just prepare for that one huge event, play and learn other pieces, too, and intersperse them as you practice to take some of the pressure off. 


• Trust your preparation. I'm sure you're heard the saying, “When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.” Well, when the time to play the organ has arrived, your preparation is over. TRUST YOURSELF.

The Inner Game of Music is a great resource. I read it a long time ago, so I don't remember much about it, but it's definitely worth a read.

So, my faithful readers:  What do you do when your nerves kick up? Do you have any great suggestions to share?

Frustrated Because of Your Mistakes?

How many of you heard the live version of Music & the Spoken Word on Sunday? Did the organ introduction to the opening number sound a little off to you? Richard Elliot had, in his words, a "less-than-stellar performance." So much so, in fact, that the piece needed to be re-recorded for the re-broadcast.

Normally I would never point out the mistakes of others, as I think it's not productive to dwell on them. In this case, however, I think it's good for everyday organists to know that nobody is perfect. Making mistakes is human, and even the accomplished Richard Elliott is not immune. So when you're struggling because of the mistakes you make, take heart and know that you're in good company with the rest of us! 

 

I've certainly made my share of gut-wrenching mistakes.

THIS is why I Play the Organ

 I played for the adult session of stake conference tonight  Elder Doxey of the Seventy was our visiting authority.  The stake music chairman had an opening and closing hymn planned, with a musical number in the middle of the meeting.  Thursday evening, I spent about 3 1/2 to 4 hours at the stake center, practicing, choosing the perfect registrations for the hymns, prelude, and postlude, and solidifying the pieces I would be playing.

Tonight, as I was finishing up my second-to-last prelude piece, the second counselor in the stake presidency came up to me and asked if I could talk while I was playing.  Of course, I said, "yes."  He proceeded to tell me that Elder Doxey asked for a standing rest hymn, and wondered if "Israel, Israel, God is Calling" would work.  It really didn't matter what he was asking, my answer would have been yes (that's something the Bonnie Goodliffe instilled in me during the lessons I took from her)! So I did. I replied, "Yes," then added, "I'll have to register on the fly, but we'll make it work!"

After the opening hymn, I turned to the newly added rest hymn and the page was pristine--I had never played it out of my newer hymnal, and all of my markings were in a different one.  I quickly penciled in pedaling, then peeked at the other registrations I was using to figure out a registration plan that I could have relative confidence in.  I made the appropriate marks, said a quick prayer, then sat down.

When the time came to play, no one there would have ever known it was my first run through of the hymn in months, if not years, and my first run through on that organ.  I was blessed with an outpouring of the Spirit, and played almost flawlessly, chose perfect registrations to highlight the text of the verses, and even added in a few running bass line notes and a pedal point on the last verse to better highlight the message of the hymn. How blessed I was, to be able to turn a last-minute hymn addition into a glorious musical experience for the congregation! The Spirit was there in abundance, and I felt honored to be able to bring more to the meeting.

Following the closing hymn, while I was playing postlude, I was thanked by several members with tear-filled eyes.

Tonight's offering on the organ was a culmination of many, many years of hard work and dedication: Countless hours of practice let me to this point.  I've been "good enough" to play a good, spirit-filled service for years, yet I continue to practice, to persevere, to sacrifice, all in the name of the organ.  Why? Many times I do not have an answer.  I do it because I can't imagine NOT doing it. It's who I am: It's part of me, and has been my entire life.

Why do I continue to spend the long, tiring hours, slaving away at the organ? Why do I feel the need to continually improve myself?  Why is playing the organ such a huge part of my life?

Tonight my purpose became very clear, once again, to my soul:

Tonight I touched lives.  Tonight I did a good work.  Tonight, I helped others feel the Spirit through song as many have never felt it before.  Tonight I helped others glorify God.

That is why I play the organ.

Watch that volume, even if it's a funeral!

The purpose of this blog is to help organists learn and grow so they can better fulfill their calling and magnify their opportunity to play for worship services. As such, when my personal experiences bring suggestions to mind, I like to share them here, so that we can all learn from each other.

I had the opportunity to attend the funeral service for my uncle this morning. It was an emotional occasion, but one that brought a lot of my extended family together for a treasured reunion.

The funeral was held in a beautiful, old mortuary.  The chapel was quite narrow, but very long.  I ended up sitting near the back with my brother, a couple of my aunts and their husbands.  As we took our seats, just prior to the beginning of the funeral, I mentioned that I couldn't hear the organ prelude music from our seats.  My aunt commented that she couldn't even hear the organ as we entered, near the front of the chapel. I considered letting the organist (a stranger to me) know, but there wasn't time before the family entered.

Lesson #1 from today: While a subdued organ prelude is very appropriate for a funeral, make sure your organ playing can be heard! If you are playing in an unfamiliar space, it is a very good idea to ask someone to be your ears, and let you know how the organ sounds from the rear portion of the space.

When the introduction began for the opening hymn, I was a bit concerned, as the organ was again very underpowered from where I was sitting.  This concern was well founded, as the rear of the chapel finished the hymn a good six to eight beats behind the front of the chapel--and the organist twisted in her seat to watch us finish singing the first verse.

Lesson #2 from today: If the people in the rear of the chapel are singing significantly behind those in the front, it probably means they can't hear the organ adequately.  If this happens to you, try increasing the volume by opening the expression pedals or adding stops for the next verse.  Remember: Even congregational hymns for funerals need to be supported with adequate organ volume, especially if you do not have a music director. Fortunately, we did, so we had to rely on our eyes instead of our ears for the remaining verses and hymn (the closing hymn was equally soft).

It was a wonderful funeral, and while the lack of organ volume didn't detract from the service, it did inspire me to share this experience with my readers.

Organ volume is very, very difficult, if not impossible, to determine from the console. If your electronic organ has both console and external speakers, turning the console speakers off (there is usually a stop tab that does this) can help you get a better feel for the volume in the room.  However, nothing works better than another set of ears providing feedback.  And remember--the volume in an empty chapel will be louder than in a chapel full of people, who absorb the sound.

The buddy system isn't just for field trips--give it a try!

Thanks for reading.

Real Life: Playing After a Break

I received this question from Paul:

I play for my ward and am having some problems.  I practice the hymns and do alright for the opening and sacrament hymns.  However, the problems come when I play the intermediate and closing hymns.  I sometimes stumble thru the first few notes.  By the end of the 1st verse I am doing fine.  My organ teacher says I should just play the manuals at first.

How do you get your head into playing after having to resting?  do you have any suggestions?

I think you are experiencing a common problem for organists.  I do have several suggestions that might help.

Write in Fingerings

The first is simply to make sure you use the same fingerings every time you play a piece.  Write them in and be consistent.  Muscle memory is so important to playing.  If you use the same fingerings every time you play, you will be more likely to play without mistakes.

Practice For Your Situation

This is the suggestion that came to my mind as soon as I read your email. If you are struggling with an aspect of playing, you need to practice that aspect.  In this case, you need to approach the organ "cold" and play the piece that you will play after a break.  As many times as possible, approach an organ, play the introduction and all the verses of the hymn through, then walk away.  This method is easier if you have a home organ.

If you do not have regular access to an organ in your home, or if your chapel is some distance from your house this can be difficult, but can be adapted.  When you practice, start your practice with an intermediate or closing hymn. In the middle of your practice session, take a break and walk around the building, use the restroom, get a drink, then return and play your problem hymn again.

You'll soon find playing after a break becomes easier.

Take a Moment to Think 

When you do approach the organ after a break in the service, take a moment to review the piece in your mind before beginning to play.  It's much better to delay the introduction a few seconds than to start before you are mentally ready.

Also, if it is an issue for you, get the brain out of the way.  Remember that your role is to facilitate worship, and that you are playing for the glory of God.  Try to make your playing be about Him, not you.  Ask for His help, and you will receive it.

Simplify the Introduction

Finally, if you would feel more comfortable, you can simplify the introduction using these techniques, and perhaps prolong it.  By the time the congregation begins singing, you should be sufficiently warmed up to play the hymn as you have practiced it.


I  believe by following these suggestions, you will soon come to the point where you play without stumbling, even after a long break.

Thanks for reading!  I hope these suggestions help.

Organ in Real Life: Using Chimes at Christmas Time

I received a question from Jennifer, asking:

I have been practicing Christmas music, and am wondering how/when/if it's appropriate to use the chimes stop.

I have fond memories growing up of the beautiful Christmas music played by our excellent ward organist.  She often used chimes or bells in the Christmas songs, and I loved it. 

However, the chimes stop on the church organ I use seems to be overly sustained.  The chimes ring for a good 5 or more seconds after being played and released.  To me, it sounds beautiful at first but after a line or so just makes the song sound very muddled.  Not to mention the embarrassingly long ringing that follows at the end of a verse or song.

Do you use chimes?  Does your organ have this same effect?  Can you recommend any techniques for using chimes in Christmas music without having this happen?  I appreciate any advice or wisdom you could give me on this topic!

I, too, love using the chimes around Christmas time, and I hope that these ideas can help you!

The first suggestion I have is to use them sparingly!  Don't use them on every piece, and don't use them on every verse of a hymn.  Figure out where they will be used most effectively, and only use them there.

In Prelude or Postlude Music

Some ideas:

Use them on every-other line, such as in this example:

Introduce your piece with just the melody played on the chimes, as above, but then play your prepared prelude on a more standard registration without chimes.

Perhaps these pieces will also inspire you:



As Congregational Accompaniment

For the introduction, introduce the first phrase of the melody on just the chimes, then switch to a standard registration to finish the introduction.

Similar to above, but play a chime tone, then the introduction on a standard registration. One example is to play La, So, Fa, Mi, Re, Do, La, So, Fa, Mi, Re, Do or a much shortened version of something like this, which I like to play before the introduction to "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day":


Another option is to play an interlude between the verses on the chimes.  Make sure it starts while the congregation is still holding the final note of the previous verse, so that they don't try to sing along, and make sure your music director knows it's coming.

As for playing while the congregation is singing, I tend to save that for the final verse of one of the hymns, or even the final chorus of the final verse, and I turn off the chime stop the second the last note is played, or immediately before playing the final note, so that it doesn't continue to ring for a long time afterwards. You'll have to see what works best with your organ through some trial and error. Yes, the chimes will blend together and muddle, but hopefully the congregational singing will cover some of that. It is a special treat, and for the final verse I think it is still okay to use periodically. The congregation generally loves it!

A few things to check

Many of the newer organs have alternate voicings. Sometimes, these other organs have a different sounding chimes/bells stop. You could check to see if this is the case and see if they would sound better or if they would add a nice variety and contrast to the standard chimes on your organ.

Check your artificial acoustics.  Many organs have a switch that can turn on a reverberation that mimics the sound in a large room.  These can make your chimes sound longer than they should.  Make sure this effect is off.

Check to see if the chimes play all four voice parts, or if they only play the top note.  If they play all four, there are a few things you can do.

If the chimes are on the swell instead of the great, you can accompany the congregation on the great, but solo out the melody on the swell with the chimes and a few other stops to provide support for the congregation, or use the melody coupler, which will pull the swell voices only onto the highest note you play.

If the chimes are on the great, consider playing the melody in unison (with both hands) on the final verse with the chimes added and no other parts being played.  This will still provide a nice support for the congregation, but will prevent the chimes from muddling together so much.

I hope this helps!

Organ lights

I have an older organ in my home, which is wonderful, as it makes practicing with six kids a possibility. Unfortunately, this organ does not have any type of light for my music. I've wanted an organ light for some time, but they are very pricey. Most cost upwards of $100, and many cost over $400. I needed a much less expensive solution.

One day last year, while browsing Ikea's website, I found their picture lighting. When I saw the LED RIBBA lighting picture, I thought that it looked a lot like the organ lights I've seen online. All it needs is a base:

The best part about it was the price: $24.99.

The catch: these lights are only available at Ikea and cannot be ordered online. As there's an Ikea near me, my children gave this light to me for Christmas! I had hoped it would clip onto my organ, but it didn't work--it needed to be taller. My husband promised me a stand, but he's been really busy. Finally, last night I just clipped it to an extra board I had in my garage and propped it up on my organ.

I love it! The light it gives off is a very warm light, and it's very lightweight so I'm not worried about it falling on me, despite the archaic way I'm currently using it. All of a sudden I can really see my music, and it's wonderful!

If you don't have an Ikea near you and you need an organ light, I encourage you to check different stores. I know I've seen a similar desk light at my local Target for about $40. There are also a number of LED picture lights online starting at $20.

If you've been looking for an organ light but couldn't justify the cost, and are a little handy or creative when it comes to mounting them, maybe this will help you. I can't wait to practice under my new light today!

My question for you: Storing music

I have a lot of music in my house. With my collection of flute music and my husband's tuba music from college, some piano music, my husband's vocal music, my ever-growing collection of organ music, and now my children's oboe and French horn music, I've outgrown my piano and organ benches and the space under another padded bench in my music room. I'm tired of having music piled on my organ, and I'd love to bring up all of the music that's currently stored in a huge box in my basement.

I'd like something that's not too bulky and a system that makes it very easy for me to find things. Unfortunately, I have no idea where to start!

So I'm asking you: What have you used and seen? What has worked for you, and what has NOT worked for you?

Thanks for your help! I'd love to feature your responses in a future article.

Real Life: Playing Dotted Notes

Schmath asked a question the other day that I wanted to share and answer here:

"When you play a hymn like We Are All Enlisted, with tons of dotted 16ths, do you actually play them as dotted 16ths? It sounds weird to play them correctly because most everyone plays them more like triplets with the first two notes tied."

That is a very good question! My guess is that the majority of ward organists play dotted eighth to sixteenth notes with a triplet feel, and the majority of congregations sing them the same way.

However, I strongly believe that hymns should be played as written. When a hymn contains a dotted eighth to a sixteenth note, I believe the hymn should be played that way.

Why?

As Carol Dean says, "[The hymns] have more rhythmic energy that way, and that is what the hymn tune composer intended." I agree with her.

When I practice from the hymnal, I set my metronome to either the sixteenth note or the eighth note, generally at half-tempo, and make sure my rhythm is absolutely precise. I then slowly increase the metronome until I can play the hymn correctly at the proper tempo.

At first it might seem odd to play the hymns with precise rhythm when you and your congregation are used to hearing them with a more relaxed rhythm. However, in most congregations there are at least a few people who are trained musicians, who try to sing the hymns as written, and they will certainly appreciate your efforts. Conversely, in every congregation there are also people who are not musically trained, and they probably won't consciously notice either way. Surprisingly, from my experience, these non-musicians will sing with more enthusiasm if the rhythm is crisp and precise.

Thank you for your question. I hope my answer has helped you and any others who have the same question. Remember, "Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
-- Ephesians 5:18–20

Real Life: Continuing to play after the sacrament hymn is over

I recently received a question from an anonymous reader:

I am in a huge ward with priests that take a LONG time to complete breaking the bread. I usually have to slow the sacrament hymns down quite a bit to avoid having to keep playing them over and over again waiting for the priests to finish.

One particular song: #184 - Upon the Cross of Calvary - gets over way to quickly for this ward and I've had to re-play it as many as 3 times.
"Is it appropriate and/or do you know of any sheet music or other variations on the hymn that are available, to be able to not have to play the exact hymn over and over?

That situation can be a problem! First off, slowing down the hymn may seem like a good idea, but don't slow it down so much that it drags. Try to stay within the posted metronome markings.

If I were in your shoes, here's what I would do:

First, how many priests are breaking bread? I've been in wards where they had additional hands to help break the bread. I'm not sure what the protocol is on this, but you could check with your Bishop, expressing your concerns about the need to continue playing for so long. Three priests seems to be standard where I currently live.

Second, David, another reader shared, "Our stake music chairman is advising that there is nothing in the handbooks that says the organist has to keep playing until the priests are finished. She thinks that the silence after the hymn is sung can add to the spirit of the meeting." This is true; I didn't see anything in the handbook addressing this topic. Often my organist will take this approach. However, it doesn't take long for the bread to be broken in my ward, so the silence is brief.

Third, make sure your congregation sings all of the appropriate verses. I am always frustrated when I'm in a congregation that doesn't sing the verses printed below the staff if the priests are still breaking bread. Don't deny your congregation that opportunity.

Fourth, approach the hymn from the beginning again. Read the text of each verse and plan how you can play the hymn to best share the message with your congregation. For example, here is a way to play hymn 184. After the congregation is finished singing, play verse 1 on a softer registration. Play verse two, just the soprano and alto. Then play verse three on a slightly fuller registration. Then stop. There are only three verses to this hymn, so only play three verses after the congregation is finished, and if the priests are still breaking bread, allow some silence for reflection. Alternately, you could just play one post-verse, and then allow silence. Follow the Spirit and you will know what to do and how to vary it each Sunday.

You asked about the appropriateness of playing sheet music or other variations of the sacrament hymns. Personally, I believe the sacrament hymns should remain simple and pure. However, I think varying the hymn while staying true to the page is perfectly fine. Some other possibilities (which may necessitate being written out in advance) for post-verses include:

• Only play the soprano/alto or soprano/tenor lines for a verse or section of a verse.
• Play all four parts on the manuals with no pedals for a verse or section of a verse.
• Play the first phrase with just the soprano, then a phrase S/A or S/T, then a phrase SAT, then a phrase SATB.
• Play the melody in octaves for a verse.
• Play soprano and alto on a softer registration with matching pedal registration playing the bass and play the tenor for a phrase or a verse on a more prominent registration, either as written or an octave higher. Hymn 187, God Loves Us, So He Sent His Son works well this way. Make sure the tenor line is interesting before utilizing this approach.
• Play the alto, tenor and bass on a softer registration and solo the melody on a more prominent registration.
• Play a verse with the alto up an octave (you will probably need to write this out in advance).
• Add a pedal point for a phrase. A pedal point is the tonic or dominant note in the key, held in the pedal. One good place to add this technique is during a soprano/alto duet in a hymn such as 178, O Lord of Hosts; play an Eb in the pedals starting with beat one on the second line until the bass comes back in.

In summary, I recommend approaching this situation as an opportunity to help your congregation reflect on the words which they just finished singing. Sometimes we don't reflect on the meaning of the words in the hymn as we should while we sing, and it's through later reflection that we find a deeper meaning. In playing these post-verses, make sure you breathe properly, as taught in this article, so that the meaning can be made clear in the minds of your congregation.

After implementing some of these suggestions, please check back and let me know how things go!

If you have a question you'd like me to answer, either share a comment on this blog, ask over on my facebook page, or email ldsorganistblog (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thanks for reading!

Real Life: Ollie's Organ Registration

I'm introducing a new feature today! Periodically I will answer questions from my readers in a series I'm calling, "Real Life." Feel free to ask your questions for this new feature via the comments section or by emailing ldsorganistblog at gmail dot com.

Today's question is from Ollie, who has asked me if I can help her figure out some good registration options for her organ. Like the organists before her, she uses the same preset for every hymn and prelude, and her congregation has been resistant to change. She's currently playing the Rodgers Trilliam (variant C000633). Here is her stop list:


She has been using this registration on the Swell for prelude and postlude:
8' Geigen Principal
4' Prestant
2' Piccolo
IV Plein Jeu
Bass Coupler with 16' principal and 8' octave on the Pedal

For congregational hymn accompaniment, she has been using this registration on the Great:
8' Diapason
4' Octave
2' Super Octave
IV Fourniture
Bass Coupler with 16' principal and 8' octave on the Pedal

Both have a very similar sound. Ollie tried using the 8' Chimney Flute one week for prelude and the congregation didn't know what to do!

She's asked for registration help, which I'm more than happy to offer. I have not heard her organ, so I don't know how these suggestions will sound in person. In theory they should work well, and will at the very least provide a good starting point for her.

Prelude Chorus Registration Options

For a chorus-style prelude, such as playing hymns from the hymnbook, try these combinations. Stops in parentheses are optional and should be applied if needed and/or desired:

On the Swell:

Sw: 8' Viole
    (4' flute)
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux
    (8' Gedeckt)

Sw: 8' Bourdon
    4' Flute
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux
    (8' Gedeckt)

Sw: 8' Geigen Principal
Ped: 16' Subbass

Sw: 8' Viole
    8' Bourdon
    (4' Flute)
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux
    8' Gedeckt

Sw: 8' Bourdon
    4' Flute
    2' Piccolo
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux
    8' Gedeckt

On the Great

Gt: 8' Gemshorn
    (4' Spitzflote)
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux or Subbass

Gt: 8' Chimney Flute
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux

Gt: 8' Harmonic Flute
    (4' Spitzflote)
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux

Gt: 8' Flute Celeste II
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux

Gt: 8' Chimney Flute
Sw: 4' Flute
Sw-Gt Coupler
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux
(Gt-Ped Coupler)

There are so many more options, but this is a start.

Congregational Hymn Accompaniment Registration Options

Softer Registrations
(appropriate for more meditative or sacrament hymns)

Gt: 8' Diapason
    4' Octave
Ped: 16' Principal
    8' Octave
Gt-Ped Coupler

Gt: 8' Diapason
Sw: 8' Bourdon
    4' Flute
Sw-Gt Coupler
Ped: 16' Principal
    (16' Subbass)
    8' Gedeckt
Sw-Ped Coupler
Gt-Ped Coupler

Gt: 8' Diapason
Sw: 8' Bourdon
    4' Flute
    2' Piccolo
Sw-Gt Coupler
Ped: 16' Principal
    (16' Subbass)
    8' Octave
    (8' Gedeckt)
Sw-Ped
Gt-Ped

Gt: 8' Diapason
    8' Gemshorn
    4' Octave (and/or 4' Spitzflote)
Ped: 16' Principal
    8' Octave
Gt-Ped Coupler

Gt: 8' Diapason
Sw: 8' Viole
    (8' Bourdon)
    4' Flute
Ped: 16' Principal
    (16' Subbass)
    8' Octave
Sw-Ped Coupler
Gt-Ped Coupler

Again, there are many more options, but this is a good start.

Jubilant Registrations
(Good for more rousing or joyful hymns)

Gt: 8' Diapason
    4' Octave
    2' Super Octave
    (IV Fourniture)
Ped: 16' Principal
    8' Octave
Gt-Ped

Gt: 8' Diapason
    4' Octave
    2' Super Octave
    IV Fourniture
    8' Trumpet
Ped: 16' Principal
    8' Octave
    (4' Choral Bass)
Gt-Ped

Gt: 8' Diapason
    4' Octave
    2' Super Octave
Sw: 8' Bourdon
    4' Flute
    2' Piccolo
Sw-Gt
Ped: 16' Principal
    16' Subbass
    8' Octave
    8' Gedeckt
Sw-Ped
Gt-Ped

Gt: 8' Diapason
    8' Gemshorn
    8' Octave
Sw: 8' Bourdon
    4' Prestant
    4' Flute
    2' Piccolo
Sw-Gt
Ped: 16' Principal
    16' Subbass
    8' Octave
    8' Gedect
Sw-Ped
Gt-Ped

Again, there are many more but this is a start.

Transitioning the Congregation

Ollie expressed a desire to ease her congregation into these new sounds, instead of just jumping in with these huge changes.

Prelude

I would immediately start by playing prelude with this registration:
Sw: 8' Bourdon
    4' Flute
    2' Piccolo
    IV Plein Jeu
Ped: 16' Bourdon Doux (or Subbass)
    8' Gedeckt
(Sw-Ped)

It has a similar sound to her current choice, but is composed entirely of flutes, instead of also using principals. I would also start removing the Plein Jeu IV for the first verse of each prelude hymn, or the second verse, increasing the pieces that are played without it until the congregation is used to hearing the organ without this high mixture.

Then use this registration for some prelude pieces:
Sw: 8' Geigen Principal
    4' Prestant
    2' Piccolo
Ped: 16' Subbass
     (8' Octave)
Sw-Ped

This registration should also sound very familiar to the congregation.

Once the congregations is used to these sounds, try something like:
Sw: 8' Geigen Principal
    4' Prestant
Ped: 16' Subbass
Sw-Ped

Intersperse a registration without a 2' stop with the registrations the congregation has become familiar with, perhaps using this on the first verse and then adding the 2' piccolo in the next verse.

Once the congregation is used to hearing the organ prelude without stops sounding 2+ octaves higher, Ollie can begin using the registration suggestions I shared above. I recommend changing the registration for every hymn, even between verses, following the direction of the text. I believe these changes help promote reverence and allow the congregation to focus on the text of each prelude hymn.

Accompaniment

Ollie has been using a full chorus registration for every hymn. My recommendation is to start the transition by only changing the sacrament hymn. To begin, I'd immediately remove the Fourniture IV from the registration for the sacrament hymn:

Gt: 8' Diapason
    4' Octave
    2' Super Octave
Ped: 16' Principal
    8' Octave
Gt-Ped

Next try adding the 8' Trumpet to the final verse of a jubilant hymn a couple of times:

Gt: 8' Diapason
    4' Octave
    2' Super Octave
    IV Fourniture
    8' Trumpet
Ped: 16' Principal
    8' Octave
Gt-Ped

After a few weeks, I'd then remove the Fourniture IV from the more meditative hymns. This can be done by using a full registration such as this while transitioning:

Gt: 8' Diapason
    8' Gemshorn
    4' Octave
    2' Super Octave
Sw: 8' Geigen Principal
    8' Bourdon
    4' Prestant
    4' Flute
    2' Piccolo
Ped: 16' Principal
    16' Subbass
    8' Octave
    (8' Gedeckt)
    (4' Choral Bass)
Sw-Ped
Gt-Ped

At this time I would also remove the 2' Super Octave from the sacrament hymn, so that the registration would be:

Gt: 8' Diapason
    4' Octave
Ped: 16' Principal
    8' Octave
Gt-Ped Coupler

After a few weeks, any of the softer accompaniment registrations could be used for the sacrament hymn. Once that happens, it should be no problem to start transitioning the congregation on the jubilant and meditative hymns.

In Conclusion

It is important to continually use a wide variety of registrations so that the congregation doesn't get stuck in another rut. Good luck, Ollie! Keep us posted on your progress.