Today I Played

[Guest Andrew Butler]

Sunday 10th; Advent 2

 

Pre: Nun komm - Buxtehude

 

Communion: Forgotten title, but CP from Orgelbuchlein on Lutheran version of "Conditor alme siderum"

 

Post: Conditor alme, 3rd verset - Titelouze

[Peter Clark]

Ok, idea for a new topic, especially with the season so nearly upon us.

 

Simply post the voluntaries that you used/are going to use at recent services and, if you want, your reason for selecting it.

 

I'll start off with this Sunday i'm playing:

 

Morning Service (With Choir)

Toccata on Veni Emmanuel - Andrew Carter

 

Evening Service (Replacing the carol service with the four last words)

Requieum Aternum from Pieces De Fantasie - Vierne

THe last word is Hell... which sort of explains.

 

I had always thought that voluntaries were "banned" in Advent (as in Lent) and being extremely lazy I had always taken advantage of this proscription - until this year when I have decided to play, as a token gesture, the Bach Advent chorale preludes from Orgelbuchlien (with the addition of Wachet Auf for Advent 3).

 

Best wishes

 

Peter

[Guest Andrew Butler]

I had always thought that voluntaries were "banned" in Advent (as in Lent) and being extremely lazy I had always taken advantage of this proscription - until this year when I have decided to play, as a token gesture, the Bach Advent chorale preludes from Orgelbuchlien (with the addition of Wachet Auf for Advent 3).

 

Best wishes

 

Peter

 

I assume you are talking Catholic here? I am a catholic and this is a "grey area". I do, however, play voluntaries during Advent. Look at

 

http://www.canticanova.com/articles/feedback/arte51.htm

 

for help. There are a number of useful links on this site.

[Guest Barry Oakley]

I assume you are talking Catholic here? I am a catholic and this is a "grey area". I do, however, play voluntaries during Advent. Look at

 

http://www.canticanova.com/articles/feedback/arte51.htm

 

for help. There are a number of useful links on this site.

 

I am a Catholic, too, and find that there is an element of licence regarding music at Lent and Advent. When I sang in the choir at St. Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, the voluntary would be restricted to some modest Bach. I now attend a Benedictine priory where there is a strict observance of earlier directives and no voluntary is played. I rather feel that the Mass is left somewhat flat with the absence of concluding music.

[Davidb]

I am a Catholic, too, and find that there is an element of licence regarding music at Lent and Advent. When I sang in the choir at St. Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, the voluntary would be restricted to some modest Bach. I now attend a Benedictine priory where there is a strict observance of earlier directives and no voluntary is played. I rather feel that the Mass is left somewhat flat with the absence of concluding music.

 

 

 

Where i am, which used to be high-anglican but is now sadly quite a bit lower the tradition is there are no voluntarys on Maundy Thursday after the Bairstow Lamentation, Good Friday and Before Easter Eve.

 

Apart from that everything has voluntarys - the previous assistant/organ scholar to myself tried to omit on Palm Sunday once but got met with a decidely flat response.

 

This week is St Nicholas, which means Boy Bishop etc (at the Church of St. Nicholas)

 

Before hand is normally 10 minutes of whatever i feel like at the time which at the minute normally means a lot of the orgelbuchlein and Vierne Pieces en style libre, nothing to taxing.

Post (Morning) Unsure, possibly one of the Dubious 'Sept Pieces'

 

 

Evening (Our evensong congregation is quite musically 'intelectual' so the playing of 'proper' music is always a must)

Before : Cortege et Litanie - Dupre

Afterwards: Litanies - Alain (For no real reason other than I know someone who likes it who has a birthday near the service)

[pcnd5584]

Well, we had a bit of a Bach-fest yesterday.

 

In the morning, before Mass, I played two of the Advent chorale preludes from the Orgelbüchlein, another at the Communion and then the 'Dorian' Toccata (BWV 538) afterward. There was no Choral Matins yesterday, so the Fugue will have to wait.

 

In the evening at the Advent Procession, my boss was going to play the Nun komm preludes before the service, but he had forgotten his copy and so instead he played a few excerpts from the Schübler book. Immediately before the service, I played the Nun komm from the Orgelbüchlein and afterwards I played the Prelude and Fugue, in B minor (BWV 544).

 

I am saving the Reger (Fugue from the Fantasy on the Chorale 'Wachet auf!') for after the Nine Lessons - personally I think that it is too big and triumphant for the Advent service. It is, after all, still the season of 'expectancy'. By the end of the Reger, it has definitely 'arrived'!

 

The choir sang:

 

Wood - Hail, gladdening light

Howells - A spotless rose

Weelkes - Alleluia

Gibbons - This is the Record of John

Stanford - Magnificat, in G (I did, of course, also play the organ accompaniment)

Palestrina - Matin Responsory

[mgp]

<snip>

 

I am saving the Reger (Fugue from the Fantasy on the Chorale 'Wachet auf!') for after the Nine Lessons - personally I think that it is too big and triumphant for the Advent service. It is, after all, still the season of 'expectancy'. By the end of the Reger, it has definitely 'arrived'!

 

The choir sang:

<snip>

Weelkes - Alleluia

<snip>

 

Disagree about the Reger (Though I did play the opening up to bar 20 1st beat as an intro to set the context). Even with the 'angels dancing' through the fugue, it's far from certain as a piece even at the end, but it does convey the Hope of the second coming - Advent isn't a subsidiary Lent! In my case it followed Messiah pt 1 ('easy yokes' and 'light burthens') plus Hallelujah so it was no time for something too 'high minded'. Similarly I will look for 'doubt' at the 9L&C - certainty is for Easter.

 

Am interested in the rationale for the Weelkes - full of references to the Lamb - on the face of it a rather premature reference to Good Friday???

[pcnd5584]

Am interested in the rationale for the Weelkes - full of references to the Lamb - on the face of it a rather premature reference to Good Friday???

 

You will have to ask my boss about that one.

 

My point about the Reger was not made from the standpoint of any theological parallel. - rather an observation of the enormous and glorious climax which builds over the last two pages and finally peals out at the end, with the very rich harmonies of the last line of the chorale. I personally see no uncertainty whatsoever by the end of this superb piece!

[mgp]

You will have to ask my boss about that one.

 

My point about the Reger was not made from the standpoint of any theological parallel. - rather an observation of the enormous and glorious climax which builds over the last two pages and finally peals out at the end, with the very rich harmonies of the last line of the chorale. I personally see no uncertainty whatsoever by the end of this superb piece!

 

I think we have to agree to differ over the certainty (There's a lot of C# minor in those last 2 pages) - but thats part of the fun isn't it?

 

I've looked at the text of that last verse as Reger set it and it seems very similar to v 3 in EH 12 - yes we're standing with angels round the throne but at the end there's the hope that we will be granted the right to raise 'the triumph-chorus of thy praise' - seems to me that if its OK to sing the hymn (which we did in a very joyous way) then it must be OK to reflect those words in the voluntary. To follow it with the JSB Wachet Auf just seems tame.

 

However I do usually play the Carter Veni Emmanuel toccata after the 9L&C just to emphasise that Xmas hasn't actually happened yet. That's got to be illogical but I can't quite bring myself to play Dieu Parmi Nous when he isn't!

[Davidb]

However I do usually play the Carter Veni Emmanuel toccata after the 9L&C just to emphasise that Xmas hasn't actually happened yet. That's got to be illogical but I can't quite bring myself to play Dieu Parmi Nous when he isn't!

 

I understand your point, but i suppose it depends how scared or secular your carol service is. Ours' gets a lot of people from the town who won't come again for a year, so I always play a Christmas piece, but maybe it's diffrent where you are. I normally play the bach in dulci jubilo (?729?) then another piece (This year its Garth Edmundson on Von Himmel Hoch)

 

When do you play the Messiaen then? Midnight Mass?

[David Coram]

Dubious 'Sept Pieces'

 

Hmm. I am often told that I am playing Dubious music but I wouldn't brag about it in public so openly.

[Vox Humana]

I can't quite bring myself to play Dieu Parmi Nous when he isn't!

I thought he always was. The piece is a celebration of God's presence among us rather than specifically of his birth, so is less exclusive to Christmas than quite a few of the other movements.

[Mark Taylor]

I assume you are talking Catholic here? I am a catholic and this is a "grey area". I do, however, play voluntaries during Advent. Look at

http://www.canticanova.com/articles/feedback/arte51.htm

for help. There are a number of useful links on this site.

 

Andrew, Thanks for this link - interesting site.

[pcnd5584]

I think we have to agree to differ over the certainty (There's a lot of C# minor in those last 2 pages) - but thats part of the fun isn't it?

 

I've looked at the text of that last verse as Reger set it and it seems very similar to v 3 in EH 12 - yes we're standing with angels round the throne but at the end there's the hope that we will be granted the right to raise 'the triumph-chorus of thy praise' - seems to me that if its OK to sing the hymn (which we did in a very joyous way) then it must be OK to reflect those words in the voluntary. To follow it with the JSB Wachet Auf just seems tame.

 

However I do usually play the Carter Veni Emmanuel toccata after the 9L&C just to emphasise that Xmas hasn't actually happened yet. That's got to be illogical but I can't quite bring myself to play Dieu Parmi Nous when he isn't!

 

We are indeed all different! I have often played the Messiaen after the Nine Lessons (when I am not playing the Reger, some Cochereau or improvising). However, I am sure that the variety is good, although I agree with Vox - the Messiaen is more about God's presence among us. Possibly no less illogical than the Reger - after all, this is the first year for ages when we have not performed the JSB Wachet auf! I have to say that I did not miss transposing the entire thing down into D major at all....

[pcnd5584]

Hmm. I am often told that I am playing Dubious music but I wouldn't brag about it in public so openly.

 

Mmmm.... The entertainment value of last Thursday evening was well worth the detour home!

 

(I know, you were ill; you did well, under the circumstances....)

 

[mgp]

I understand your point, but i suppose it depends how scared or secular your carol service is. Ours' gets a lot of people from the town who won't come again for a year, so I always play a Christmas piece, but maybe it's diffrent where you are. I normally play the bach in dulci jubilo (?729?) then another piece (This year its Garth Edmundson on Von Himmel Hoch)

 

When do you play the Messiaen then? Midnight Mass?

We have the same sort of attendance (for better or worse we're the civic church of town and county - lots of gold chains) but have been experimenting with the 9L&C format. Last year we put the first movement of the Xmas oratorio at the beginning and a chunck of the Ceremony of Carols in the middle. This year we aren't doing nine lessons - maybe the tower will collapse in shock! I'll report back if we're still breathing. (Maybe we will end up being scared rather than sacred!)

 

I tend to play genltle xmassy music before hand, including the lovely piece on Stille Nacht by Judith Bingham (The Dawn of Redeeming Grace) which goes down well. DPN comes out at midnight (possibly with 729 beforehand) and something lighter for the family service - variations on Morgens kommt der weinachtsman, the Rutter treatment of god rest ye (which the kids love) or the Eben Wenceslaus variations - depending on what got played at the Crib service (biggest attendance of the year). I usually play desseins eternelles before the Advent carols but didn't this year. I tried the Vierne instead and will probably alternate them in future - its so easy to just repeat stuff unthinkingly - so no French Classical this year for me!

 

 

 

 

I thought he always was. The piece is a celebration of God's presence among us rather than specifically of his birth, so is less exclusive to Christmas than quite a few of the other movements.

Fair point, I'd fallen into the trap of seeing it as part of the cycle. Maybe I'll try it on All Saints Day.

[Peter Clark]

I assume you are talking Catholic here? I am a catholic and this is a "grey area". I do, however, play voluntaries during Advent. Look at

 

http://www.canticanova.com/articles/feedback/arte51.htm

 

for help. There are a number of useful links on this site.

 

 

Thanks Andrew a very worthwhile link. I shall be guided by this quote:

 

"During Advent, the playing of the organ and other musical instruments as well as the floral decoration of the altar should be marked by a moderation that reflects the character of this season, but does not anticipate the full joy of Christmas itself. " (my emphasis)

 

Best to all

 

Peter

[jfdg]

I'm playing four carol services this year, for four different congregations, and they're all getting the same voluntaries:

 

Before: Nun Komm (599) and Wachet Auf (Bach)

After: Carillon de Westminster (vierne)

[Guest Andrew Butler]

ADVENT 3

 

Pre: Aria - Simon Clarke (In "Advent" section of "The Organist's Liturgical Year", Mayhew. Not sure what the Advent connection is - er, anyone....? But Simon Clarke is the nephew of some parishioners)

 

Communion: Es ist ein Ros - Brahms

 

Post: Advent reflections - Bonighton. Same source as above.

 

ADVENT 4

 

Pre: Advent Aria - Fish (same source again. I know the history of this one!)

 

Comm: Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottessohn (Orgelbuchlein)

 

Post: Nun komm - Bach

 

At carol services have been including Robert Gower's arrangement of "Walking in the air" pre-service.

[Guest drd]

At the midnight:

 

Before: Fantasia on 'Cranham' - Leonard Stidwill, Fugues - Handel, Pifa from Messiah - Handel.

 

After: two Noels - Daquin.

 

Everyone seemed satisfied, excpet one chap with his hands over his ears at the end! I think he was commenting on the execrable tuning of the organ - got worse during the service, unfortunately.

 

The start was marred by the Rector starting the welcome a good two minutes (by the BBC) before the advertised start time!

[Guest paul@trinitymusic.karoo.co.uk]

At the midnight:

 

Before: Fantasia on 'Cranham' - Leonard Stidwill, Fugues - Handel, Pifa from Messiah - Handel.

 

After: two Noels - Daquin.

 

Everyone seemed satisfied, excpet one chap with his hands over his ears at the end! I think he was commenting on the execrable tuning of the organ - got worse during the service, unfortunately.

 

The start was marred by the Rector starting the welcome a good two minutes (by the BBC) before the advertised start time!

 

Last night

Fore: Three Carol Preludes - Richard Drakeford

Noel Landais - Bonnal

Silent Night - Gruber arr.Henry Gheel (wonderful BTW - it's pure treacle!!)

Aft: Toccata (brackets 'the Toccata') by a certain Charles-Marie Widor.

Thinks: what a name to give a child!!

 

Today

Fore: Clifford's Carol (on 'In dulci jubilo') - Barry Cabena

From Orgelbuchlein : In dulci and Der Tag der ist so Freudenreich - J.S.B.

Aft: Toccata 'Vom Himmel hoch' - Edmundson

[David Coram]

Just to annoy PD we had bucketloads of improvisations last night and this morning - a 35 minute organ mass before the service last night (not bad at all, even if I say so myself) and this morning, a 15 minute Franck-style chorale based on Of the father's heart begotten. The crib service got Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride complete with bell effects (with grateful thanks to Mr Morgan) and Walking in the Air complete with snowstorm (with grateful thanks to Mr Morgan), along with various other bits of tat. Widor to finish last night (duet, with sound effects, between me and the boss, who did Howells Epilogue this morning). The real stars of the show were the men & boys of our choir who have got through eucharist settings by Howells and Leighton, 6 (mostly tricky) anthems and 7 descants in under 12 hours without noticeable fault.

 

The most heartening thing was a completely packed church (including folding chairs in transepts) at all three services - at a guess around 1500 at each.

[AJJ]

Last night - packed church standing room only - BUT with only 1 manual, trigger Swell etc. severely limited:

 

Pre - Daquin Noels and Ch. Prels. by Egil Hovland

Post - Improvisation (which even solicited a round of applause much to the delight of the 2 minor members of the AJJ family!)

 

AJJ

 

PS - New Year's resolution to get the Rector to get the organ restored!

[Tony Newnham]

Last night - packed church standing room only - BUT with only 1 manual, trigger Swell etc. severely limited:

 

Pre - Daquin Noels and Ch. Prels. by Egil Hovland

Post - Improvisation (which even solicited a round of applause much to the delight of the 2 minor members of the AJJ family!)

 

AJJ

 

PS - New Year's resolution to get the Rector to get the organ restored!

 

Hi

 

Sunday was the first outing of our newly restored organ - even more limited (in some ways) than yours - 1 manual, 5 stops (plus a common stopped Diap bass for the 3 8fts), no swell box - just 2 single action combination pedals to add & remove the upperwork (Principal & 15th). Morning service, including rededication of the instrument was played by our once-a-month organist - he's over 80 and has been organist in the church since he was a teenager. Sunday evening carol service I played - started with a 10 minute "mini-recital" - Guilmant "Introduction et Variations sur an ancien Noel polonais" (I'd actually learned it for a harmonium gig earlier in the week) Bach CP on Jesus Meine Freude followed by the Zachau manuals only CP on the same tune, and immediately before the service the Brahms "Es Ist Ein Rod Entsprungen". Concluded with the Bach "In Dulci Jubilo"

 

Yesterday morning repeated the Guilmant at the end, started with 3 manuals-only CP's on "Von Himmel Hoch" by Zachau.

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

[giwro]

Sadly, I played NO literature this year...

 

Friday one of my kitties was playing, chewing on a button on my shirt front.... silly me, I attempted to get her to stop and

 

CHOMP!

 

there went my left thumb....

 

OUCH!

 

Bled like a stuck pig.....

 

~~

 

Fortunately, I can manage the carols with no left thumb to use, and I can improvise around that limitation, (and my assistant was scheduled to accompany the choir Sunday morn, so....)

 

Sunday am, aft: Improv on "Go, Tell it on the Mountain"

 

pm, aft: Improv on "O Holy Night"

 

<sigh>

 

And here I was thinking of doing 2 cool things for prelude - Dupré's In dulci Jubilo (trot that out at some point every year) and a mvt from Charles Callahan's "Variations on Adeste Fideles" (a yummy slurpy treacle-y "Nocturne")

 

Ah well.... thumb is better today, now time to make sure it is ready for the wedding this weekend (Why do folks insist on holiday weddings? After this one, I will have done THREE in my 8 years here, every one of them nothing short of a royal pain in the ARSE, since I'm already stressed and tired with the responsibilities of the season )

 

Cheerio,