5 voluntaries you rely on ...

[JONESEY]

Hi,

It seems like my hard work and practice has finally paid off ... I've been offered a regular position playing at the local Church, in addition to the 1 service a month at a village church nearby.

This will be accompanying a choir which I'm very happy about.

So, what is the point of the post I hear you ask ... I will need to extend my repertoire of voluntaries and wondered what your opinions would be.

I'm thinking of:

1 or 2 Bach preludes (and fugue?)
1 or 2 quiet / reflective pieces for those services when such music is appropriate.

Now here's the tricky part ... I don't have a huge amount of time to get these 'performance perfect' and I don't like playing pieces until they are ready - no one wants to hear pauses in the music, or slowing down etc.

I have enough music 'in the bag' ready for the next 2 months, so I'm after stuff I can learn and have ready for October onwards.

Yet again, Pipe Organ friends, I'm after your advice.

Thanks!

[Dorsetmike]

Have a look at the Werner Icking Music Archive site, on the following links to composers pages there, you will find sound files of the works and downloadable free PDF files of the scores. The sound files are only electronic renditions but at least you can get a good idea of the pieces and decide which sound easy enough to learn quickly yet also if they sound the sort of pieces you are looking for.

http://icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer/Boyce.php

http://icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer/Stanley.php

http://icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer/Greene.php

The list of all the composers they have available, not necessarily all works by each composer, but a fair selection.

http://icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer.php

[Contratrombone64]

Jonesey - just grab a copy of any of that wonderful series by C.H. Trevor (there's a few of them) - a wealth of stuff, most of which even I can play.

[Soubasse]

There's almost too much to browse through in relation to a good postlude and good suggestions have already been made. For quieter stuff, I used to use the Dom Gregory Murray Interludes (not sure where you'd get them these days - haven't done a search on Petrucci or Werner Icking yet) which were very useful indeed and easily sight-readable. Franck's pieces for Harmonium are also excellent for those occasions. (that said, I haven't used any of them for a long time since these days it's all improvising, which is also one thing you'll most likely get used to the more you do it)

[Krummhorn]

For quick/easy reading, any of Dom Benoit's Elevations are wonderful. In varying keys, many are suitable for meditation times as well as voluntaries. In one collection of these that I have, there are several in a row in the same key - when combined they make for a simple A B A format for longer preludes, etc.

Paul Manz's works are also easy to pick up, but some are in the medium difficult range, too.

One of my first "series" of organ books was The Parish Organist which gave me material for the entire church year and easy three minute preludes.

[Contratrombone64]

Hey Lars - the Parish organist sounds wonderful, can I be really irksome and ask you to provide a contents page of one of them ... would give an idea of names and composers so I can hunt them out on IMSLP.

David

[Contratrombone64]

This seems to be useful...though I've not gone through it with a fine toothed comb.

http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Voluntaries

[Soubasse]

One of my first "series" of organ books was The Parish Organist which gave me material for the entire church year and easy three minute preludes.

I vaguely think I may have a couple of those somewhere, and yes, if they're the ones I'm thinking of, they're very good. I'll also second the Dom Benoit and Paul Manz suggestions, playable and accessible works there.

David's suggestion of C. H. Trevor reminded me that he (Trevor) also edited the "Old English Organ Music for Manuals" series that I grew up with. Not sure if they're still in print though, but there were some enjoyable pieces there too.

[Contratrombone64]

The director of music at the College where I work is an organist (strangely). She's got a copy of that "Old English Organ Music" book ... I must nick it and copy it (opps, did I say that?).

[Krummhorn]

Hey Lars - the Parish organist sounds wonderful, can I be really irksome and ask you to provide a contents page of one of them ... would give an idea of names and composers so I can hunt them out on IMSLP.

David

You're never irksome, David ... far from it .

There were eight volumes as I recall ... all individually marketed over several years ... later, Concordia published a hardbound edition with everything under one cover. I'll try to compile a short list for you.

[JONESEY]

CT64 - I've been looking at the link Krummhorn posted - the volumes are listed on it. If you click on each volume you get the contents of that particular volume.

They do look like good books - think I might pick one or two up.

DorsetMike - thanks for the links ... I've printed out a couple of them. Listened to the midi files and they will sound very nice - they are more 'reflective' voluntaries that I normally play, and I'm missing that in my repertoire. Thanks!!!!

[Contratrombone64]

Jonesey - please call me David (everyone else does).

[ArthurWoolsey]

One for me that has worked many times in the past is Buxtehude's Toccata in F major Buxwv 157. It isn't Bach, but it is of that style. When it comes to reflective things, I could only really recommend Vierne's Berceuse or Herber Howells' Psalm Prelude Set 1 no. 2 - both beautiful and quiet pieces that sound best when they have a viol-celeste thrown into the registration.

[Organiste]

I have all of the C.H. Trevor series "Old English Organ Music for Manuals" (an intriguing mix of very early to pre-Baroque pieces, very easy to play) and "Organ Music for Manuals" (ditto but including later music as well). There are some real gems in both. The latter series is where I discovered the Boellmann "Heures Mystiques," which are uneven but quirky and interesting, published in 2 volumes (sorry, don't remember the publisher offhand). The Trevor series are published by Oxford but distributed by Peters. I use them occasionally in services and keep them near the organ for "emergencies."