Nothing like being forewarned!

[JONESEY]

Thanks! ... I've got easily around 20 mins and as it's a blessing, there's no signing of the register to play through, so I can bump the music from that into my list as well.
Should be fine - I'll have a full run through each piece Saturday morning while the Church is empty, so I can figure out exactly how much music I've got time wise.

[Krummhorn]

Hi Jonesey,

Sounds like the music selection meeting went along fine.
Sometimes these things turn out totally in our favor ... at least you can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that things are going to go along fairly smoothly. You'll have to let us know how the wedding went.

[JONESEY]

Hi Kh,

Yes, it went fine - very nice couple.
I'll be sure to post after Saturday - looking forward to doing it actually ... I'm normally called in as an Evensong organist, but have done a few weddings in the past.
Hopefully this means I'm making it onto the regular wedding organist list.

Something like this also fires me up for learning new music which is always a good thing.

One day I'll have the courage to record something and post it on here - it would be good to have some feedback on where I am going right and wrong!!!!.

[Contratrombone64]

C5 sorry to appear to disagree with you on your comment. You state that most "long-time musicians, know how to pattern". By this I assume you mean improvise. I was always an excellent sightreader and never an improviser, you coment is a little too broad ranging I think. Yes, jazz musicians, ballet pianists and church organists all improvise, part of their tools for playing. Orchestral musicians etc don't normally, as all their music is there in front of them on their music stands.

[C5Says]

C5 sorry to appear to disagree with you on your comment. You state that most "long-time musicians, know how to pattern". By this I assume you mean improvise. I was always an excellent sightreader and never an improviser, you coment is a little too broad ranging I think. Yes, jazz musicians, ballet pianists and church organists all improvise, part of their tools for playing. Orchestral musicians etc don't normally, as all their music is there in front of them on their music stands.

I understand what you mean quite perfectly. I'm married to both in the same body.

By "pattern" I meant chording or chord pattern like "do-mi-sol" is a standard "C" pattern and it naturally blends. You're right, orchestral musicians are note-based, note-fed. It's in the system, much like the other group, the improvisers. Improvisers need practice too so it's easier to improvise.

You can be VERY good in one OR the other but you can also be very good in sightreading and occasionally push the improviser emergency button (skill not much, but will do) when needed.

[JONESEY]

I come from a Classical Piano background myself, so I tend to find improvisation more difficult than someone from a Jazz background.
I tend to stick to what's written down, but can throw a few chords together if I need to hit the emergency button ;-)

[C5Says]

I come from a Classical Piano background myself, so I tend to find improvisation more difficult than someone from a Jazz background.
I tend to stick to what's written down, but can throw a few chords together if I need to hit the emergency button ;-)

That's exactly what I mean.

[JONESEY]

Well, everything went well ... I had an early morning practice and estimated 30-40 mins of music without repeats.
Wedding (actually a Blessing) was at 2.45.
I arrived in more than enough time at 1.30 to again go through all of the music ... the first guests drifted in at 2.20 and the bride was there at 2.35!!!!.

Bridal March and Wedding March both went well, and the vicar congratulated me on the music.
She even mentioned me doing more weddings, so fingers crossed for that.

Thanks everyone for your advice in this thread - it's been invaluable.

[Krummhorn]

Congratulations, Jonesey ...

Nice to hear that everything went really great for you. Nice to be complimented by the Vicar, too ... sounds like you will be asked again for weddings.

[C5Says]

Well, everything went well ... I had an early morning practice and estimated 30-40 mins of music without repeats.
Wedding (actually a Blessing) was at 2.45.
I arrived in more than enough time at 1.30 to again go through all of the music ... the first guests drifted in at 2.20 and the bride was there at 2.35!!!!.

Bridal March and Wedding March both went well, and the vicar congratulated me on the music.
She even mentioned me doing more weddings, so fingers crossed for that.

Thanks everyone for your advice in this thread - it's been invaluable.

Congratulations!!!!!