playing at the end of a funeral

[wljmrbill]

Hello all: I noticed no one mentioned the families requests which is where I start ( sometimes I do not care for there choices either){and been known to refuse to play them} . Preludes I try to use hythm and variations alot of times as well as Bach, Handel, etc. I prefer to use music with movement and not so sweet and soft. I view a funeral as a Happy Occasion more that a mournful one. Recessionial is freguently the " The Hallelujah Chorus" or a Bach Prelude and fugue,Toccata from Gothic Suite, A good arrangement of : Christ the Lord is Risen today" is always good. But I guess the best rule depends your amount of control over the music used witjin your religious affiliation. Good Luck.

[Krummhorn]

Hello all: I noticed no one mentioned the families requests which is where I start ( sometimes I do not care for there choices either){and been known to refuse to play them}.

At my present church position, where I've been the organist since 1982, the families leave all decisions up to me for the prelude/postlude music. They do, however, suggest favorite hymns to be used within the service.

. . . I prefer to use music with movement and not so sweet and soft. I view a funeral as a Happy Occasion more that a mournful one. Recessionial is freguently the " The Hallelujah Chorus" or a Bach Prelude and fugue,Toccata from Gothic Suite, A good arrangement of : Christ the Lord is Risen today" is always good.

I couldn't agree with you more; that's why I use the Ein feste burg collection.

But I guess the best rule depends [on] your amount of control over the music used within your religious affiliation. Good Luck.

Very true - Some churches impose severe restrictions on the organist as to what is or is not allowed. Been there, done that.

[QFE]

At the end of a funeral, I usually play 'Nimrod' from the Enigma variations (Elgar). Still a very emotive piece for me as i played it at the funerals of three of my grandparents.

[dll927]

Krummhorn - I notice you llive in Tucson. My youngest brother lives in what is probably a suburb of Tucson. It's called Vail, and he works for the "itty-bitty machine company", otherwise known as IBM. They moved his whole unit down there abought four or so years ago. Prior to that he was at the San Jose ,CA plant and lived in Morgan Hill, which is where I went to high school.

BTW, I hope you enjoy the heat down in those parts. Not for me!!

[Krummhorn]

Hi dll927,

Yup ... Vail is about 10 miles south and east of my residence in the eastern part of Tucson. Colossal Cave is out there, too ... been there once and was not impressed.

While employed at Hughes, the department I worked in was located at that huge IBM plant.

Back to topic ()

At the end of a funeral, I usually play 'Nimrod' from the Enigma variations (Elgar). Still a very emotive piece for me as i played it at the funerals of three of my grandparents.

Hi QFE,

Nice choice there ... never thought of that one before. I will have to check it out now.

[mariajones235]

I am looking a funeral song that depicts a mother and daughter that were more like best friends.My bosom friends will pass in the next day or two and I would like to find a song like this to play at he funeral.Any advise would be greatly appreciated.