Many electronic organs have a transposing knob that allows the organist to transpose either up or down. There are some hymns in the LDS hymnal in which the melody has some high notes that are awkward, or impossible for many people to sing. Many members in the congregation will be singing the melody rather than one of the other parts, and will not know how to sing anything but the melody. I have noticed that those hymns in our hymnal that have been around for hundreds of years usually have a more comfortable vocal range. The congregation will sing better and with more enthusiasm if they do not have to strain to reach the high notes. For this reason, I have compiled a list of some of the more familiar hymns that would work better as congregational hymns if the organist played them in a lower key, as the melody has at least one high E, and sometimes even a high F. Congregational hymns work best if the highest note is no higher than a D. Just make sure that you turn the transposing knob in the right direction and are dialing it down rather than up, and put it back in neutral after you have finished playing the hymn. This is also useful for choir anthems with organ accompaniment where they would benefit from singing in a lower key. For congregational hymn playing, I would not transpose hymns that have a bass part that goes down to a low F unless nearly all the congregation sings in unison. One notch down equals a half step, and two notches a whole step.
#1 “The Morning Breaks”
This hymn has three high Es and one high F.Transpose this from D major to B flat major, which is two clicks down on your transposing knob. If most of your congregation is singing in unison, then transpose it down another notch, into the key of A major.
#2 “The Spirit of God”
Has five E flats, and could benefit from transposing down one notch (1/2 a step) into A major.
I write this blog entry in memory of my former organ teacher, Dona Lee Brandon, who passed away last week. She was the kind of person who always went the extra mile in everything she did, and was a fine musician.
“Nimrod” by Edward Elgar
This is often performed at memorial services. The original was written for orchestra, but I like it on organ. I especially like Diane Bish's performance.
Here is a wonderful performance of “The Star-spangled Banner: Concert Variations” by Dudley Buck, performed by Samuel John Swartz. I am currently learning this piece. My feet are so busy that I include my practice on my daily exercise log.
Here is my very favorite organ piece, J.S. Bach’s “Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor.” I leaned this while taking lessons from Dona. The Chair of the organ department at the University of Michigan, James Kibbie, has been recording all of Bach’s many organ works in Germany on historic organs, and I had been eagerly awaiting his recording of this piece.
Christmas Cantata: “What Child is This?” (25 minutes)
ChoirsingsCarol Medley SAB(3 minutes)
Narrator
What child is this? The savior of the world has come to the earth as an infant. An angel announces the good news to shepherds, as they kept watch over their flock by night.“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) What child is this? “The king of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him.”
Choir and soloist sing What Child is This? (3 minutes) SATB with solo
Narrator
The birth of the savior is a gift, given to the human race, the greatest gift in the history of the world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”(John 3:16)
ChoirSings“God’s Gift and His Love”(3 ½ minutes) SATB with flute
Narrator
The Christmas story is one of contrasts. The king of all is born in a stable and laid to rest in a lowly manger. On a cold winter night he warms our hearts from a low manger stall.
Choir sings Manger King/The First Noel (3) SATB with optional flute
Narrator
“Come to Bethlehem and see the lord of lords and the king of kings, come adore on bended knee and hear the angels sing.” Christ’s birth was foretold by the prophet Micah“But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands ofJudah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”(Micah 5:2)
Soloist sings “Mary’s Song” (3 minutes) vocal solo. This version is for medium voice, but the score may be transposed into any key.
Narrator
Throughout the scriptures, Jesus has many different names. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince ofPeace.” (Isaiah 9:6) His name is Jesus, for he has come to save us from our sins. When he comes again, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)
Choir and congregation sings“O Jesu Sweet/Silent Night” (7 minutes)two part mixed choir with optional flute, cello, and congregation.
This piece was rescued from oblivion from an organist who decided to play it for prelude music one Sunday. My mother, who was in the congregation, asked him what music it was, and he told her that if was one of her daughter's compositions. She told me about it, and I asked her to send me a copy, as I had composed it long ago and had lost the score. I composed a new version for 4-part quartet or choir. It is one of my anthems that is closely tied to the scriptures, in this case John 6:35,51. The high A in the soprano part is an optional note.
Notes: This is a merging of music by two famous composers: Mozart's Ave verumcorpus, and the hymn tune ABSCHIED by Mendelssohn. It may be performed by any size SATB choir, including choirs of limited resources. The accompaniment is more difficult than the choir parts, and may be played on either organ or piano.It should be performed legato by both choir and accompanist with an emphasis on the phrasing and the deeply introspective feeling of both music and text
Just follow the links, and install the SCORCH plug-in if you do not already have it. Then you can listen to the music, and print it for free. You have my permission to make duplicate copies for your piano students.
Muse
I had recently read about a jazz musician improvising on his trumpet. He played the same note over and over again for several minutes, but kept changing the rhythm. The audience loved it.
I was intrigued by the idea of how something so simple can be developed into something complex. My piano piece Muse is based on a short, simple melody, but the rhythm keeps changing. Technically it is not difficult,but the rhythm is more challenging.
O'Carolan was a blind harpist. His music is a mix of classical and folk. For obvious reasons, he did not write down his music, so his tunes came down through the centuries through oral tradition, the way that folk music does. Because of this, there are variants of these tunes. Also, some of the tunes where existing folk melodies that he reworked.
I wrote myself a piano arrangement of Morgan Magan because I like this tune so much. This is not very difficult, and would be a good piece to use with intermediate level piano students.
you will find a list of songs that have been published in LDS church magazines. They are available for your use. My primary song, “Jesus is my Friend,” was published in The Friend in 1992 under my maiden name Mayhew.
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