Registration Workshop led by Marilyn Harper
An SSLSO member wanted to know how to select stops for different pieces of music. The workshop was organized to meet her request. Prior to the workshop day, Marilyn asked that:
- Organists should be familiar with the pieces of music they are playing. This includes background knowledge about the kind of organ the composer or arranger had in mind, and the stylistic customs of the day, if the piece is not contemporary.
- A player should be able to familiarize him/herself quickly with an unfamiliar instrument, and learn how to adapt suitable registrations if the organ envisaged by the composer or arranger was bigger or smaller than the organ the player normally plays.
14 people attended this successful workshop.
Aaron Mather, a guest student player, presented Dom Gregory Murray’s Communion Setting. The organ he plays is small with only one 16’ Diapason on the Great. It is always possible to play the melody line an octave higher to help it stand out. Registration should be strong enough to support congregational singing, bearing in mind dynamic instructions. The main suggestion was to use 8’,4, 2’ pitches so that everyone can hear the melody lines above the pitch at which men, women and children sing. Aaron played the Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei.
Andrew Chadney played the Prelude from Prelude and Fugue by Vaughan Williams. Andrew observed that the piece was originally composed for the organ. Marilyn suggested that it would be helpful in registering this piece to listen to the composer’s orchestral version for additional registration possibilities.
Marilyn Nicholson demonstrated the Festive Trumpet Tune by David German. Knowing the organ well, Marilyn’s choices of stops were entirely appropriate; instructions on the copy could be followed directly onto the Penge Congregational Church organ.
Robert Bowles brought Fantasia on Greensleeves arranged by Vaughan Williams and JS Bach’s Komm, Gott, Schopfer, Heiliger Geist.
He gave an accomplished rendering of both pieces. Marilyn reiterated the suggestion of listening to the orchestral version of Greensleeves in order to learn what sounds he had in mind to help inspire the choice of stops at the organ. The Bach was played on a full Mixture Chorus on the Great with appropriate Pedal, and the16’ Reed was added when the pedal part stated the chorale melody.
Camilla Allison played Nun Danket by Karg Elert. Marilyn endorsed the Full Swell and Full Great registrations and the importance of moving to the Swell and Choir when appropriate and planning the use of the Swell Box. It is also advisable to understand German nomenclature, I, II, III for the manuals.
Finally, Alan Winn played the First Movement of Rheinberger’s Sonata 1.
Alan followed suggestions in the copy, which were found to be entirely suitable and manageable.
Thanks are due to Marilyn Nicholson for offering Penge Congregational Church with its fine Lewis organ as a venue and for organizing refreshments in conjunction with other members of the church community.
After the workshop, several members took up the opportunity to play the organ briefly.
Nicky Jones
