So for the last few years I have trotted out the same old same old:

BWV729
Bedard: Toccata sur <<Il est ne, le divin enfant>>
Anderson arr. Trotter: Sleigh Ride
Prokofiev arr. Anon: Troika

Can you lot suggest anything funky to play this year for Christmas (not Advent) ? I was kindly given a copy of Exite Fideles (Paul Ayres) by a delightful member of this forum but in all honesty it is too hard for me. Any ideas?...

My usual from Advent-Christmas are:

Andrew Carter: Toccata on 'Veni Emmanuel'
Pachelbel: CP 'Von himmel hoch'
Garth Edmunson; Toccata on 'Von himmel hoch' (fiddly in places!)
Bach: In dulci Jubilo

But for the big services I trot out the Widor Toccata and the FInale from either Vierne/Guilmant 1.

I'm intruiged by the Ayres piece, is it any good?

Just an idea........

Last year, for his first ever Midnight Mass, SBJ improvised around 'We Wish you a Merry Christmas'.

It was quite interesting to observe, as none of the congregation (well; those who were listening) recognised the tune for a while, but I could see they were curious. It was only when he brought it all to conclusion by playing a full verse that they cottoned on and sang along, and continued singing as they left.

I suppose it all depends on the church and what the congregation expects. In this case the congregation was not used to hearing voluntaries, so anything 'high brow' would probably have been lost on them, and they enjoyed what they got.

SB

In which case it must be outrageously difficult!

Google the composer's website and you can look at some sample PDF pages of it. Roger Sayer did a recording of it on Regent Records.


I improvise most weeks and hence I would like to give them something 'decent' and 'proper' instead.


Well not really, but as an instrumentalist sometimes you know you just hit a piece which doesn't work for you as a performer. This one has three different rhythmic sequences going on in both hands and feet which I found a bit hard to co-ordinate effectively!

Thanks to all for the suggestions so far. I might look up the Edmundson...


/edit: Out of print and 25 quid for a secondhand copy from Roger Molyneux!! Outrageous!!

I think we *all* know that one.


Now I understand!


I share your pain!

Surely a misprint! Why not email to check. You're right, £25 sounds outrageous.

I guess it is just rare, given it is OOP and hence people are prepared to pay that. I remember paying £100 for the Snyder Buxtehude book which had long been out of print. Two years later it came out in a new edition for about £25!

I will probably be playing the Edmundson at some stage this year - indeed, fiddly in places but what a great romp.

For anyone who's interested in this piece, I might be able to help.

An item I have found useful is Postlude on 'Adeste Fidelis' by Eric Thiman. It is on page 15 of the Thristmas and Epiphany book of Festal Voluntaries published by Novello.

The piece is easy and attractive. The tune makes it popular with congregations.

Barry Williams

Not an organist and not a Christmas piece but what about Karg Elert Nun Danket...Brilliant!!!!!

"I must look that one up - how easy would you say it is?"

Mosty of it is about Grade five, with a couple of slightly tricky moments. But I am not good at estimating difficulty in terms of ABRSM Grades.

Barry Williams

Personally I never think Thiman has much to say. Very much 'of his time' to my mind...

In respect of most of his organ music I agree, but he provided some useful voluntaries - one would not play them in recitals. There is a very pleasing Meditation on a Traditional Hymn Tune, not published in this country, which is rather better than the rest.

Thiman's choral music is mainly of a workmanlike standard, though there are some fine songs and piano pieces, now mainly neglected. Perhaps that is a judgment on the quality of the music. Notwithstanding that, his music is rather better crafted than much of that published by Kevin Mayhew, for example, though the covers of the scores from Mayhew are often the most attractive available.

Barry Williams

Veni Veni and Of the Father's Heart Begotten (as sung) are 2 of my Christmas highlights.

I am interested in the Andrew Carter and have found 30 secs on the hyperion website and it's available on itunes. I have found the music in an oup volume but would be interested in the level of difficulty. Any views on whether it is Gigout/Dubois toccata level or Durufle (not for us mortals) ?

I don't have any pedal reeds and had been leaning towards some non-seasonal major key Bach.

The Andrew Carter is not Duruflé standard. It's very much a 'repeated pattern' toccata for the most part. Without pedal reeds it might be a challenge though, and ideally a reasonable solo stop on the manuals. Is the OUP book you have found 'A Carter Organ Album'? There is an Oxford book published, which has a wealth of Christmas Music in that was published a few years ago, that should be in everybody library in my opinion. If you can play Dubois and Gigout (Which i'm guessing you can from your comment) then it won't be beyond you

In the same book as Eric Thimans' piece is an item by John Cook, based on Of the Fathers Heart. I've never played it myself, but a friend of mine who learnt it rates it highly... it certainly sounds quite good though.

Thanks, Dave. I have ordered the Carter. Googling John Cook and Organ took me to a youtube clip of his fanfare and I immediately recognised it as something put in front of me at a lesson over 30 years ago whose name I never knew and which I have not heard since.

All exemplary stuff.

I'm trying to combine irreproachable good taste with sublime music that is no harder than grade 6 level if it is to be ready in time for Christmas.
Is there anything that meets that brief? I'm already working on the Dacquin Noels, trying to make them sound harder than they are at the beginning and also not to trip over the final parts. It doesn't quite do to close with, though.

Can't think of an appropriate excuse to play Walking In The Air other than the Children's Service (which I'm not doing). Quite enjoying playing it, though, even only to myself.

Do others play music before the midnight service or is it better to keep the organ quiet until the opening hymn?

I prefer playing "The dance of the snowmen" or the motorbike sequence - much more exciting!

Set for organ?!

I'm struggling to find the theology in it but never mind.
No one is giving away whether they entertain the troops before kick off at 11.15p.m or maintain a dignified silence.......

I think we usually sing carols for 20 minutes or so before the service, so doesn't help you really!

Isn't that sort of thing reserved for Easter (and possibly a darkness to light type Advent service)?
Frequently there are carols before the midnight so silence before hand isn't really an option.

There isn't much theology at the Children's Service round our way. I even don a Santa Hat for the final voluntaries (normally Sleigh Ride arr. Trotter, Troika arr. anon and a chorale prelude on 'Rudolf das rote Nasenraindeer')..

The full "The Snowman" piano score gives good transcriptions of all the music and it just works well played on the organ - judicious use of the pedal required of course.

Different running orders, it seems!

Ours try and emulate the 3p.m Kings College thingy, only without the expertise to hand. Far from donning a Santa hat I try and slope in unobserved so I can pretend that none of it is anything to do with me.

If it was the children's service I would play some seasonal frippery to drown out the noise but I'm never quite sure how to tackle the midnight Eucharist; I see the comparison with Easter but haven't seen how it is done elsewhere.

We have our fair share of revellers at that time of night but should one try and beat 'em or join 'em?

For 9 Lessons (the Sunday evening before Christmas, unless its Christmas Eve) I am more serious. The Bach 729 normally gets an airing unless I fancy Denis Bedard's Toccata sur << Il est ne, le divin enfant >>.

The Snowman is strictly for the kiddies service on Christmas Eve afternoon!

For Midnight I just play as fast as possible, since I am usually gagging for a stiff drink and can't have anything until I get back home because I have to drive to/from the service!

Hm some good suggestions there.
Does (or can!) anyone play ' Variations sur un vieux Noel' by Dupre ?? Way beyond me !
There's a Grade 6 ish piece 'Noel Landais' in one of the Anne Marsden Thomas books, its by one of the French composers, can't remember who. I'm sure one of you can. Also on George McPhee's excellent CD 'The French Connection' from Paisley Abbey.

On the subject of French Noels, does anyone play the Guilmant - Noel Ecossais? It's a charming little Christmas piece based on an old Scottish carol. I played it last year before Midnight Mass and it went down a treat!