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STEPS FOR PREPARING A HYMN Carol Dean - Utah
Valley AGO Chapter Workshop - 11/07/02 |
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1.
Since the text (message) is the most important part of each hymn, read
the text out loud with meaning to determine where to breathe the text to most
clearly express the message. Most
congregational members will breathe where their bodies demand air. However, those members in tune with the
spirit of worshiping through hymn singing will be sensitive to the organist's
efforts to convey the meaning of the text.
Mark complete breaks, partial breaks, and "carry overs" in the text itself. 2.
Very slowly (at 25 to 33 percent of the normal speed) play the three
upper parts - tenor, alto, soprano to ascertain where it would be the most
logical to redistribute some of the alto notes to the left hand. Successive intervals of a 6th between
soprano and alto voices will almost always need some redistribution to ensure
a good legato. Also, lower alto notes
- Middle C and lower - are many times more logically played in the upper
fingers of the left hand. Mark all
necessary redistributions 3.
Mark fingerings which need to be consistent to insure that the basic
rules of "organ technique" and "independence of line" are
kept: a.
think all voice parts horizontally - from left to right b.
within each voice, if a note repeats, pick it up and put it back down
(unless common tones or tying rules are in effect) c.
within each voice, if a note changes, connect the notes in a legato
fashion (no fracturing and no overlapping of sound) d.
lift repeated notes on the "and" of the count (or the
"and of the and" if the notes are eighth
notes rather than quarter notes) e.
text breaks take precedence over legato rules 4.
Mark ties and common tones according to "rule sheet." 5.
Slowly practice three upper parts keeping all the rules of hymn
playing. Gradually increase speed as
your ability to do so correctly increases.
Do not double the bass in your left hand. The bass should be played with your feet. 6.
Mark the pedal line to be played in a legato fashion between both
feet. Practice slowly and
perfectly. Gradually increase speed. 7.
Practice left hand and pedal together remembering to include all
redistributed notes. This is the
hardest step as our ears are so used to hearing the soprano voice
included. Do not skip this step! 8.
Once TAS, LH + Pedal, and Pedal Alone can be played perfectly keeping all
the rules, then very slowly try putting all four voices together. Each time you practice this step, pick a
different verse to follow so you can practice the "carry overs" and "breaks" (each verse should be
slightly different). 9.
Plan to make subtle registration changes after some (or all) of the
verses in the hymn. Practice grabbing
the last chord of the hymn into one hand (play it the normal way initially),
so that you can reach up and make one registration change between verses. 10.
Practice the "introduction" of the hymn. Once you get a hymn up to the normal speed,
"hum along" or "sing along" to see how much time your
lungs need to refill at the textual breaks.
Never "rush" through breaks. 11.
Be aware of accented beats. On
the organ, accent is achieved with silence, delay, or a combination of
both. Never rush into accented beats. 12.
Always rehearse with your music director before you play for a
service. If you have a difference of
opinion as to tempo, compromise! |
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COMMON TONE RULES |
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Common tones - notes
that are shared in two voice parts in succession ·
Inner voice common
tones: ·
When a note changes
from the tenor voice to the same note in the alto voice, tie the notes ·
When a note changes from
the alto voice to the same note in the tenor voice, break the notes ·
Common tones involving
the soprano voice: ·
When the soprano line
is ascending and common tones are involved, tie the common tones ·
When the soprano line
is descending and common tones are involved, break the common tones |
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TYING RULES |
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·
Fast Hymns If four voices are
repeating, tie one voice (usually alto) If three voices are
repeating, tie none ·
Slow Hymns If four voices are
repeating, tie two voices (usually alto/bass) If three voices are
repeating, tie one (usually the alto or the voice in the middle of the
repeating texture) ·
Tie from strong to weak
beats, not from weak to strong. ·
Only when common tones
are involved, may you tie across bar lines. ·
Never tie the soprano
voice. ·
Less tying is needed
with dotted rhythms.
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