It's been a busy week due to my being out of town and thus away from the organ for several days. I didn't get home until Saturday afternoon, so I only had a bit of time to brush up on the hymns ahead of the service.
Before leaving town I had chosen a gospel hymn that I like -- "I Am Thine, O Lord" -- to use as the basis for my communion improv. I typically use a familiar hymn or gospel song at this point in the service, embellishing it with contrasting registrations, a soloed-out melody line, a duet using the SA or ST parts, or a re-harmonization. I'm always prepared (more or less) to play two or three times though the hymn in different styles, mixing it up and finishing neatly at the moment the communion trays are returned to the table and covered (if I'm lucky).
This morning I didn't have time to even play through it once before the service, but did set a couple of pistons for communion. I was a little bit alarmed at my lack of preparation, but tried not to panic.
When communion time came, I suppose my brain was "free" of all preconceptions, since I had no idea what I was about to do. I began by playing a stanza as written. Then I switched to the second piston and began making up a new harmonization as I went along, and it sounded startlingly good. On the refrain, I played the melody on the swell oboe, accompanying on the great with my newly invented harmony scheme. I'll confess that my "new" harmony scheme was similar to something I've heard before, but haven't seen on a page. The amazing thing was that my fingers were doing exactly what my brain was telling them to do without much intervention on my part.
It was so much fun I'm thinking seriously of going to church completely unprepared from now on! (Just kidding.) But I do think there is something to be said for not having things planned out in too much detail.
Perhaps some of my luck this morning sprang from the additional practice time I've had over the past few months as I've been recovering from surgery. Maybe it's not too late for my aging brain to pick up some new skills.
Before leaving town I had chosen a gospel hymn that I like -- "I Am Thine, O Lord" -- to use as the basis for my communion improv. I typically use a familiar hymn or gospel song at this point in the service, embellishing it with contrasting registrations, a soloed-out melody line, a duet using the SA or ST parts, or a re-harmonization. I'm always prepared (more or less) to play two or three times though the hymn in different styles, mixing it up and finishing neatly at the moment the communion trays are returned to the table and covered (if I'm lucky).
This morning I didn't have time to even play through it once before the service, but did set a couple of pistons for communion. I was a little bit alarmed at my lack of preparation, but tried not to panic.
When communion time came, I suppose my brain was "free" of all preconceptions, since I had no idea what I was about to do. I began by playing a stanza as written. Then I switched to the second piston and began making up a new harmonization as I went along, and it sounded startlingly good. On the refrain, I played the melody on the swell oboe, accompanying on the great with my newly invented harmony scheme. I'll confess that my "new" harmony scheme was similar to something I've heard before, but haven't seen on a page. The amazing thing was that my fingers were doing exactly what my brain was telling them to do without much intervention on my part.
It was so much fun I'm thinking seriously of going to church completely unprepared from now on! (Just kidding.) But I do think there is something to be said for not having things planned out in too much detail.
Perhaps some of my luck this morning sprang from the additional practice time I've had over the past few months as I've been recovering from surgery. Maybe it's not too late for my aging brain to pick up some new skills.
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