• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

  • Our Team
    • Views from the Choir Loft • “Our Team”
    • Our Editorial Policy
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Saint Antoine Daniel KYRIALE
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Mass in Honor of Saint Noël Chabanel
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

World’s Easiest Organ Processional (PDF)

Jeff Ostrowski · March 27, 2017

299 Vladimir Horowitz OROWITZ USED TO SPEAK of pianists who practice a piece 100 times, then go on stage and practice it for the 101st time. A few weeks ago, I was forced to listen to a pianist “practicing” by playing a piece from start to finish—over and over. She did not carefully isolate the trouble spots, searching for solutions. She gave little thought to architecture. She did not practice “in rhythms” (as Ruth Slenczynska would say). She simply played the entire thing from start to finish, slowing down at the hard spots. I wanted to scream! The point Horowitz was trying to make is that we must understand the end result. Practice should be quite different from performance. To give an example, a section that’s already perfect should not be “practiced” over and over—because doing so will lead to a stale performance. And so forth.

This easy piece will guarantee no wrong notes:

    * *  PDF Download • EASY ORGAN PROCESSIONAL

I have a confession to make: I can’t stand hearing wrong notes (unless your name is Edwin Fischer or Alfred Cortot). I would rather hear a simple piece played perfectly than a difficult piece played poorly. 1

Half the battle when playing the organ is choosing the registration. This includes eliminating any stops that are severely out of tune. The reality is, when you have 15 seconds to become acquainted with a new organ, “the simpler the better.” If you have months and months, that’s a different story. For the record, Spe Salvi is also quite easy.

Another way to get my point across would be: Nobody cares how we practice—the only thing that matters is the performance.

Practicing with the “end result” in mind is extremely draining, yet absolutely essential to a performer. Like it or not, every church musician is a performer (although we are much more than that, as Dr. Tappan reminds us).



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I especially hate when organists insist on using the pedal, even though they have to greatly reduce the hymn’s tempo to accomplish this. That drives me nuts—but unfortunately this practice is widespread. Those not skilled enough to play the hymn at the correct tempo should omit pedals until they can be added without destroying the piece.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony. — One of our volunteer choirs also sang that SANCTUS on 24 September 2023, and you can listen to how that came out.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The argument moves from the existence of the thing to the correctness of the thing: what is, ought to be. Or, a popular variant: if a thing is, it doesn’t make any difference whether it ought to be—the correct response is to adjust, to learn to live with the thing.”

— ‘L. Brent Bozell, Jr.’

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • All Seven (7) Movements: “Mass in Honor of Saint Noël Chabanel”
  • Composer Kevin Allen in Europe!
  • “Slander!” • (Response to an Accusation We Received)
  • Some Questions Answered
  • Concerning Alterations to the Vatican Edition

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.