A chorale fantasia can be described as an organ piece based on any preexisting melody, such as hymn, chorale or Gregorian chant tune in which each of the tune phrases are treated more than once in different voices using a wide variety of techniques. The fantasia can be contrasted with the chorale prelude in which the tune is played only once.
So what is the process for learning to improvise a chorale fantasia? 1. Take a hymn tune and create a two-part note-against-note counterpoint. The tune can be played in the top or the bottom voice. The most appropriate intervals for this step are major and minor thirds and sixths, perfect fifths and octaves. Avoid parallel fifths and octaves by using contrary motion between the voices as much as possible. 2. Harmonize a hymn tune in the treble clef only using the primary three-note chords and their inversions (the Tonic, the Subdominant, and the Dominant). 3. Harmonize a hymn tune in four parts (SATB) in the treble and the bass clef. 4. Enrich your harmonization with chords of the secondary three-note chords, their inversions, four-note chords, their inversions, tonicizations, and modulations. 5. Transpose your harmonizations into 5 closely related keys of the major or minor scale: the Dominant and its relative, the relative of the Tonic, the relative of the Subdominant and the Subdominant. 6. Repeat step 5 with the tune in the tenor (played with the solo registration on the different manual) and in the bass parts (with the reed in the pedals). 7. Repeat step 6 with the tune in half notes (the chords can change in quarter notes when appropriate). 8. Repeat step 7 adding non-chordal notes in eighth-notes, eighth-note triplets and sixteenth-notes. 9. Create a bicinium for two voices (the tune can be played in any of the voices with the solo registration). 10. Create a trio for three voices (the tune can be played in any of the voices with the solo registration). 11. Add imitative introduction and interludes in two and three voices between the chorale phrases. A single voice phrase can be used at the beginning. 12. Add diminutions in the voice that has the tune in four parts. 13. Add chordal echos for each of the chorale phrases. 14. Add melodic echos for each of the chorale phrases in three parts. 15. Add echo passages in sixteenth-notes for each of the chorale phrases in two parts. 16. Combine steps 9-14 to create a full-length fantasia. So where to start? Pick 10 hymn tunes that you like and practice step 1 on your instrument. Make sure you take a very slow tempo and don't advance to the next step with another set of 10 hymn tunes until you can play the current one at least 3 times in a row fluently.
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Ever wondered how to turn those nice hymn tunes into improvisations which would greatly enhance your church service playing? They can also develop your creativity and advance your improvisational skills.
I use a very simple system to learning to improvise hymn or choral preludes. It's very similar to studying counterpoint. Here it is: Basic level: 1. Note against note for 2 voices 2. 2 notes against one for 2 voices 3. 3 notes against one for 2 voices 4. 4 notes against one for 2 voices 5. Mixed counterpoint for 2 voices Intermediate level: 1. Note against note for 3 voices 2. 2 notes against one for 3 voices 3. 3 notes against one for 3 voices 4. 4 notes against one for 3 voices 5. Mixed counterpoint for 3 voices Advanced level: 1. Note against note for 4 voices 2. 2 notes against one for 4 voices 3. 3 notes against one for 4 voices 4. 4 notes against one for 4 voices 5. Mixed counterpoint for 4 voices Here is what I mean by 1, 2, 3 or 4 notes against 1: That's a piece for two voicesof but while one voice has 1 note, another has 1 or more at the same time. In other words, while one voice moves in quarter notes, another moves in quarter notes, eighth notes, eighth note triplets or sixteenth notes. This can be in two part prelude (what I call a basic level), three part prelude (intermediate level) or four part prelude (advanced level). What is mixed counterpoint? While one voice moves in quarter notes, another voice - is completely free and can move in any rhythm (a combination of quarter notes, triplets, sixteenths or even syncopations). Try this system with any hymn or choral tune that you want. Spend some time on each step with a number of hymns and remember to put a tune in any voice. To help you supercharge your studies in hymn improvisation, I have created a 16 week training program Organ Hymn Improvisation Level 1 which teaches to improvise hymn or choral preludes on any tune on a basic level. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my organ practice guide "How to Master Any Organ Composition". Improvisation of the French toccata always fascinates both organists and listeners - it's fun, exciting, fast, and loud. If played well, it leaves everybody in awe. Today I would like to discuss some ways how you can improvise a short toccata at the end of the church service.
Preferably such improvisation will be based on the exit hymn at the close of the church service. Here are a few of my recommendations (there are countless variations of such improvisations, but this is good for starters): 1. Place a hymn tune in the pedals. 2. Use easy figuration in sixteenth-notes which fits 5 fingers well: right hand descending (5321), left hand ascending (5321). 3. Play a short introduction of 2 measures in the hands on the first phrase of the tune. 4. Use a fixed harmony (chords) - 7th chords, 65 chords, 43 chords, 42 chords, for example. 5. Change the chords regularly (one chord for every phrase, for example). 6. When the pedals enter with the tune in equal note values, aim for step-wise motion in the hands - it's easier to control. 7. Remember to keep the same mode - then no matter what you play in your manual part will sound well with the pedals. 8. If you want to have more variety in color, change the mode every 4 measures or so - your tune doesn't have to stay in the same mode all the time. 9. Once you play the phrase of the tune in the pedals, repeat it in the manuals (without pedals). 10. End with a short CODA on a Tonic pedal point (the last note of the tune) repeating the last fragment several times in ascending transposing sequence (in major or minor 3rds). 11. Choose a loud registration with mixtures and reeds (if available) based on 16' stops. BONUS TIP No. 1: Although it will be a fast piece, practice repeatedly REALLY slowly in fragments so that you are always in control and let your mind direct your fingers (and feet) and not otherwise. BONUS TIP No. 2: Write down your improvisation on paper and see what can be improved. Having your own completed piece notated on staff notation is an incredible achievement in itself. BONUS TIP No. 3: Actually you can start upside down and write your toccata on paper first and improvise later (it's more difficult but you will thank yourself later for doing so). Remember to analyze real French toccatas (Boellmann, Widor, Vierne, Gigout, Durufle, Messiaen etc.). There you will find even more exciting figures, textures, harmonies, and models. But start small and only expand when you feel like you mastered the current version. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my video Organ Practice Guide. This is Part 2 (steps 5 and 6) of the article about how to use hymns which help you to achieve hand independence in your organ playing. You can read Part 1 here (steps 1 through 4).
5. Take the tune in the left hand and use the thirds and the sixths in the right hand and repeat the steps 1 through 4. By now probably you are starting to realize that we are developing your left hand technique while the right hand plays the hymn tune only. This step will teach you how to play faster notes in the right hand as well. Now play the hymn tune in the left hand as written but add an extra voice in the right hand, first note against note as in step 1. You may sometimes use the notes from the bass line in your right hand, but it will not always sound nice. By the way, the technique when you invert the voices and play the top voice in the bass and vice versa is called invertible counterpoint. Invertible counterpoint is indispensable polyphonic trick to use if you want to create any imitative polyphonic piece, as invention, fughette, or a fugue. As I mentioned before, this technique will not always work with your hymns, because there will be instances when you will find the interval of the fifth between the original bass and the soprano voice which in inversion will become a forbidden fourth (it is not actually forbidden, but its use is greatly limited and specialized). At any rate, the best way to construct your new soprano line in this step is to use the thirds and the sixths against the bass which always sound nice and sweet. After note against note exercise becomes easy, play two against one, three against one, and finally, four against one as you did in the steps 2 through 4. 6. Alternate motion between the hands. Steps 1 through 5 will develop your hand independence and teach you about a special kind of polyphony – contrasting polyphony - where voices are independent but very different both melodically and rhythmically. However, if you want to move your hand independence and polyphony to the next level, step 6 will do exactly that. It is called imitative polyphony when voices are independent but at the same time they have much in common – they imitate each other either melodically or rhythmically or both. In order to achieve that, try to alternate movements between the hands. For example, in measure 1 let the soprano move in faster notes, in measure 2, this will be done by the bass part etc. You see, one voice is stationary while the other moves; then they switch roles. After practicing this way for a while, you can alternate the motion every 2 beats and later even every beat. By the way, one hand can play step 2 and the other step 4 as well! By practicing this way you can create nice choral partitas or variations which will also enhance your service playing. You can use these variations for hymn introductions or preludes. As promised, these steps will help you to develop your hand independence using two voice texture or bicinium, of course, but without knowing, actually, you will be improvising as well. In order to achieve the greatest results, I recommend you choose at least 10 different hymns and work your way through each of the above steps at a slow tempo. Do not proceed to the next step unless you can play slowly (but fluently) the previous step at least three times in a row correctly. By the way, would you like to know more about any aspect of hymn playing on the organ? Please share them in your comments below and I will do my best to answer your questions. By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music. Many organists struggle to be able to play challenging polyphonic organ compositions. Music by such great composers, like Bach, Buxtehude and others has many independent voices and very often more than one in one hand. To be able to perform such pieces with precision and confidence requires good hand independence. An organist has to have the skill to play rhythmically and melodically independent parts in different hands. Many people choose to play special exercises from various method books which obviously is a good way to achieve hand independence. However, what they might not realize is that the solution to advance in building this skill is waiting for them in the hymns they play every Sunday. Today I am going to share with you my easy 6 step approach on how to use hymns to develop hand independence.
1. Play soprano and bass parts from the hymnal. Do you have trouble playing the entire four part texture of your hymns? If so, just play the outer parts one in each hand. That should be easy enough for most people. If not, practice one hand at a time until you can play each of the two voices correctly at least three times in a row. When this becomes easy, try playing both voices together. Notice how well the hymn sounds this way. It is because the soprano and the bass are precisely the most important voices in such music. The soprano is the most melodically developed voice and the bass is the foundation of harmony. 2. Play soprano and bass parts 2 against 1. When the step 1 becomes easy, try adding an extra note in the bass line using eighth notes. If you see the repeated notes in the bass, play the lower or upper neighbor tone. If there are notes in stepwise motion, you can play thirds upwards if the melody is ascending or downwards if the line is descending. If the bass has leaps of a third, the easiest way is to play passing tones. As you might already notice, the main rule here is to arrive at the next bass note by step, either from above or from below. 3. Play soprano and bass parts 3 against 1. It this step, you will use eighth note triplets in your bass line. The melodic figures can be quite different, but again, try to arrive at the next bass note by stepwise motion. The nicest melodic lines can be constructed when the bass moves by an interval of a fourth. 4. Play soprano and bass parts 4 against 1. After the previous exercise has become easy, the next step is to add sixteenth notes in the bass against one soprano note. Again, the options for melodic figuration here are many, but try to calculate how many notes you have to play in stepwise motion before the next bass note. Consequently, sometimes the first interval will have to be a leap but the next three will be adjacent notes. This article continues in Part 2 (steps 5 and 6). By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music. |
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