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If you are wondering about technical aspects in creating your own music, at some point you must have come accross the term "ostinato". It refers to the fragment of music which is repeated for some time. This fragment may be just a couple of beats long or it can extend over several measures.
In organ improvisation and composition ostinato technique can become very handy. Since there are 3 main elements of music: melody, rhythm, and harmony, any or all of them can become the basis for ostinato. When keeping the same melody, you can change the meter, the rhythm, and the chords. When keeping the same rhythm, your melody and chords can be different. When keep the same chords, you can change your melody and rhythm. And don't forget to use different textures and modes to make it really colorful and spicy. Of course as in everything when improvising, you should be conscious of time. It is best to keep track of time by counting measures and the repetitions of the fragments. I find that an episode of about 1-2 minutes based on two or three similar but somewhat different ostinato figures used interchangibly can be very interesting to hear. You can even construct fairly lengthy and advanced pieces by alternating the contrasting ostinato episodes, resulting in rondo forms, such as in A B A B A or A B C B A or A B A C A B C A etc. Try the ostinato technique in your organ composition and/or improvisation today. It's fun and easy and interestingly, leaves a powerful impact on the listeners. 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.
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If you ever wanted to create your own musical composition (either improvised or written down on paper), you surely had to face this problem: what to do with a musical theme? How to use it over the course of the piece? How to make this short 4 measure phrase into a composition or improvisation of considerable length (even up to 30 minutes long).
So what you need to understand is how to make use of thematic transformation techniques which is nothing more than thematic development. Here's how it works: You probably know that any musical theme has the 3 main elements: melody, rhythm, and harmony. In one theme melody would be more pronounced, in another rhythm and so on. Therefore, we can label certain themes as melodic themes or rhythmical themes or harmonic themes. So when you want to develop your theme over the course of the piece, you can change any of the 3 elements: 1) For melody of the theme, you can change intervals (smaller or larger), you can change the direction of the intervals (inversion), you can play the theme backwards (retrograde), or you can even use retrograde-inversion when the theme is played backwards with inverted intervals. 2) For rhythm of theme, you can change rhythmical figures and meters, make the rhythmical values smaller (diminution) or larger (augmentation). 3) For harmony of the theme, you can change modes and chords. By transforming melody, rhythm, and harmony of the theme, you can create a piece in various forms, including but not limited to variations, rondo, sonata, rondo-sonata, fantasia etc. Franz Liszt was very good at using thematic transformation so you can look at many of his works, including his Fantasia and Fugue on "Ad nos at salutarem undam" for models. Also Beethoven was able to weave the entire symphony No. 5 out of the famous opening 4 notes. Because we always look at the work of the masters from the past for inspiration, studying how they developed and transformed their themes will be a great education for you. 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. We as organists sometimes are called to play a short interlude or a prelude during a church service. Not always we are prepared to play something from the classical organ repertoire. Besides, it is not always easy to find a piece which suits the theme or character of the service well. That's when improvisation and composition prove very handy.
A short prelude or interlude could have a form of a Binary Exposition which is about 16 measures long. It can be a piece which stands on its own or it can be a part of the larger structure. Such exposition has the two main elements - a theme and a commentary. A theme is a musical phrase which lends itself for development. A commentary is a different phrase which contrasts somewhat with a theme. So your Binary Exposition of 16-20 measures might look like this: 1) Theme of 4 measures. 2) Commentary ending on the dominant of 4 measures. 3) Repetition of the theme of 4 measures. 4) Commentary ending on the tonic note of 4 measures. 5) (Optional before 4) Commentary ending on a different note of 4 measures. Remember, the melody does not have to be in the right hand part - it can easily be placed in the tenor voice and played on a different manual with solo registration. The pedal part is optional. What to do with the accompaniment? Many things - you can do a simple four-part harmony, add a melodic and rhythmic figure etc. You are only limited by your imagination. If this is the case, look a the pieces of your favorite composers for models. You can improvise your Binary Exposition on the organ, compose it on the paper or both (preferably). Give it a try today. It's easier than it sounds from this description. Creating your own music is one of the greatest joys musician can have. 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. Often people who want to start composing their own organ music are puzzled and intimidated by the complexity of many organ compositions. Naturally they find it really difficult to start composing.
So the question is: where do you start your journey in composing for the organ? Well, everyone is different but if I was to start writing organ music today, here is what I would do: I would learn the basics of music theory and harmony. This would allow me to become more fluent in understanding the musical language, the chords and the rules of voice-leading. I would also study existent organ compositions of my favorite composers and try to imitate them in my works. In other words, I would look at these pieces as models. In a typical organ piece here are the 5 things which you could imitate from the models: 1) melody 2) rhythm 3) harmony 4) texture 5) form Try these tips today if you want to enhance your creativity and follow the footsteps of the great masters from the past. 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. Have you ever wondered what is the procedure in creating variations on the organ in the style of Mozart? This is a very delightful and fun music to play whether you are improvising it or just composing. The style is transparent, light, virtuoso, and it will definitely leave a strong impact on your listeners. When composing or improvising variations in the style of the style of Mozart, follow this structure:
Theme - in two voices (the tune in soprano) Var.1: In two voices (the tune in soprano ornamented in running 16ths) Var. 2: In three voices (the tune in soprano, the bass in 16ths) Var. 3: In three voices (the tune in soprano in 8th note triplets) Var. 4: In three voices (the tune in the soprano, the bass in 8th note triplets arpeggio) Var. 5: In two voices (the tune in the soprano with imitation between the hands in 8th notes) Var. 6: Running 16ths in the bass, chords in the right hand (tune in soprano) Var. 7: Scale passages in the soprano, use the bass which enforces the harmony of the tune. Var. 8: Change of mode: tune in the soprano. Movement in 8th notes, some imitation between the voices. Var. 9: Original mode: three voices, movement in quarter notes with some imitation. Var. 10: 16th note arpeggio figure, tune in soprano alternating with the bass. Var. 11: Free variation which only has the same harmonies as the theme - dotted rhythms, virtuoso running 32ths. Var 12: Change in meter, theme in soprano, running bass in 16th notes. Later both hands are in 16ths. Coda (optional) - you can take a distant key, only a fragment of the theme (one motive) and build entire variation out of it. At the end add a sudden enharmonic modulation to the home key. End your variations with a bang. Follow this procedure when creating your variations on the organ today. After you can play them for yourself, be sure to play it with your friends and family. If it is really successful, you can even record a video of your piece and put it on YouTube. It is essential that you look at the actual pieces by Mozart and see how he has created them. By analyzing how the pieces are put together you can follow his examples in your compositions or improvisations and in doing so Mozart's musical language will become your own. Before improvising such pieces it is best that you compose at least 10 similar ones on paper. Don't forget the benefit of memorizing your model variations of Mozart and transposing it into different keys. By the way, do you want to learn to improvise in the style of Bach? If so, I suggest you check out my 9 day mini course in Keyboard Prelude Improvisation. Or if 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. The BACH theme fascinates many organists and composers. Just the notion of being able to create a musical composition on the name by the greatest composer can be a great motivator. Although the term „Fantasia“ might refer to many different types of pieces, one of the most common one is a contrapuntal fugal fantasia with imitative counterpoint. In order to compose a fantasia on the BACH theme, you can follow these steps:
1. Place theme in the soprano (Tonic key) 2. Theme in the alto (Dominant key) 3. Theme in the tenor (Tonic) 4. Theme in the bass (Dominant) 5. Interlude 6. Theme in the soprano (Dominant) 7. Theme in the alto (Tonic) 8. Theme in the tenor (Dominant) 9. Theme in the bass (Tonic) 10. Interlude 11. Theme in the soprano in augmentation (Relative key) 12. Theme in the alto in augmentation (Relative of the Dominant) 13. Theme in the tenor in augmentation (Relative) 14. Theme in the bass in augmentation (Relative of the Dominant) 15. Interlude 16. Theme in the soprano in double augmentation (Subdominant key) 17. Theme in the alto in double augmentation (Tonic) 18. Theme in the tenor in double augmentation (Subdominant) 19. Theme in the bass in double augmentation (Tonic) 20. Interlude 21. Theme in the soprano in diminution (Relative of the Subdominant) 22. Theme in the alto in diminution (Relative) 23. Theme in the tenor in diminution (Relative of the Subdominant) 24. Theme in the bass in diminution (Relative) 25. Interlude 26. Theme in the soprano in double diminution (Dominant) 27. Theme in the alto in double diminution (Tonic) 28. Theme in the tenor in double diminution (Dominant) 29. Theme in the bass in double diminution (Tonic) Follow these steps if you want to create a fantasia on the BACH theme for the organ. After you have written on paper, play your piece on the instrument and make necessary revisions. If you compose or improvise at least 10 fantasies on different themes in different keys, you will see tremendous improvements in your creative abilities in no time. Some of the best examples of contrapuntal fantasia can be found in the works by Sweelinck, so you may want to analyze his works as well. By the way, do you want to learn to improvise in the style of Bach? If so, I suggest you check out my 9 day mini course in Keyboard Prelude Improvisation. Or if 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. How to Compose or Improvise an Introduction and a Coda for a Classical Sonata on the Organ?9/23/2012 If you are composing or improvising a classical sonata on the organ, your piece will be much more interesting and advanced, if you add an introduction in the beginning and a Coda at the end. In this article, I will show you how to do it.
Imagine that you have just composed or learned to improvise an organ sonata. The next step would be to add an introduction. When adding introduction to your composition or improvisation, choose a slow tempo and a contrasting theme and texture, perhaps in chords. The introduction does not have to be long - 1 page (1 minute) is enough. End on the Dominant chord in the main key which prepares for the entrance of the Exposition. By the way, the material from the Introduction can also appear right after Exposition and at the end of Coda. In such case, end the Coda with a bang - perhaps a brief reminiscence of the main theme. This approach will make your sonata truly dramatic. If you want to compose or improvise a Coda in your sonata, you can briefly recall the main themes of your piece (perhaps in a distant key, such as flat II). Then use a sudden Enharmonic modulation to return to the tonic key. In a way, your Coda could be like a second Development section (Beethoven's invention). End your sonata perhaps with the repetition of the closing theme. For the best results, try to look at actual compositions of Beethoven, Mozart and others. If you analyze the works of your favorite composers, you will find many ideas when composing a sonata with or without introduction or a Coda. By the way, one of the most famous examples of sonatas with introduction and a Coda is Sonata No. 8 for piano by Beethoven. Here the composer uses a slow introduction before and after the exposition and even after the Coda. Beethoven's Codas tend to be much longer than by other composers. In Codas he can try to exhaust the thematic material even further than in the Development section. If you do this in your own organ sonata, it will truly be quite dramatic. Try these tips when composing or improvising an introduction or a Coda for your sonata today. At first the process might be a slow one. However, the more you compose or improvise, the better and faster you can become. You just have to remember your goal, take action, persevere and you will succeed. By the way, do you want to learn to improvise in the style of Bach? If so, I suggest you check out my 9 day mini course in Keyboard Prelude Improvisation. Or if 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. Are you struggling with composition or improvisation of the organ piece in the classical sonata form? If you know how to do it, it is not as difficult as it may seem at first. Here are the steps you could take in composing or improvising a sonata on the organ.
The sonata form consists of 3 main parts: Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation. I. Exposition (in the major key) 1. Choose a key and create the main theme of the energetic character. This will be the so called "question" (4 measures). Tip: end on the Dominant chord. 2. An answer to the question (4 m). Tip: end on the tonic chord. 3. Repeat the question (4 m). 4. A different conclusion (4 m) in the tonic key. 5. A bridge from the main key to the Dominant. End on the Dominant of the new key (8 m). 6. The secondary theme in a lyrical character in the key of the Dominant (4 m) 7. An answer to the secondary theme (4 m). 8. A contrasting episode (question) (Dominant of the Dominant, 4 m) 9. Answer of the contrasting episode (Dominant of the dominant, 4 m) 10. Repeat of the secondary theme (4 m) 11. A different answer to the secondary theme (4 m) 12. Closing theme of a lively character in the Dominant key (4 m) 13. Answer to this theme (4 m) 14. Repeat of the answer (4 m) 15. Repeat of the second half of the answer (2 m) 16. Repeat the cadence only (1 m) in the Dominant. 17. (Optional) Repeat the Exposition from the very beginning until this place. II. Development Tips for creating a Development section: 1. You can start with the main theme in the minor dominant key or minor Tonic. 2. When developing a theme, choose a fragment of it (1-2 measures) and use sequences, modulations, and imitations. You can also change melodic intervals in the theme, rhythms, harmony, and texture. 3. Structure you development so that 1) you will develop the main theme in the above ways, 2) develop the secondary theme, and 3) prepare for the recapitulation. 4. The preparation is usually done by using a Dominant pedal point - an episode which increases tension. Here the main emphasis is on the Dominant chord which alternates with the 2nd inversion tonic chord and/or diminished 7th chord built on the 7th scale degree of the Dominant. The reason for a rising tension is this - there is no real resolution to the tonic chord. III. Recapitulation 1. Repeat steps 1-5 from the Exposition but instead of modulating in the Bridge, stay in the tonic key. Tip: In order to end this Bridge on the Dominant chord of the tonic key, START the bridge in the Subdominant key. 2. Repeat steps 6-16 from the Exposition transposed to the Tonic key. Variation: you can reverse the order of the main and the secondary themes in the Recapitulation. Use these tips when composing or improvising a classical sonata on the organ. For best results, don't forget to analyze the works of your favorite composers. If you choose an opening minor key, the first modulation of the Exposition is in the relative major key. In such case, the secondary theme and later parts of the Recapitulation can be in a major tonic. By the way, do you want to learn to improvise in the style of Bach? If so, I suggest you check out my 9 day mini course in Keyboard Prelude Improvisation. Or if 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. How to Compose or Improvise a Toccata or Praeludium in the North German Organ Style in 7 Steps?9/12/2012 Are you struggling with composing or improvising an organ piece, similar to the famous D minor Toccata and Fugue, BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach? If you knew how to do it, I can assure you, that you would have much fun in the process. In this article, I will teach you how to compose or improvise such piece in 7 simple steps.
Bach created this composition when he was very young, perhaps 18 years old. At that time he imitated the North German style which composers like Buxtehude, Bruhns, Lubeck and many other were using. Toccata or Praeludium in North German style is composed in the so-called Stylus Phantasticus - a multi-sectional composition which has alternating free improvisatory and fugal imitative sections. Very often such composition has 7 sections: Free-Strict-Free-Strict-Free-Strict-Free. When composing or improvising such piece, use these 7 steps: 1. Choose a key. Open with Passagio in 4/4 meter - a melodic line in 1 voice, 2 voices for manuals or pedals which emphasizes the tonic notes. Then write the free section based on the figure from the Passagio. The first modulation is in the Dominant key. Also use excursions in the relative keys. End this section with a perfect cadence. A sample chordal plan for this section might look something like this: I ii42 V65 I V6 ii7-vii6/V V V6 I V65/V V V65/vi I6 IV V7 V46 V7 V46 V43 V7 I. Duration - 1 page. 2. First fugal section in 4/4 meter. Find or compose a theme and use a basic plan - exposition and counter-exposition. End with a perfect cadence in the tonic key. Duration: 2 pages. 3. A short free section: use more suspensions here, modulations, runs and passages in the hand parts. End with a half cadence. Duration: 8 measures. 4. Second fugal section: convert your fugue theme to another meter (3/2). Create exposition and counter-exposition. End with a perfect cadence. Duration 1-2 pages. 5. Short free section: similar as Step 3. Use different figure this time. Duration 8 measures. 6. Third fugal section: convert you theme to triple meter (6/8, or 9/8 or 12/8), use the same plan as in Step 2. Duration 1-2 pages. 7. Ending short free section. Emphasize the key of Subdominant with extended plagal cadence. Duration 8 measures. If this section is a continuation of the preceding fugal section, keep the same meter and tempo. Bottom line: for best results, always study first the works of above mentioned composers, especially those of Buxtehude. Final tip: in order to create free sections, you could analyze his piece of your choice, take his harmonic structure but add your own figures in different keys. By the way, do you want to learn to improvise in the style of Bach? If so, I suggest you check out my 9 day mini course in Keyboard Prelude Improvisation. Or if 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. |
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