To God Be the Glory - Doane

Here is a hymn that I picked out of the Presbyterian Hymnal, "To God Be the Glory." The music is by William Doane, and the lyrics by Fanny Crosby. It was penned in 1875. This was played only on manual, I'll have to save my money to get a midi pedalboard :cry:

 

I like hymns This is a nice cheerful tune. Well played if on the fast side, I don't think a congregation could sing along with this. It comes across as more of a march now. Good steady tempo though.
You know I'm all for of playing organ music a little detached, but I think you went rather over the top with that. The notes are too far apart now, making it sound a bit caricatural.

 

That makes sense, you being a church organist!

Thanks. A professional pianist played this hymn as the opening hymn at my cousins wedding in 2012. As I recall it was about this speed. At the church I'm at now, our director/organist usually plays hymns slightly faster than written. Maybe that is rubbing off here. When the lyrics get complex, most of the words are shaved off like "power" becomes "pow'r" and "blessed" becomes "bles'd" :shock:

 

No more, alas....

Indeed, music in modern churches tends to be played livelier now than it used to, and it's what people want. I was repeatedly taken to task for playing things too slow. Although then when I did otherwise they would not follow and drag behind. So one can't really win there

 

That's a shame. I assume you moving house had something to do with it?

Thanks Monica. Belting out hymns, that sounds painful, the congregation gets a whiplash? :lol:

 

Congregations everywhere do that, at any tempo

I remember my first time accompanying a congregation -- I was around 13 and it was a youth Sunday or some such thing -- and the regular organist pulled me aside to inform me with great severity and urgency that I could not under any circumstances try to follow the congregation, any congregation, anywhere ever.

 

Yes that was the reason. I may well find something else here. I'm not sure I would want to do services again, but I do miss playing organ.

 

:lol:

I see, good luck. Honestly after hearing an excellent organ for the last 6 months, I hate to say it, but piano just doesn't sound as good to me. Piano is good, but organ is clearly the best. There's a wonderful piece by Karg-Elert that kind of switched me on organ.

 

And I don't really enjoy the organ as much as piano.... I feel too disconnected from the process of producing the sound.
Riley, maybe you need to go play a lot more organ