Organ & Sheet Music Blog

Three-manual wooden pipe organ console with hymnbook and sheet music on the music desk, flanked by drawknobs

Organ Legato for Hymns: Finger Substitution and...

Keep hymns smooth on the organ with finger substitution and tied common tones, plus when to re-strike the melody so every word is heard.

Organ Legato for Hymns: Finger Substitution and...

Keep hymns smooth on the organ with finger substitution and tied common tones, plus when to re-strike the melody so every word is heard.

An empty multi-manual pipe organ console glowing in warm light in a dark, vaulted church, with the organ bench in the foreground

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee: The Story Behi...

The story behind Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee: a medieval Latin poem, a grieving translator, the ST. AGNES tune, and how to play it on the organ.

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee: The Story Behi...

The story behind Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee: a medieval Latin poem, a grieving translator, the ST. AGNES tune, and how to play it on the organ.

An organist's hand on the upper manual of a warm wooden pipe organ console, with drawknobs at the side and open sheet music on the music rack

How to Sight-Read a Hymn on Short Notice

Asked to play hymns at the last minute? A ward organist shares how to sight-read with confidence: what to check first, picking a tempo, and simplifying.

How to Sight-Read a Hymn on Short Notice

Asked to play hymns at the last minute? A ward organist shares how to sight-read with confidence: what to check first, picking a tempo, and simplifying.

An older organist's weathered hands in a plaid flannel sleeve resting on the wooden manuals of a pipe organ in warm, low light

The Story Behind “Come, Thou Fount of Every Ble...

A converted hairdresser's apprentice, an 1813 folk tune, and the line "prone to wander": the story behind Come, Thou Fount, now hymn 1001 in our hymnbook.

The Story Behind “Come, Thou Fount of Every Ble...

A converted hairdresser's apprentice, an 1813 folk tune, and the line "prone to wander": the story behind Come, Thou Fount, now hymn 1001 in our hymnbook.

Organist seated at a warmly lit pipe organ console beneath the pipe case, seen from behind

How to Play a Hymn Introduction the Congregatio...

How long should a hymn introduction be? A ward organist on how much to play, setting the tempo, and the beat of silence that starts everyone together.

How to Play a Hymn Introduction the Congregatio...

How long should a hymn introduction be? A ward organist on how much to play, setting the tempo, and the beat of silence that starts everyone together.

An organist's hand pressing the keys of a church organ console, stacked manuals softly blurred in warm light

Which Stops Help the Congregation Sing? An Orga...

New ward organist unsure which stops to pull? A church musician's guide to organ registration that helps your congregation actually sing.

Which Stops Help the Congregation Sing? An Orga...

New ward organist unsure which stops to pull? A church musician's guide to organ registration that helps your congregation actually sing.