HYMN PLAYING: BASIC TECHNIQUES

    The best method for playing hymns is that which most effectively supports congregational singing. There are many variables in hymn playing, such as the size and nature of the congregation; the size, type, and placement of the organ; the amount of reverberation in the room; and the character of the hymn and its function within the worship service. Thus, any guidelines given for hymn playing must often be stretched, if not broken altogether. However, it is best to begin with one approach, which can then be modified to fit a given set of circumstances. Even though conventional hymns are generally printed in hymnbooks in piano score, they are in fact performed on the organ in at least four ways:

1. All parts are played on a single manual.

2. The bass is played on the pedal and the other parts are played on a single manual.

3. The soprano is played on one manual as a solo, the bass is played on the pedal, and the inner parts are played on a second manual.

4. The hymn tune is played by the left hand on one manual as a tenor solo, the bass is played on the pedal, and as many notes as possible of the three upper parts are played by the right hand on a second manual. The hymn tune is thus doubled at the octave: It sounds in the soprano and the tenor. This technique is used for Romantic and modern hymns, especially the latter.

Romantic and Modern Hymns

    Normally, Romantic and modern hymns are played in a legato fashion, with the notes within phrases closely connected to produce smooth, melodic lines. There are no clear-cut rules with regard to playing repeated notes in Romantic and modern hymns. It is common practice to articulate clearly repeated notes occurring in the soprano part. Sometimes, the notes are best separated by rests of definite value, in which case halving the note values is normally the most successful approach; or, smaller, more subtle separations may be used, especially in a dry acoustical environment or with a slow, passionate hymn. Most repeated notes occurring in the other parts can be treated in the same manner, that is, clearly articulated. However, when an entire chord is reiterated, it is best to require a more incisive rhythm, it may be best to sustain the alto only, or even to repeat all four parts.

Early Hymns

    Hymns written in the Renaissance and Baroque periods were intended to be played with the same type of articulation that was used in organ music of the time. They were played less legato than Romantic and modern hymns, and the rhythmic units were more articulated. Thus, Renaissance and Baroque hymns are best performed with the early organ technique. When early hymns were accompanied on the organ, repeated notes seem to have been treated in the same manner as moving notes. In strong-to-weak-beat movement, repeated notes were joined by articulate legato connections, in the fashion of finger skipping. In weak-to-strong-beat movement, repeated notes were given more articulation, in the manner of weak-to-strong-beat adjacent notes.