Making Music to Thy Name

Use: Advent
Required Resources: organ

Volume 1 - Advent
(Includes: Winchester New, Creator alme siderum, Wachet auf!, Truro, Venez divin Messie, Veni Emmanuel, Es ist ein Ros entsprungen / Rosa mystica, Geneva 42 / Freu dich sehr, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, Saint Stephen)


Making Music to Thy Name is a project of CanticaNOVA Publications to address the needs of parishes with beginning organists or pianists who are playing organ. How do these players cope with the daunting task of making hymns sound good before they have fully mastered the legato technique and finger substitution necessary on organ? The answer lies in these volumes.

Each volume contains ten common and popular hymn tunes, set for only two or three voices (not the difficult four-voice accompaniments of the standard hymnal). These are carefully crafted settings, using proper voice leading and harmonic definition, not watered-down or weak substitutes. They are intended for the beginning student, who can manage only one note in each hand, or occasionally two right hand notes. However, they are of sufficient quality to also serve as light intermediate verses for accomplished organists who want to add variety to hymn playing.

These volumes represent a valuable tool for organ teachers, organ students, and any keyboard instrumentalist who want a means of effective hymn playing as demands arise, even as they work toward the ultimate goal of careful, artful and engaging hymn technique in four-part style.