Making Music

ORGANTUTOR POSITION

It is the OrganTutor position that the most satisfying and musical hymn playing occurs in sustained-style hymns when the following standards are applied with reference to repeated notes. Deviations from the first musical example on the previous screen, in which all repeated notes are repeated, are in blue text below:

  • Adjacent notes that MOVE within a part are played legato.
  • Adjacent notes that REPEAT IN THE SOPRANO are always repeated.
  • Adjacent notes that REPEAT within or between the lower three parts are often played repeated, but may be tied. (Remember the special case of common tones between soprano and alto.)
  • If notes are repeated, various TOUCHES are used to contribute towards the smoothness of the melodic line when repeated notes are present, and to reflect the natural accent pattern of the meter.