Christmas Prelude Music for Organ
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 633
    Not a particularly seasonally relevant question, but I usually do a longer prelude for Christmas midnight Mass (5-10 minutes-ish) and I wanted to ask the hive mind for recommendations for pieces which could be suited for this. I've done several noels (haven't done the Daquin X yet, considering that), and last year I did Guilmant's "Le Creche". Thanks guys.
  • Nisi
    Posts: 153
    It isn't Christmas for me without ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPkl_IQMIN0
    Thanked by 1trentonjconn
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,424
    There are several vom Himmel hochs and in dulci jubilos by Bach
    and a charming vom Himmel hoch by Pachelbel
    (especially charming when played on naught but a 4' flute!)
    if you want something more 'modern'
    look into the organ chorals of Helmut Walcha and Joseph Ahrens.
    Thanked by 4trentonjconn CharlesW CHGiffen Roborgelmeister
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,986
    I usually played "Joseph est bien Marie" by Balbastre. Unless you play it really fast you can get about 5 minutes out of it.
    Thanked by 3trentonjconn CHGiffen Roborgelmeister
  • PaxTecum
    Posts: 315
    I always use this for prelude at some point in Christmas time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFRqBflQIkc
    Thanked by 1trentonjconn
  • PaxTecum
    Posts: 315
    If you're looking for long... you could try Messiaen's La Nativité du Seigneur. You'll have to select some parts of it because the whole thing is like an hour long lol
  • Chaswjd
    Posts: 271
    Titelouze, Conditor alme siderum.
    Thanked by 5CHGiffen trentonjconn M. Jackson Osborn CharlesW Roborgelmeister
  • AnimaVocis
    Posts: 156
    De grigny: A Solis Ortus Cardine
    Grison - Adeste Fidelis
    Dupre - Variations on a Nöel (if you feel like a challenge)
    Edmundson - Vom Himmel Hoch
    Reger - Wie Schön Leuchtet (Okay, this is epiphany, but still!!!)
    Messiaen - La Nativité
    Franck - Pastorale (a bit generic, but still fits)
    Any Noels of the French Baroque (Nivers, Dandrieu, Daquin, etc...)
    Tournemire - Nativitas Domini Nostri Jesu Christi


    Just to start!
    Thanked by 3trentonjconn CHGiffen CharlesW
  • JMoellman
    Posts: 30
    Agree with Nisi... Langlais: La Nativité
    Thanked by 2trentonjconn CHGiffen
  • PhilipPowell
    Posts: 117
    - BWV 729 (if you’re not doing it at the end)
    - BuxWV 217
    Thanked by 2trentonjconn CHGiffen
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 633
    Good stuff so far guys, thank you. I'm in the habit of doing BWV 729 as postlude every year, but I'm considering taking a break from it this year.
  • AnimaVocis
    Posts: 156
    729 is a great little piece... I've played it for years.

    I have found that Mulet's Carillon-Sortie is a lovely postlude for Christmas, as is the Garth Edmundson Vom Himmel Hoch!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,103
    really enjoying this thread! We have a lot of talented organists here!
  • Caleferink
    Posts: 435
    Buxtehude's Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
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