My organist Sam IS the definition of girl power on the organ. I love her improvs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HufcRnVxr7o

Makes a composer humble though, to think that your weeks of work can be replaced by 30 seconds of instinct.

All composers should be up to both. Then, the composer's improv will seem as though it was written out beforehand.

Cantus67:

What is the purpose of the page turning if this is improv?

I can improvise over a ground bass, like Canon in D. Things are easier for me on piano, I don't know my feet notes yet!

Humility I would think is a prerequisite state of being for composers, organists, singers and all other musicians who serve the worship of God, a predisposition if you will. As regards improvisation, it may be the case that some who are so gifted may have predispositions that afford them only the opportunity to demonstrate technical prowess. True improvisation requires a uniform conjunction of listening, responding, conversing and choosing one of two or more roads at the crossing that take both performer and audience towards God.

@mrcopper, I'm glad J.S. Bach didn't just read your posting this:

I'd rather music be composed than improvised any day.

He would not approve. Nor Franck. Nor Liszt. Nor (and so on...)

Charles

The theory of improvisation is one thing, the execution another.

Mr Copper, I would remind you that many composers found their voice through improvisation. A good example is Olivier Messiaen, who worked out his musical language in his weekly improvisations at Ste. Trinite. He was quite overt about the fact that improvisation was the source of his composition. While I love composed music, the fact is that improvisation is a great skill necessary in liturgical organ playing. It is not a skill greatly encouraged in the US, but in other parts of the world (my dear France for example), improvisation is course of study, Also, take a look at Dupre's course in improvisation. Much to glean for compositional purposes.

Also , when you are in Paris, go listen to Pierre Pincemaille's improvs at St. Denis. Stunning works of prayer and proper to the place at Mass. One can feel the sense of prayer in his playing.

"Organ music without God is like a body without a soul."-Charles Tournemire, my loose translation.

Gerre Hancock's book on improvisation is a great start for anyone like Charles who is interested. Called "Mastering the Art", it is available on Amazon.

Charles, as a Hancock student, I couldn't agree more with Kevin...Dr. Hancock's book is so wonderful in building technique of improvisation AND musical form, which is usually the weak point for all of us as improvisateurs.

Another book that might be nice is Jan Overduin's text: http://www.ohscatalog.org/janovimforor.html My brother used it with another teacher recently and had a lot of good to say about it. I think he did like that, similar to Dupre, Overduin deals more with harmonic and color concerns than does Hancock.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=kp&v=CGG3Zcc7yqw

This is stupid? Have you ever heard a truly excellent improviser perform? It's definitely not stupid.

It is my opinion, so have I said! Sure Daniel R is good at improvisations, probably, but I donot like the thought. Prepare in advanced, not make-silly up quick. Put thought and time in for our Great redeemer God. Remember :: just my opinion! L.O.L.

Kevin in Kentucky, thanks, I'm impressed and persuaded by your argument re Messiaen. Hadn't thought of it that way.

The Rev. Carlo Rossini on organ improvisation:

Improvisation is a great art, but unfortunately, it is too often confused with the extemporizing of a senseless hodgepodge of chords, endless progressions and cheap modulations, snatches of street songs, and operatic cadences, finger-board tricks and anything that comes into the head at the moment. All this can only serve to disturb the religious atmosphere of the church, to divert people's attention from the altar and lead their thoughts to places of amusement, thus making the divine service a curse instead of a blessing. The art of improvising requires a thorough theoretical and practical training, a refined musical taste and a natural gift for invention. How many organists actually possess such an equipment?

Hence, Rossini's seven volumes of interludes, preludes, postludes, modulations, etc., in all keys to serve as models for "the ordinary organist" and he urges them to memorize some of them, quoting B. Kothe:

The practice of memorizing short and model organ pieces is very advisable, for the musical memory, like all our other faculties, needs constant exercise in order to develop its vigor; and once an organist has stored up a considerable supply of such pieces in his memory, he will profit by them not only to the extent of being able to play and reproduce the same as occasion may require, but he also will derive advantage from them in various other ways. In fact, they will enrich his mind with new ideas and widen the sweep of his imagination; and gradually, unconsciously, he will absorb their style. He also will learn in a practical way how 'motifs' are employed and how liturgical compositions are constructed. These are all advantages that will serve him in good stead later on, when he undertakes improvisation of his own.

Melo, I believe what you said is heresy. Are you sure you mean it?

Yes, kidding.. I just don't know how to do purple.

With Anton Bruckner so revered by Catholic musicians (including me, especially), the following vignette on improvisation seems relevant:

Bruckner's contrapuntal skill, as displayed in improvisations on the organ, has passed into a tradition ...

... Bruckner profited in a way by [Simon] Sechter's training, so tht he astonished his master, Hellmesberger, Herbeck, Dessoff, and Becker, when he submitted himself to them for an examination in counterpoint. Herbeck, who had even then some idea of Bruckner's skill proposed that, if the applicant were able to develop in fugued style, on pianoforte or organ, a theme then given, the result should be considered as proof of his ability more than any display of knowledge by word of mouth. Bruckner accept the offer, and the all went to a church. Sechter gave a them of four measures. Herbeck asked Dessoff to add four more; and, when Dessoff refused, Herbeck lenthened the theme by eight measures, at which Dessoff exclaime, "O you monster!" Bruckner studied the them for some time, and he seemed anxious, so that the examiners were merrily disposed. At last he began his introduction, which was followed by a master fuge, then by an improvisation. All wondered, and Herbeck said, "He should examine us."

When I lived in Heidelberg in the early 1970's, I was able to attend a number of organ recitals that were simply masterful, one of the most fulfilling memories I have. Probably a third of these recitals were ones for which the last work was billed as improvisations "über ein vorgegebens (Chor)Thema" ("on given (chorale) melody") ... meaning that approximately 30 minutes before the beginning of the recital, the organist was informed of the chorale melody upon which he/she would be required to improvise. The organist was not permitted to play any keyboard instrument from this time until the beginning of the recital. I recall seeing at least one organist pacing around in the loft, apparently deep in thought about what he might do with the assigned tune. And I recall being ecstatic after nearly 20 minute set of improvisations/variations on the theme. It was a well-deserved vociferous and standing ovation when he concluded the piece.

Yes, improvisation - good improvisation - is a high art.

Here are two recordings I had handy from this year (2014). Both are from the Traditional Latin Mass, at Offertory, where we sung the simple Regina caeli and I followed up with an improvisation.

Note that at the vigil, there is no Offertory proper, and thus the improvisation needed to be longer. However, I think the shorter improvisation from the morning Mass was more successful, although it did end about 20 seconds before the "per omnia saecula saeculorum", a bit noticeably early.

From the Easter Vigil:

From the Easter Morning Mass:


In my opinion, improvisation has a certain value in that it is non-repeatable; you are expending musical thought to contribute a unique piece that has never been heard before (I was going to say: will never be heard again, but...) .

I also associate improvisation with the way in which the Bible will talk about instruments as if they just "made a certain kind of noise" as opposed to the way we moderns think in terms of playing specific "pieces of music". (Ps. 150, "Praise him with the sound of trumpet," etc.)

When I improvise, the organ sounds.

Also, as a listener, improvisation may be less distracting than a familiar piece, which needs to be identified ("was that Bach's G minor?") and has connotations ("last time I heard that was... Do you think he'll mess up the...") .

These things having been said, I must admit that I have not really practiced or learned improvising, but have rather just made it up as I went along.

JonathanKK:

Very nice. Improvisation during the liturgy is something that is different from composed music because it 'exists in the moment' and then it is forever gone, just as you say.

I personally feel that repetition has a way of 'suspending the moment' or 'slowing or capturing the ethos' that is permeating the church. There may be a lot of repetition in what you played (for the first piece) but your tasteful use of modulation and arriving at a different key helps to allow the moment to continue but not too quickly.

Often when I am improvising, I will use the motif of the chant or hymn and treat it in many different ways: doubling in thirds, fifths, sixths, tenths, imitation, played in the pedals with rich harmonies using ten fingers, registration changes, etc. etc.

Simplicity is critical. I feel that if you can play music (as you do here) almost with the purpose to never draw attention to itself but to maintain an attitude of prayer, then the organist has reached a very important understanding in supporting the liturgy and prayer in making the music 'invisible'.

Improv for liturgy... nothing like it!

I can second that, expeditus1!

JonathanKK, those improvisations are listenable and add to the liturgy. Too many improvisations are little more than crashing dissonant chord progressions, usually full organ at recessional. When I hear those, I wonder why some tasteful member of the congregation didn't sneak unnoticed to the basement and cut the power to the organ.

Can someone 'grab' one of these 'flights of contemplation' and post it here for all to hear?

As an untrained improvisor acutely aware of my technical limitations, I am truly touched by the triple endorsement. Thank you.

If I have any "secrets" to successful improvisation (read: improvisation that stands a chance at facilitating prayer), they are:

1. Know the melody and text of your improvisation very well.
2. If you need to choose between fostering an atmosphere of contemplation versus a display of technical virtuosity, choose the former every time. (Some can do both; most cannot.)
3. Operate within your limits.
4. Operate within the congregation's limits.

Continuousbass, forgive the digression into memory lane: my mother, the disciplinarian: her manual switches were supple, smooth, branches from the apple tree. I'm sure there are emotional if not physical marks to be found on me still.