Postlude Idea(s)
  • AlpineOrganist
    Posts: 5
    Praised be Jesus Christ!

    The archbishop is coming to confirm our confirmandi with an Ordinary-Form Holy Mass at our parish. Yay! I'm glad they will have the archbishop do it!

    We need a postlude that says, "Go forth fearlessly, new soldiers of Christ!" Can you help me come up with some ideas with these parameters? I need a recessional in a minor key that's not too fast and that doesn't have difficult pedal parts or passages because of my low pedal skills. (I suppose I could handle a difficult passage if I could substitute my left hand for their parts using a 16' stop.) We have a nice digital organ in the French-Symphonic style.

    I was thinking of playing Louis Claude Daquin's Noel XII "Suisse". Here's the reason why:
    I had been blessed to have the opportunity to attend Solemn High Mass at the FSSP's Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary for the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Apparently, they just had their new organ tuned and installed and were planning to use it for the first time at that Mass! I didn't know this until later. At the end of Holy Mass, the trumpet stop sounded, the priests, deacons, subdeacons, and acolytes assumed their proper places and solemnly processed out.

    Seeing this procession recess to the sound of Noel XII was amazing. The music lifted my mind very high to God. It was like the organ was saying the words of the Great Commission. The beauty of this piece made me think about how proud I was to be Catholic. It sounded volumes to the glory of God. Now, it had some phrases in G Major carefully inserted in-between the choruses...I'm not sure what piece these phrases belong to; maybe they were from a hymn to St. Joseph?

    I anticipate that there will be people here who don't attend Mass very often and who will want to yak to their family and friends after Holy Mass, so if I could play something in a serious mood for God's glory, maybe it will turn their attention to the Good Lord and His Holy Presence.

    The most important thing to ask you all for is your prayers that this Holy Mass will be attended with devotion, decorum, gravity, charity, and that I will do my part to serve the Most High and do so with ardent love.

    I ask that the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph might intercede for you all in all of your endeavors.

    Thanked by 2Carol cesarfranck
  • RCS333
    Posts: 43
    It sounds like you have a great postlude already selected :)
    Thanked by 2cesarfranck AlpineOrganist
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    Some of the Marchand pieces (Grand Jeu segments, etc. all available online for free) are good and don't have much pedal. Dialogues such as the one from Pièces d'orgue, Livre II, Dialogue (Ier Livre) and such are not difficult, again with not much pedal. Or you could go the other way and do something like Festive Trumpet Tune by David German. You would have to buy this one, since it is not on IMSLP like the Marchand pieces. Happy playing and best wishes for a memorable confirmation mass.
    Thanked by 2cesarfranck AlpineOrganist
  • Antonio
    Posts: 43
    Some of the Marchand pieces (Grand Jeu segments, etc. all available online for free) are good and don't have much pedal.


    I second CharlesW. From the Marchand 2me Livre d'Orgue, the 15th Couplet for the Te Deum, a rondeau-like Grand Jeu ended with a lively triple-meter section, which can be linked to the following Plein Jeu (last Couplet). All in A minor.

    Also, from Pierre Dandrieu (not the nephew Jean-François) book of Noëls, there're two beautiful organ transcriptions for two St. Joseph french Noels: Rondeau on 'Joseh est bien marié' (7.), in D minor, and Recit on 'Joseph tu fus bien Joyeux' (22.), in A minor.

    None of these pieces require pedals.
    Thanked by 2cesarfranck AlpineOrganist
  • AlpineOrganist
    Posts: 5
    Thanks guys. Those are great choices! Now I'm excited to try them out! I don't get a chance to talk with other organists, so it's nice to see other organists who like the French Baroque composers too! I'm happy I hopped on here.

    Thanks again!
  • cesarfranck
    Posts: 162
    Another piece is the allegro in g minor and major from Franck's L Organiste. It is available via imslp. Lots of great material in L Organiste that may be used in many ways. The opening suite in c major is a wonderful and simple work that always brings me joy!
    Thanked by 1AlpineOrganist
  • AlpineOrganist
    Posts: 5
    I love Franck! I have played the pieces in G Major and E minor from that selection, but I don't think I've played that one. Is that the "Noel Angevin" or #5?

    The nice thing about all of the above pieces is that I can improvise a simple pedal part on them.
    Thanked by 1cesarfranck
  • cesarfranck
    Posts: 162
    Yes. The Noel Angevin. The opening C major suite is my favorite.
  • cesarfranck
    Posts: 162
    Also, Denis Janzer has composed several toccatas that are not too denanding in pedal work. David German's trumpet tunes are likewise pleasing and easy on the feet.
    Thanked by 1AlpineOrganist
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