"O Magnum Mysterium" on the Organ Without Breaking my Hand?
  • youngcatholicgirlyoungcatholicgirl
    Posts: 38
    I did another voice-to-organ transcription, this time of Victoria's "O Magnum Mysterium", which I intend to use at Midnight Mass (not sure when, but probably at Communion). My only issue is, my hands are on the small side and some of the intervals are well nigh impossible and the fingering is tricky. I'm not sure how to judiciously re-write or leave out notes because I feel like they're all important, and I don't have a lot of time to figure things out, 1. because I'm playing it in 23 days and 2. I'm a nursing student with three exams this week and limited practice time. Any help is welcome! (I can't get the file to upload right now, so if anyone has general advice for this sort of thing, please share!)
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,767
    Richard Chonak can probably figure out the uploading problem, but check this thread in the "For Newcomers: Read First" category.

    The first big stretch I notice in Victoria is left pinkie-index 6th at m. 35; you'll also have to decide how picky to be with the discovered 5ths at m. 29.
  • Palestrina
    Posts: 364
    You could always use the pedals (couple the manuals through with no stops).
    Thanked by 3CharlesW GerardH youngcatholicgirl
  • GerardH
    Posts: 411
    I can't get the file to upload right now, so if anyone has general advice for this sort of thing, please share!

    I think there is an issue with files that have spaces in the filename. Try removing spaces or replacing them with another character.
    Thanked by 1youngcatholicgirl
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I would go for the "pedals" suggestion with the manuals coupled. Pick up the lowest notes there and split the remaining notes between two hands. Redundant notes, leave out.
    Thanked by 1youngcatholicgirl
  • youngcatholicgirlyoungcatholicgirl
    Posts: 38
    The file still won't upload. I'm not sure if the fact that it's .mcz (MuseScore) has anything to do with it; maybe it's just too big.
    Could someone please explain "couple the manual with no stops"? I'm afraid I don't understand many technical terms for the organ.
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    Export the file as PDF and then upload.

    The forum software probably doesn’t like .mcz extension and it definitely won’t display it.
    Thanked by 3youngcatholicgirl GerardH chonak
  • CharlesSA
    Posts: 163
    "Couple the manual with no stops" means that you do not actually use any stops for the pedal - you only "carry over" the stops from the manuals (that is, the great and the swell), which is called "coupling." You would do this by using the stop/switch/lever (whatever it is on your organ) that says "Swell to Pedal" and/or "Great to Pedal." With these couplers in use, even with no pedal stops being used, when you play any pedal it will utilize whatever stops are being used on the manuals.
    Thanked by 1youngcatholicgirl
  • JesJes
    Posts: 574
    Struth, I have to be honest... so much good organ music out there... why arrange a vocal work that sounds better as vox? (I only know this cos I’ve played this.) It means so much more with the words. You’d be better off choosing the "theme" of O Magnum and writing a fugue on this or some kind of featuring prelude than transcribing the work. As a full time teacher... I know the time poor situation mate. You should take a guernsey at some imslp stuff, you'll definitely find something good. There is a ripper arrangement of Adeste Fideles that’s easy to pick up if you get desperate, just message if you want the link.

    This is going to sound mighty weird but you might save some time looking for a "rehearsal score" of the Victoria... Rutter has published many a rehearsal score in his time, to some extent I appreciate his work towards producing rehearsal scores more than I do his compositions.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    For those of you who don't read the Aussie dialect, you'll be flumoxed, as I was, with the expression "to take a guernsey" ... which I thought was a kind of cow.

    Jess..... what's a guernsey in this context?
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,942
    Perhaps: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+a+guernsey
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Liam, Jess,

    Is "take a guernsey" different from "get a guernsey".

    See, I ask because "visit someone" is different from "visit with someone", and there is a world of difference separating "sit down and shut up", from "sit up and shut down".
  • youngcatholicgirlyoungcatholicgirl
    Posts: 38
    Jes,

    I started transcribing because I would have music I had sung before lying around, and I was longing to hear it again. It would be more meaningful with the words (I honestly hadn't thought about that), but there's no hope for that (there's no choir). I know the words and Our Lord knows my intentions.

    I don't find the rehearsal scores idea weird, actually; I was really happy to find that Philip Stopford's Lulla, Lully, Lullay has one I can play. As to composing, I'm honestly not very good at it; my theory instruction never got terribly advanced, which makes it hard to compose on purpose. I also never had formal organ lessons, so that along with limited time means the music has to be relatively simple or I have to start far ahead of time. I'll definitely take a guernsey at IMSLP, though.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,767
    If you're not proficient in pedal playing, manualiter would be wiser: in m. 11 take the tenor notes in r. h.; in m. 16 the 2 bass notes an octave higher & so forth. IMSLP indeed has it a tone higher on two staves.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen youngcatholicgirl
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