Organ Preludes/Postludes for Easter
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I’m a young college organist and have been asked to play for an Easter Sunday Mass. This is my first time playing for an Easter Sunday mass and I’m looking for suggestions for organ prelude and postlude music. I would prefer something not too terribly complicated but also something that displays the joyousness and beauty of Easter. The mass I’m playing for is the “contemporary” mass at a parish in my area. I did not grow up with contemporary church music but rather chant propers and beautiful organ, choir, and brass quartet music for Easter. I am definitely pro- preludes/postludes based on chant melodies such as Vidi Aquam and the like. I would also be interested in postludes based on the tune EASTER HYMN since that is the recessional hymn. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
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If you're looking for something easier I might suggest Rigaudon by Andre Campra.
https://s9.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/7/73/IMSLP166536-SIBLEY1802.17397.df44-39087012341832score.pdf -
It is unlikely that anyoune will recognise a fantasia super "vidi aquam". Why not choosing a good compromise and use a melody that everyone knows? There are many organ fantasiae super "Christ ist erstanden", e.g. by J.C. Fischer (baroque), J.S. Bach (baroque), or M. Brosig (romantic).Thanked by 1CharlesW
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I came here to suggest the Willan, which Lars above has already done. Makes for a perfect Easter Sunday prelude, especially if your processional is the hymn itself. It can also be learned in very short order. Depending on the registration, it could also make for a decent postlude.
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Since the final hymn is the "Easter Hymn," perhaps the first of the Eight Little Preludes and Fugues in C Major would be appropriate. Formerly ascribed to J.S. Bach, but now thought to be by Krebs (possibly). This is always popular, even with those who don't care for organ music, or Bach.
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Let the 'contemporaries' hear some Bach, by all means, but Calvin Hampton's Easter Hymn (Alfred) is hard to beat, pace Willan.
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Three suggestions from my Easter plans:
Toccata on O filii et fili by Lynwood Farnam
Old Easter Melody (variations on O filii et fili) by John West
Resurrection Fanfare by Alex Daerr -
C.V. Stanford, “Prelude on the Easter Hymn”.
(Which Easter hymn? The Easter hymn in the Anglosphere – Jesus Christ is risen today.)
https://ks15.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/f/fe/IMSLP22177-PMLP50874-Villiers_Stanford_prelude_Op88_no4.pdf
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