Composing for pipe organ

I was just thinking of how to actually write for a pipe organ. Like changing to a different manual(keyboard), sounds of the different types of stops, and the limit that an organ has. If anyone can help, please reply. Needed real help on composing for organ here. :w00t:

*looks around nervously for someone else to answer* I play the organ... I don't really know what you're asking for. If you could clarify, I'd be glad to help- to the best of my ability.

I understand what you're asking. A beginner organist asks the same questions, incidentally.

First of all, you'd need an idea of a potential organ that might be playing your composition. Organs differ widely. Some have 2 manuals, others(a little less common) have 3 manuals, and the bigger ones might have 4 or more. The most common amount on a 'decent sized organ' is 3, but it's best, if you aren't sure what organ will be playing your piece, to make the piece at least semi-manageable on a 2 manual. The most common names of the manuals (differing depending on what language your organ is in) are: Swell (the topmost), Great (mid.), and Recitative (bottom). The Great gets most of the really loud stuff, and is the principal manual, being in the middle. The Swell gets a lot of the choir-like things, and the Recit. gets solos. Changing between the manuals is fairly easy and quick. Just think of how it would work in the context of your piece. It's just moving your hand(s) up or down a few inches, it doesn't require a lot of time. But then again, it's not good to have an organist switching every two beats or so.

Sounds of the different stops? Well, I'll answer that one last. As for the limits of the organ, I can only say a few things. Each manual only has about 5 or so octaves, generally ranging from C 2 octaves below middle, up to the C 3 octaves above middle. I'm not sure if this is standard, it's just an estimate, since I don't have an organ console right here with me. ;) Also, the pedalboard(the keys under the feet) has a range from C 2 octaves below middle to the F just above middle. These are all written ranges, of course, and depending on the stops one puts on, more octaves both below and above can easily be obtained. Also, DO NOT treat the pedals as another manual, the feet can only move so fast. This is not to say you can only write long tones for the pedals, but try not to keep your organist jumping around on the bench because the pedalline never quits.

As for the 'sounds', this is what we call registration. Depending on the organ, there can either be a whole variety of 'stops' or few stops. A stop is a device(like a trigger or like a peg sticking out of the side of the console) that opens a passageway allowing air to flow to certain pipes. The stops are named for the pipe which they represent. Generally, an organ stop will have a name like -Clarion 4'- or -Principal 8'- The name represents the basic sound of the pipe, and the number and ' represent the octave in which it sounds. A Clarion would be a clarinet stop, or a reed stop. Other reeds: Krummhorn, Trompette, Salicional, Oboe(Hautbois, french), etc. Principal means the basic organ sound. This is the most common stop and is the most common to have other stops added on top of it, to create a richer, thicker sound. 8' means concert pitch. This means the pipe that is sounding is actually 8 feet tall. A 4' stop would sound an octave higher than played, seeing as the pipe is 4' tall, half as tall as the 8' pipe. There are mostly 8' and 4' stops. Other stops: 64' (RARE) - sounding 3 octaves down. 32' - sounding 2 octaves down. 16' Sounding 1 octave down. 2' - sounding 2 octaves up. Then there are stops that have indications of 2 1/3' or 1 1/2', these stops sound up something like 2 octaves and a third, or three and a fifth, etc. These are used frequently, but never on their own. There are also Mixtures, which add to other stops, creating the unique organ sound, the high, metallic sounds.

Each manual (and the pedalboard) has its own group of stops, and some stops are only on some manuals. This has to do with the individual organ. There is almost never any stop lower than a 16' on the manuals, but there are 8' and 4' and some mixtures available on the pedals. There are also couplers, like 'Swell to Great', or 'Swell to Pedal', or 'Recit. to Great'. Let's take the Sw to Gt one. Pulling this coupler (it is a stop as well) will take every stop you have pulled on the Swell, and add that to whatever is on the Great. This is useful when each manual only has a couple of stops each, to make a variety of sounds.

As far as writing, treat the music as incomplete, with the idea that the organist knows his organ better than you do, and that he can registrate your piece how he likes. If you would like more control, just write common dynamics and some descriptive phrases like 'punchy', 'brassy', 'soft', 'warm', etc. They'll get the idea, and registrate it accordingly. Also, pauses for contrasting changes in registration is sometimes need, only when the organist will have to registrate each manual differently. If there is a sudden change in dynamics and sound, a simple manual switch can work, as long as it is possible. Also, the pedal board needs to be registrated, since there is no additional extra pedalboard to suddenly switch to.

Most organs have Combinations, which are stops. These ones are labeled by number, usually 1-8 or 1-6, or sometimes, by dynamic. These are very easy ways to change registration without much pause. Usually just a pause with one hand, or even a long rest with the pedals (most organs have combinations keys along the bottom of each manual, and feet buttons just above the pedals) will do. There are combinations for each individual manual, and then a row of combinations which control every manual and the pedals.

*HUFF* Any questions?

That was the best darn brief explanation of writing for organ I've ever seen - a complex subject well-handled.

I'd only add that sitting behind an organ console and fooling around for a couple of hours demystifies much of the process. The trick is getting the local church organist to let you do it. Also, Nick is right when he says basically that "less is more" when giving directions in organ music and making assumptions about what's possible. You never know whether your piece will be played on a modest but functional 10 rank organ with two manuals, or a 100 rank 5 manual monster. You can give directions like "Great," "Swell" or "Soft Reed," indicating in general the kind of sound you're looking for, but trust the organist to make the right decision as far as the specific stop to use. No point asking for a 4' Gemshorn or a 32' Contrafagott, even if you know that's exactly the sound you want, because not all organs have these.

Thanks for that, Lee. And yes, your suggestion is great. Fooling around with it is how I learned, after all. I've played semi-regularly to very regularly on 4 organs now, and they're all COMPLETELY different.

Hello there:

In order to compose for Pipe organ you really need to understand so many things. First you need to know how to play, i would suggest you take lessons from the best organist you can find. THen you need to learn the history and structure of the instrument. THis is a huge topic, so do your homework. I have a lot of experiance with pipe organs around the world and recently played the only bamboo pipe organ in manila phillipines. Las pinas city to be exact.

I do not mean to discourage you from trying to write for the instrument, but really if you do not know the instrument, then you will have difficulty. The history of the registrations differ depending on country of orgin where the organ was built or the time period etc.

My name is jeff

and you can reach me at jeff@lessonsbyjeff.com

i soon hope to play the klais organ in malaysia kuala lampur

my friend in phills learned to build organs from klais

he is the only builder in philippines

I hope some of this info helps

Get in touch

Jeff :D

Nice explanation these Nickthoven and J. Lee Graham.

That clears up a lot.

I will be starting organ lessons here, and its nice to have this kind of notion beforehand.

Hello there:

In order to compose for Pipe organ you really need to understand so many things. First you need to know how to play, i would suggest you take lessons from the best organist you can find. THen you need to learn the history and structure of the instrument. THis is a huge topic, so do your homework. I have a lot of experiance with pipe organs around the world and recently played the only bamboo pipe organ in manila phillipines. Las pinas city to be exact.

I do not mean to discourage you from trying to write for the instrument, but really if you do not know the instrument, then you will have difficulty. The history of the registrations differ depending on country of orgin where the organ was built or the time period etc.

Jeff :P

I really don't agree that writing for organ is this arduous. You just need to tell the player what you want, and they'll know what to do to fill in the gaps. Knowing all the specific registrations and whatnot is not really going to be useful for most people, because all organs are so different. When I play organ pieces on Sunday, I disregard all registration notes (if applicable) because my organ is so limited. I have only 9 stops, and 1 measly 16' pedal stop. So if a composer wrote '8' Clarion + 21/3' Spitz' I might put on my only reed stop, and my 2'. But I don't have a clarion or a spitz mixture to accurately follow the directions. So descriptive words such as 'Reedy', 'Warm', 'Bright', etc. are much better.

Hey,

Below are a couple of PDFs. The first one I scanned right out of an old pipe organ method book. It has lots of facts on the history of organs, and even goes through the different stops and how to use it's different registrations.

The other PDF, I found somewhere on the internet, I forget where. But it covers organ registration a little bit more.

Also, the 3rd link is goes to a website of an Encyclopedia of Organ Stops. It gives descriptions of all kinds of stops, some even have sound clips. This is a great website to use side-by-side with the first PDF provided.

I hope this helps. It helped me a lot.

Enjoy!

-Geremie

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/EO_USZMtrNg85SiFAu8VBw481wboMRav7EDPhbukk_XuAKC6DUq4nMfySe1M3wZwf3J3gU70HoOtoBuhd2wfVA/Pipe%20Organ%20-%20History%20and%20Intro.pdf

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/EO_USWZT3gc85SiFmIbo4a-0Ms7-Uo0mXwHmc-0bMeTnzkC5UTd7u9uoX-jIXS-V2D3spo-wmHldlDR4oIszow/Organ%20Registration.pdf

Encyclopedia of Organ Stops

Chiming in my two cents -

Less is more even in writing notes, harmonies and counterpoint.

Also, the instrument most like the organ in its timbre - surprise - the saxophone.

Now here are two renditions of Bach Chorale from the Little Organ Book:

Lipatti's piano arrangement - note how much he thickens the texture to achieve the weight one notes carries on the organ. Also, he does a great extension and change of registers and dynamic changes. On the organ this could be done with stops and opening or enclosing the compartments the pipes are housed- eg opening the boxes with the swell pedal (and on larger organs choir, or great pedals)

YouTube - Bach: "Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ", Lipatti (Audio)

Here is a wonderful performance of the original. Note how the organist has registered the two manuals and pedal differently so we hear all three lines while giving prominence to top voice.

And below is the score for the Little Organ Book where you will find the chorale

http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/b/b8/IMSLP04104-Bach_-_BGA_-_BWV_599-644.pdf

by the way........ why in English are they called "Stops" ?...why not "registers" or "sounds" maybe "pipesets".....that's what their are....Pipe Sets

Organ stop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Simple.

And "pipesets" is not the right term. It's "ranks" which is a set of similar pipes.