In this second video on hymn playing, Daniel Moult considers advanced techniques such as ways to decorate a hymn, reharmonisations and hymn extensions.

Playing hymns is an essential part of the musical lives of most organists, and in this download Ian Curror considers the practical skills required.  It is primarily designed for candidates who are preparing for CRCO, but it is hoped that it may prove valuable to others too. Hymn playing for organists  

Most advanced organists need to transpose at sight, whether it is accompanying soloists, changing the keys of hymns to fit a prelude or postlude, or when improvising on a given theme.  Hymn transposition is part of the keyboard skills tests for both CertRCO and ARCO diplomas.  The typical student approaches transposition with great fear, as […]

This download from the RCO Academy suggests ways of preparing a student for a church post, and providing support for the amateur student who is already a church organist.  Even if students think they will never want to play in church, there are still important skills to be acquired in learning to play hymns and […]

Attitudes towards the use of organs to accompany the congregational singing of hymns and metrical psalms varied dramatically across the centuries and from place to place. Religious zealots denounced them as vainglorious ornaments, whilst musical reformers advocated their use to impose order on undisciplined singing. This makes an account of the subject problematic since almost […]