Organ
- Author: Wills, A
Organ
- Author: Wills, A
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About
Starting with the earliest organ and tracing the mechanical development in parallel with the growth of its musical repertoire, Dr Wills discusses the role of the ‘king of instruments’ through the baroque period and the Romantic revival of the last century to the eclectic and museum organs of today. While not ignoring the fascination of the instrument as a ‘wonderous machine’ and the attraction of its unique aural power, the author never loses sight of the organ’s major function – the making of music. He examines its use as an adjunct to church services and as a solo, accompanimental and concert instrument surveying the contemporary repertoire and the techniques demanded by twentieth century composers.
Dr Wills writes as an organist, a composer and as a tutor guiding the student towards a correct interpretation of the organ repertoire by relating stylistic developments to the instrument’s concurrent technological advances. The organ student as well as the dedicated amateur, will find helpful the discussions of technical considerations closely linked to the spiritual and philosophical approaches adopted by each era and culture. The author suggests a logically graded and structured course of practical study with special attention to improvisation including an invaluable outline course in improvisational technique.
Contents
- Preface by Yehudi Menuhin
- Foreword by Stephen Cleobury
- Introduction
- Part One - Introducing the Organ
- 1. Wonderous Machines
- 2. Organ Actions and Organ Touch
- Part Two - The History: The Instrument and its Music
- 3. 'In the Beginning ...'
- 4. The Middle Ages
- 5. The Renaissance
- 6. The Golden Age: The Seventeenth Century
- 7. The Baroque I
- 8. The Baroque II
- 9. English Organ Music 1700-1800
- 10. Interlude: The Classical Decline 1750-1850
- 11. The Romantic Revival: Germany
- 12. The Romantic Revival: France
- 13. The Romantic Revival: England and America
- 14. The Twentieth Century: The Classical Revival
- Part Three - Playing the Organ Today: Instruments and Repertoire
- 15. The Eclectic Organ
- 16. The Museum Organ?
- 17. Modern Organ Music: The Present and the Future
- 18. The Organ with Other Instruments
- 19. Organ Transcriptions
- 20. Organ Accompaniment
- Part Four - Acquiring the Skills
- 21. An Outline Course of Instruction
- 22. Organ Improvisation I
- 23. Organ Improvisation II
- Postscript: Deus ex Machina
- Glossary
- Music: Recommended Editions
- Recommended Recordings
- Bibliography
- Index
