Tag Archives: theme

Traditional songs

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Popular songs are frequent themes for concert improvisations, usually giving rise to a set of theme and variations, though occasionally being used in other forms. As the melody is usually very familiar to the audience (i.e. popular), it is generally easier for the people to follow and understand the development of the theme when well presented.

Example songs:

Recordings:

Franz Lehrndorfer
Theme & Variations, Vol. 1: Improvisations on Children’s Songs

Videos:
Olivier Latry – Improvisation on The Simpsons Theme – Toronto
Pierre Pincemaille – Theme and Variations on a popular tune – St Martin de Dudelange – Luxembourg
Olivier Latry, Vincent Dubois, Paolo Oreni and Michael Bottenhorn – Happy Birthday – St. Joseph, Bonn Beuel

Hymns and Chorales

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Because hymns and chorales form the cornerstone of most Protestant worship services, they are frequent subjects for organ improvisations. Examples can be found below in both liturgical and concert settings.

Hymns and Chorales:

Videos:
Vincent Dubois – Improvisation on Ode to Joy by BEETHOVEN – Reims Basilique St Remy
Gerre Hancock – Final hymn and improvised Organ Voluntary on ‘Gott sei Dank’ – May 18, 2003 – St. Thomas
Pierre Pincemaille: Improvisation sur “Noi canteremo gloria a Te” (aka OLD HUNDREDTH) – Chignolo d’Isola, Bergamo, Italy
William Porter – O dass ich tausend Zunge hätte – Prelude
William Porter – O dass ich tausend Zunge hätte – Canon
William Porter – O dass ich tausend Zunge hätte – Intermezzo
William Porter – O dass ich tausend Zunge hätte – Fugue
Tom Trenney – “Duke Street”, April 28, 2013 at First-Plymouth Church
Tom Trenney – “Come Down, O Love Divine” – First-Plymouth Church

For more videos, see the master list of all videos on the website here.