Just throwing a quickie your way! Here are a couple left hand improvising tips for the hymn…Praise Him! Praise Him!
The tips can be applied to hymns in different time signatures.
I have a student who is late intermediate level and she wants to learn congregational style so bad! So…I’ll be walking her through different hymns and giving her improvising tips along the way.
Let me know if you all want more of these quickies along the way. Click on this title to download your free copy of this page. PRAISE HIM! PRAISE!
Jenifer…need help in determining what songs are appropriate to use for preludes. I like grand, powerful songs reflecting God’s greatness but not sure it would be necessary to always play these types of songs. Can you help? Thanks. Nell
Excellent question!
I was always taught to play peppy and loud with an upbeat tempo!
However, I have changed somewhat.
You may think I’m weird, but for most preludes I play the prelude according to the spiritual temperature of any given service.
For example, on Sunday mornings, most of the congregation is already in their seats sitting quietly waiting for the service to begin.
We have a brief choir rehearsal right after Sunday School in a room behind the auditorium. We usually get to the auditorium when it’s about time to start!
So, I will play hymns around a medium level of volume such as: (Our grand piano easily overpowers our medium sized sanctuary)
O Worship the King
Blessed be the Name
Praise Him! Praise Him
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Amazing Grace
There are some mornings that it feels more appropriate to play more subdued/prayerful hymns such as: In the Garden, The Old Rugged Cross, I Must Tell Jesus, Jesus is the Sweetest Name I Know. (Especially for times when the congregation has been touched by a recent death(s) or other trials)
Our congregation seems more sociable before Sunday and Wednesday night services 🙂 So, I’ll play hymns like Victory in Jesus, When the Roll, Blessed Assurance, Love Lifted Me, etc.
I try to keep my volume under tow so as not to overpower those that are visiting before the service.
I think my piano preludes are starting to evolve into more of a background type of music vs. the loud; intrusive style that can crowd out conversations or meditative moods. I have been on the receiving end of preludes many times at different churches over the years and always enjoyed the preludes that drew you into a worshipful mood without being too loud. We were recently at a funeral of a relative and the organ was SO loud that it hurt our ears and drowned out the congregational singing.
On a side note…ever notice how the prelude is more like the alarm clock for everyone to get in place? 😉
Please understand these tips are coming from personal opinion. We all have our own styles and ideas. This is just what works for me.
Promo Sale! The collection is on sale through August 21st, 2023 until 10pm.
I had a person contact me recently requesting another collection of early intermediate congregational arrangements.
One of my daughter-in-laws will also benefit from this collection.
I decided to add an introduction to each arrangement. Also, most of the arrangements would make nice short piano solo offertories.
You could also use these arrangements for accompanying a soloist too!
Only two of the arrangements wouldn’t be able to stand alone as a piano solo…..”Are You Washed?” and “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” The reason why is because the melody is not supported throughout the entire arrangement. Some church pianists may be comfortable adding the missing melody in the few places per arrangement. Otherwise, these two arrangements are missing the melody notes here and there since it’s more of an accompaniment style.
Early intermediate congregational arrangements by Jenifer Cook.
Ten hymns:
All Hail thePower, Are You Washed?, Have Thine Own Way, Higher Ground, I Love to Tell the Story, Revive Us Again, Sweet Hour of Prayer, Tell it to Jesus, Tis So Sweet, Where He Leads. Most of these arrangements can stand alone as a piano solo with the exception of: Are You Washed and Sweet Hour of Prayer. View the first three hymn arrangements by clicking on the COVER PHOTO
