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BOOKS AND ARTICLES - with links (underlined)

 

'The Creative Organist' - Textbook on organ improvisation with CD,  (1999). OUT OF PRINT.  

'Making it up as you go along' -  Organists' Review, (February, March, July, November 2001).

 

'Improvisation' - The Organ, (May, July, 2005).

 

'The Art of Organ improvisation' -  The Organ, (script) (Nov. 2014, Feb. 2015).

 

'Improvising at the organ' - ESO Console, (script) (September 2015).

 

'The Organists' Toolkit - Improvisation', - Organists' Review, (March 2016).

 

'The Creative Organist' - presentation, (2017).

'Piano improvisation' - Music Teacher, (August 2016). 

(Principles outlined can apply to all keyboard improvisation)

'The Art of Improvisation' - Organ Australia, Edition Three, 2017) - Pages 34-39.

'Organ Improvisation' - NZ Organ News, March 2018.

Towards achieving style and structure in improvisation

Oxford University organ scholars masterclass 2022 - 'Towards a 20th-century French style'.

 

'Creating the 'English' Sound' - a guide to improvising in a focussed stylistic idiom - ESO Console - August 2019.

Shaping the phrase - a guide to structuring an improvisation. 

'Distilling the hymn' - creating hymn-based interludes.             

Organ composition

 

'Composing for Learning', ESO Console, December 2017, revised 2022.

 

'Blending Traditions - Creating music with a Scottish flavour'. ESO Console, August 2018.

Two pieces in 'An Oxfordshire Organ Book' ed. Malcolm Pearce. 

General Church Musician topics

 

'More Than Just a Musician' - Booklet on choir leadership skills, (1999).

'Music Styles in Worship' - Discussion paper, (2011).

Composer profiles

 

'Caleb Simper - master of his craft or musical hack?'

'The organ works of Jacques Lemmens

'The organ works of Bedrich Smetana'

'The organ works of Théodore Dubois

 

 

The lighter side!

'Making it all up' etc.: 'Organs and Organists; Their Inside Stories', ed. Jenny Setchell.  

Pipeline Press (2017).  https://www.pipelinepress.com/organs-and-organists.htm

The organist's political guide

Some reviews

 

“…One of the best books available on the subject.  This is a must for every organist's library.  Treat yourself”.

Trevor Webb in ‘Church Music Quarterly', ('The Creative Organist').

 

“All those who play for services should read this, and certainly all those who have to face an extemporisation test in forthcoming diploma exams.  This is one of the most imaginative projects I have seen in many years and the CD enlivens and enriches what is inventively told in an excellent book”.

Roger Fisher in ‘Organists’ Review’,  ('The Creative Organist').

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