Pray Tell is happy to announce a new video series on leading congregational song from the pipe organ: “The Organist As…” Presenter is Jan Kraybill A new video in the series will appear once a week for the next 25 weeks. Featured in the videos is the recently expanded 112-rank four-manual Holtkamp-Pasi pipe organ at Saint John’s Abbey.
Here is the intro to the series:
And here is the first video in the series: “The Organist as… Inspirer.”
Future installments in the series include organist as conductor, improvisor, bridge builder, singer, storyteller, praise band, percussionist, orchestrator, community builder, and life-long learner … and more!
About the presenter: Jan Kraybill is an active concert organist, organist-in-residence at the headquarters of Community of Christ in Missouri; and organist at Village on Antioch Presbyterian Church Overland Park, Kansas. She is former president of the Hymn Society.
Wonderful registrations and alternate harmony, Jan! I’m looking forward to future videos.
I’m loving the last verse harmonisation.
I love playing hymns with varied last verse harmonies and various registrations. Both techniques can be very effective when they reflect the textual mood of the verses. I love your arrangement of that hymn.
I did this for 45 years, so yeah, there’s a bunch of reactions from joy to “s/he plays too loud/fast/slow.” It is always the unhappy and loud critics who, in the absence of pastoral and congregational spines, make music directors’ lives unhappy.
She has a magnificent instrument, and she plays brilliantly (go to her website and listen to the Widor toccata). I wonder how many times she’s been required to play ‘On Eagles’ Wings” on it?
I love your arrangement of that hymn! It gives my mind peace