Lesson 7

Registration: Hymn Registration (review)

This is the fourth of six organ registration lessons for Organ Performance Level 2, which should be completed in order. It may be studied concurrently with a music theory lesson and a played assignment. Its concepts will be covered in the final review.

This lesson covers fundamentals in organ registration that should be learned and applied by every organist. Its concepts will be reviewed on reviews throughout Levels 3 through 6. Thorough study and understanding of these concepts now will bring great benefits as you progress through the higher levels.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify the essential elements of chorus registration, solo accompaniment registration, and trio/duo registration.
  2. Discern the number of parts in a piece of music (i.e., understand the texture), and determine whether one part calls for more prominence than the others.
  3. Match various musical textures with appropriate registrational types.
  4. Identify what types of music suggest chorus registration.
  5. Explain the basic procedures for building chorus registrations.
  6. Describe some important aesthetic considerations for chorus registration.
  7. Apply various types of chorus registration appropriately to different types of music.
  8. Apply the principles of organ registration learned thus far, particularly chorus registration, to the registration of hymns for congregational singing.
  9. Use registration to encourage more participation in hymn singing.
  10. Adapt organ registration to the needs of various congregations.

Reading Assignment

In OrganTutor Online, study the following lessons:

For all OrganTutor Online lessons, if you have not already done so, take notes in the “OrganTutor Organ 101 Lesson Objectives” section near the end of the workbook. As you study, set a goal to internalize each concept thoroughly. Test your understanding by answering the Quick Review questions at the end of each OrganTutor concept and by taking the end-of-lesson tests.

In The OrganTutor Workbook:

Supplement your study of the OrganTutor Online lessons with the following sections in the workbook as needed: “Three Primary Types of Organ Registration,” “Chorus Registration,” and “Guidelines for Hymn Registration in Congregational Singing.”