Decision Making

Musical Style

QUESTION: How does musical style influence the amount of time to be taken between repeated notes or between the various notes of an articulate line?

ANSWER: Certain styles of organ pieces may call for a MORE ARTICULATE approach to touch--

• early music (to about 1750)
• music marked “staccato” or “detached”
• joyful, lively music

Other styles of organ pieces may call for a MORE SUSTAINED, LEGATO approach to touch:

• music of the 19th and 20th centuries
• music marked “sostenuto” or “legato”
• meditative, reflective music
• most hymns and other music in a choral style

As you learn more about stylistic traditions in organ music, you will feel more confident making decisions on touch based on style.