Lesson 9: Refining Registration

In this lesson, you will continue your study of organ registration and how to use all of the stops of the instrument to enhance your prelude and postlude music and the hymn singing experience. 

One of the most beautiful ways to create expressive prelude and postlude music is through solo and accompaniment registration. In this style of playing, one voice of a hymn or piece of music is given a more prominent sound while the remaining voices provide a softer accompaniment on another manual.

This approach allows familiar hymns to sound interesting, colorful, and expressive.

Building a Solo and Accompaniment Registration

When creating a solo and accompaniment registration:

• One manual is used for the solo voice

• The other manual is used for the accompaniment

• The accompaniment should always remain softer than the solo

Begin by deciding which sound is most important to you:

• the solo sound, or

• the accompaniment texture.

Build that registration first, then create the second registration so the two divisions balance naturally with one another.

In most hymn settings:

• the right hand plays the solo,

• the left hand plays the accompaniment,

• and the pedals play the bass line.

Accompaniment Registration

The accompaniment should provide warmth and support without overpowering the solo line. Soft chorus-style combinations are most effective.

Some useful accompaniment combinations include:

• A soft 8’ flute, hybrid, or string alone

• Two soft 8’ stops together

• Flutes 8’ and 4’

• Two soft 8’ stops with a 4’ flute

• The celeste effect – a celeste must always be paired with the stop immediately to its left, unless it is labeled with a Roman numeral “II,” which indicates it is a complete celeste and does not require pairing.

Celeste effects are especially useful in accompaniment because they create a gentle shimmering background beneath the melody.

Solo Registration

The solo voice should be clearly heard above the accompaniment while still sounding balanced with it rather than overpowering it.

Almost any stop or combination may serve as a solo if it is slightly more prominent than the accompaniment. 

Useful solo combinations include:

• A single harmonic or claribel flute 8’ (particularly effective in the treble range)

• Flutes 8’ and 2’

• Flutes 8’ and 2 2/3’

• Flutes 8’, 4’, and 2 2/3’

• Sesquialtera-style combinations using Flutes 8’, 2 2/3’, and 1 3/5’

• The full Cornet: Flutes 8', 4', 2 2/3', 2', and 1 3/5'

• Flute 4’

• String 8’

• Soft reeds such as the Oboe, Clarinet, Cromorne, French Horn, English Horn, or Schalmei

• A soft 8’ reed combined with gentle flutes or strings

• All the 8’ foundations on the Great (not the celeste) for a broad singing solo tone (particularly effective in the tenor range)

Pedal Balance

The pedals should balance with and support the accompaniment texture.

For softer registrations:

• Use a gentle 16’ stop such as an Echo Bourdon, Bourdon Doux, or Lieblich Gedackt with a light 8’ stop such as a Gedackt or Flute.

As the manual registration grows larger:

• Add a heavier 16’ Pedal stop as needed such as Subbass or Bourdon.

Manual-to-pedal couplers can also create a natural balance between the accompaniment manual and the pedals.

Practical Suggestions

When learning solo and accompaniment registration:

• Avoid overly bright or aggressive solo sounds

• Listen carefully for the clarity of the melody

• Experiment with different combinations on your organ

• Save successful combinations to presets or write them down

Using solo and accompaniment registration is one of the most effective ways to make your prelude and postlude music beautiful and interesting. 

In church organ playing, chorus registration is primarily used when supporting congregational singing. It's used when all musical lines are equally important, and no single line stands out.  This type of registration is also used in much of the music by composers like J.S. Bach, such as his preludes, fugues, and toccatas.

How to Build a Chorus Registration (Step by Step)

Chorus registrations are built by carefully combining stops to create a unified sound across the manuals and pedalboard. Here's how to approach it:

1. Start with Principals

• The principal (or diapason) stops are the core of a good chorus sound. If a principal stop isn't available at a needed pitch, consider using a clear flute stop like a Gedeckt as a substitute. Use Proper Foundations

  • • Manuals: Begin with 8' pitch.

    • Pedals: Start with 16' pitch.

1. • From there, you can add stops at 4', 2', and mixture to add more volume and clarity.

   • Examples:

• Strong and bright: 8' + 4' + 2' + Mixture

• Moderate strength: 8' + 4' + 2'

• Gentle and reflective: 8' + 4' only

2. Clarity versus Richness

• If you desire clarity, use only one stop per pitch level, all of the same tonal family (e.g., 8' Principal, 4' Octave, 2' Fifteenth).

• If you desire richness, fullness, or a thicker texture of sound, layer stops of other tonal families at the same pitch level to create a pyramid configuration for a richer, fuller sound (e.g., three 8' stops, two 4' stops, and one 2' stop). Never include celeste stops in this configuration.

3. Avoid Pitch Gaps

• Avoid combinations like 8'/2' or 16'/4', which sound thin, top-heavy, or bottom-heavy. Instead, use a smooth progression of pitches like:

  • 8' → 4' → 2'

  • 16' → 8' → 4'

4. Adding Chorus Reeds

• Fiery chorus reed stops like trumpets can add fire and intensity to a chorus registration, but they should be used with intention. They're most effective:

• When paired with mixtures

• In climactic moments, such as the final verse of a hymn

5. Leave Out Ineffective Stops

• • Some stops—especially very soft ones or celeste stops—don't blend well in a chorus registration. Celestes, which are tuned slightly sharp or flat to create an undulating effect, are better suited for prelude and postlude and should not be used in congregational singing.

6. The role of 16' manual stops, 32' pedal stops, and 4' chorus reeds in the full organ

• 16' manual stops and 32' pedal stops add depth and gravity to the sound of full organ. However, they should be used sparingly and with clear musical intention. If they are overused, they can become tiresome for a congregation, muddy the texture, and obscure the melody, making it difficult to hear clearly.

• If your organ contains a 4' chorus reed in the manuals—often labeled "Clarion 4'"—you can use it alongside an 8' manual chorus reed and the 16' manual and 32' pedal stops. This addition helps balance the overall sound and makes the melody more clear.

Musical and Aesthetic Considerations

Match the Mood

• Festive hymns or processional pieces: Use fuller registrations with mixtures and perhaps reeds.

• Softer or contemplative music: Stick to 8' and 4' stops. Avoid 2' stops, mixtures, and chorus reeds.

Maintain Balance

• It's essential to strike a balance between the sound of the manuals and the pedals. For example, don't use bold pedal stops with very soft manual stops. Also, avoid overemphasizing one pitch range (such as using too many high-pitched stops without enough low ones).

Final Tip:

• When accompanying hymns, chorus registration supports congregational singing best. It gives structure and strength to a singing congregation. Build registrations that are well-balanced and appropriate to the hymn—whether it's jubilant or meditative.