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Are you a busy church musician looking for a great postlude to play? Something that your audience or congregation will love but won't be too difficult to learn? In this article I am going to share fun selections from my Piano at Daybreak series that have a fast tempo and will dazzle your congregation or audience. I’ll share links to YouTube and the sheet music along the way so you can hear and purchase the ones you like. But remember, you’ll get a much better deal purchasing the complete collections instead of individual arrangements on sheet music websites. Let’s get started! What makes a great postlude?In my experience as a church musician, what people are looking for in a postlude is an exciting end to a church service. This means the piece uses louder dynamics and an upbeat tempo. There might be some cases where you seek a different mood for the postlude, such as Advent or Lent: these services might end solemnly or without any postlude at all. But most of the time, your congregation is expecting to enjoy the skill of the organist or pianist and to have an energetic send-off as they exit the service. Postludes might be based on a hymn tune that is appropriate for the season, or it might be a classical piece of music, or a jazzy or gospel improvisation. New age postludes based on hymnsMy postlude selections are based on hymn tunes, but also have original material in the form of creative interludes and improvisations. They are largely influenced by George Winston and other new age or contemporary instrumental musicians. I have also created piano postludes for Christmas! First up is All Creatures of Our God and King. It is at a brisk 120 beats per minute, making it a great postlude selection. The fun comes from the call in response between the registers, played by the right hand. The dynamic here is mezzo-piano, but it can be taken up to mezzo-forte for performance as a postlude if you like. Brethren, We Have Met to Worship is in a lively tempo with a dance-like feel. You’ll be able to show off your technical skill in the syncopated, embellished version of the melody that starts at measure 30, and the harmony opens up at measure 46 with plenty of fast runs. For the Beauty of the Earth is in a sprightly tempo, 126 beats per minute, and the hymn tune is decorated with fun embellishments. Then at measure 18 the melody is played in canon using the fuller range of the piano. It ends in the upper register where it began, but in a different key. There is a lot of fun to be had in this arrangement and your audience will be sure to enjoy it. Going Home is a more relaxing postlude selection judging by the tempo, but the title makes it a perfect selection for the end of a service. I would maybe play this during Lent since it sparkles gently and slows down at the end. This is also a poignant selection for a funeral or memorial service. Another great postlude is my arrangement of Holy God, We Praise Thy Name. It is at a fast 132 bpm and the left hand is in a syncopated rhythm until measure 32 where things really pick up. The interlude at measure 53 is a lot of fun! The dynamics can be increased if you like. O Worship the King is a great selection for a postlude. It is at a moderate tempo and the improvisation at the end is especially delightful if you like contemporary, new age piano music. I also recommend To God be the Glory which is just a generally delightful arrangement. So far I have selected arrangements from volume 1 of Piano at Daybreak, but there are a few from volume 2 that you’ll definitely want to check out. I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say starts off slowly, but picks up as it progresses. After the modulation, it is in a faster tempo and is reminiscent of The Heart Asks Pleasure First from the famous soundtrack for The Piano by Michael Nyman. Given the minor tone of this, I might select this as a Lenten postlude. The tune is also associated with the hymn O Sing a Song of Bethlehem, so it can be performed during Advent as well. My Arrangement of If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee is another great postlude selection for Lent due to the minor key and the brisk tempo of 132 bpm. Praise to the Lord, The Almighty could work for any part of a service, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use it as a postlude. I think of it as more of a fantasy, with the interlude developing pieces of the hymn tune before the excitement picks up at measure 33. Because the ending floats away on the lydian mode, I would recommend this as a postlude for Transfiguration Sunday. Another up-tempo selection for a postlude is my arrangement of Rise Up, O Men of God! The left-hand part gives the sensation of flight, and the interlude at measure 21 borrows a chord progression from Pachelbel's Canon. Thanks for reading my article on great piano postludes for church. If you want to read about my picks for easy hymn arrangements, or intermediate hymn arrangements, please check those articles out! I also have an article about great preludes for piano and one for offertories and special music. Other articles: Piano preludes for Christmas Piano postludes for Christmas Comments are closed.
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AuthorIan Good is a published composer and arranger. |