Musical contribution - September 2024

The Holy City - Stephen Adams / André van Vliet

We regularly enjoy including some well-known Hymns in our Musical Contribution. This month it’s a really special one. It’s actually not a Hymn as this work is usually performed by choirs or soloists. Apart from the Herman van Vliet arrangement, there are actually no true organ arrangements. And many of you thought that this needed to change. Hence this arrangement.

Although I don’t normally do this, I decided to include the lyrics with the music as well, as it makes it clear for those who don’t know the tune where the intro and various intermezzos are. I’ve also used various keys, which is something you don’t find in the original.

When I play this version in an organ concert, I make grateful use of my registrants. I try to open or close a stop every four bars. or produce totally different color. In any event, I’m certain to use the big crescendo and decrescendo pedals.  Of course, you can also do this on a Johannus using the General Crescendo. And the same applies here too: don’t be too methodical, just enjoy what you think is appropriate for the different phrases.

Kind regards,

André