A Method for Hymn Improvisation and Accompaniment

Most students of music train for a lifetime merely, it seems, to reproduce someone else's music. After achieving the pinnacle of their training, they can reproduce music flawlessly, but aside from perhaps "interpreting" the music, they are unable to understand it. When they are subsequently called upon to create their own music, to play by ear, or to improvise, they find themselves completely unprepared; these apparent musical superheroes turn out to be musical cripples. How regrettable that they have expended so much effort only to perform a mindless role that, especially in this technological age, is filled almost as well by a computer or some other automaton.

Though this "method of the automaton" is a travesty to all musicians, it is especially inadequate for hymn pianists. Our musical genre demands versatility in two major aspects:

• First, the hymnal provides a specifically-crafted four-part vocal harmony; it is not intended to provide a piano score. As pianists, therefore, we have the responsibility and the privilege to craft an accompaniment that not only suits the piano's characteristics but also constantly develops the hymn and reinforces its direction.
• Second, hymn pianists often need to modulate through multiple keys during the same performance or, all too often, need to be mindful of less versatile instruments or musicians. Hence, we must be able to depart from the printed key and transpose on the fly.
  

Therefore, unless we can dissociate our playing from both the hymnal's printed score and key, our performances will be sadly lacking--we will be incapable of presenting hymns to their fullest effect. As we turn in lukewarm performances, not only will worship suffer, but worshippers will also begin to believe that hymns are boring, repetitious, and irrelevant to today's worship. The more that impression takes hold, the further the hymn slips toward oblivion.

In this instructable, therefore, we introduce a four-step method of training that will help you develop the important dissociative skills of hymn accompaniment. As part of this method we will also prescribe a specific method of playing that is suitable for hymns (and even choruses of contemporary Christian music) much of the time. Of course no formula can provide an instantaneous magical substitute for experience, but by following these suggestions, you will focus your training where your effort is best spent. You will eventually develop not only a method of hymn accompaniment, but also a method of improvisation in general; further, you will develop not only a method of improvisation, but also genuine musicianship.

Step 1: The "I NAG" Method

The four steps to this method, all written to end in -ize, are the following:

1. Internalize
2. Normalize
3. Aggrandize
4. Generalize

To see a detailed explanation of each step, please kindly proceed to http://ssngai1.earth.prohosting.com/hymnody/method.htm.

The guide you will see is a supplement to Lesson 9 of "Hymnody, Prosody, and Counterpoint," a two-hour course in hymn theory and performance given most recently May 16, 2009 at Lord's Grace, San Diego, CA. For details and narrated course videos, see the course webpage, which is linked from the improvisation page.