36 Short Preludes & Postludes on Hymn Tunes Cover Image

36 Short Preludes & Postludes on Hymn Tunes: Organ (Solo)

$29.95 USD

36 Short Preludes & Postludes on Hymn Tunes: Organ (Solo)

Name: 36 Short Preludes & Postludes on Hymn Tunes: Organ (Solo)
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-EP6162
Price: 29.95 USD
Availability: InStock

for Organ

By Healey Willan

Item: 98-EP6162

$29.95

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Series: Edition Peters

Publisher: Edition Peters

Page Count: 32

ISBN10: 0-30-070950-1

ISBN13: 979-0-3007-0950-5

SKU: 98-EP6162

More about this title

About the Composer: Healey Willan

Healey Willan (1880-1968) was a Canadian organist and composer whose liturgical works became cornerstones of Anglican church music. Born in England, he emigrated to Canada and spent decades as an organist and choirmaster, eventually teaching at the University of Toronto. His prolific output reflects deep knowledge of both the organ's technical capabilities and the practical needs of worship services.

Willan's preludes and postludes emerged from his intimate understanding of hymn tune harmonization and the organist's role in supporting congregational singing. His writing balances accessibility with musicianship, creating pieces that enhance worship without demanding virtuosic display from the player.

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Why we love this

These 36 pieces solve the genuine scheduling problem every organist faces: finding short, liturgically useful works that are neither trivial nor technically overwhelming. Willan's harmonic language respects the hymn tunes while adding warmth and compositional purpose, making each prelude and postlude feel like a gift to the service rather than filler.

What to expect

These pieces inhabit a space between functional and artistic. Each prelude or postlude has genuine musical substance—Willan's harmonic choices surprise and delight—yet they never overshadow the hymn tune or demand the listener's full attention. They feel like something a skilled colleague wrote specifically for this moment in the service.

Who it's for

Organists serving parishes and churches who need a reliable library of short works for Sunday services and liturgical moments. Whether you play voluntaries regularly or occasionally, this collection offers pieces at a variety of technical levels that require minimal preparation and adapt easily to different instruments.

How to get the most out of it

Honor the hymn tune's melodic shape without sentimentality. These pieces work best when the primary melody line sings clearly through the harmonic texture.
Adjust registration to the acoustic of your instrument and the liturgical moment. A lighter stop might suit a prelude; a fuller foundation better serves a postlude.
Treat tempo as flexible according to the service's pace. These pieces are short enough to adapt to the flow of actual worship, not locked into metronomic regularity.

How to use it

Use these as a permanent reference collection rather than a one-time program addition. Keep the book at the organ bench and rotate through pieces to match the liturgical calendar, service themes, or the hymn tunes being sung that day. Many organists find it helpful to designate specific pieces as preludes and postludes for particular seasons or feast days.