The Cloister Album of Voluntaries, Volume 2: Organ Book

This collection gives organists immediate access to thirty-three substantial pieces without requiring separate purchases or hunting through multiple editions. The repertoire spans genres and moods, from Bach and Beethoven to hymn arrangements and art songs, making it genuinely useful for both recitals and service playing. Turle's arrangements respect the original compositions while writing idiomatically for the organ, so students encounter real music rather than simplified padding.

These arrangements capture the grandeur and intimacy of the originals while staying true to organ voice-leading and registration. You move fluidly from the stately dignity of a Handel pastoral to the delicate ornamentation of a Bach-inspired piece, each one rendered with clarity and warmth that feels both scholarly and deeply playable.

Intermediate to advanced organists looking for a broad, curated repertoire that balances famous masterworks with lesser-known gems suitable for Sunday services and recitals. Students preparing for college auditions or exams will find multiple options for demonstrating command of different styles and textures within a single volume.

• Study the original versions of pieces you know well (Beethoven's Pathétique, Handel's Water Music) to understand Turle's voice-leading choices and how he redistributes material across manuals and pedals.
• Pay attention to registration cues; these arrangements assume a tracker or mechanical action and benefit from careful stops selection that honors the period style.
• Treat the slower movements as singing lines. Turle often gives the melody to the right hand with accompaniment below, so voice the phrases the way a vocalist would breathe and shape.
• Use the collection thematically in recital rather than programming pieces at random; pairing a Bach sarabande with a Beethoven allegretto and a spiritual creates narrative arc.

Reserve this collection for organists who need reliable repertoire for Sunday voluntaries, prelude and postlude work, and recital programming throughout the year. The range of mood and style makes it especially valuable for introducing students to standard organ literature while simultaneously building a practical library they'll return to for decades.

• Translating orchestral texture and voice-leading to the organ manual and pedal system
• Interpreting articulation and phrasing from vocal and instrumental originals
• Managing registration changes to highlight melodic lines and structural clarity
• Developing sight-reading fluency across a wide range of compositional styles and periods
• Pedal technique across varied tempos and accompaniment patterns