Composing for the organ – a new guide from James Mitchell

‘With this book in hand, no composer need ever again write badly for the organ!’ says John Rutter, in his foreword to James Mitchell’s The Pipe Organ, A Composer’s Guide, just published by OUP.

Rutter points out that most solo organ literature down the ages has been written by those who play the instrument. Now both organists and non-organists can understand what makes good organ writing, with this concise and very readable manual.

James Mitchell (above) is curently Sub-Organist at Gloucester Cathedral, and a prize-winning composer. He noticed that traditional orchestration textbooks were of little help (and sometimes downright wrong) when it comes to the organ, leading to composers understandably to avoid the instrument.

So in The Pipe Organ, A Composer’s Guide he debunks common myths about the instrument, and discusses the common ‘mistakes’ that non-organist composers often make. He includes practical advice for composers on getting their organ music performed, discusses the history of the instrument in relation to the church, the organ in ensembles, and other types of organ such as the harmonium, theatre organ and Hammond organ. There are many multiple musical examples from across the history of organ repertoire, with a particular focus on contemporary composers and music.

A substantial chapter is given over to registration, and this chapter in particular makes excellent reading for any beginner organist getting to grips with the instrument, giving them an overview of the art of registration (including couplers, pistons and modern sophisticated registration aids) with plenty of real examples from the repertoire.

The companion website to the book provided by OUP gives video demonstrations, chapter summaries, sample organ stop-lists and other useful further resources.

Judith Weir, Master of the King’s Music, and a notable composer for the organ, comments that this book is ‘essential reading for music creators, and fills a significant gap.’ In summing up, Mitchell hopes that his book will show ‘not just what organ music was, or what it is, but what it can be.’

The Pipe Organ, A Composer’s Guide
James Mitchell