A List of Things to Consider When Selecting an Organ Recital Programme

And other relatable life advice

In my maiden Substack post three weeks ago, I discussed how to balance continuity and discontinuity in concert programming, using as an example my lunchtime recital at St Andrew’s Cathedral on 6th February. For those who missed the recital, I’ve attached a link to the video below – but first, I wanted to continue this discussion with a longer “list of things to consider when planning a recital programme.” This is admittedly a bit less serious than my previous email, and I’ll leave it to you to surmise to what extent these points are offered ironically. I hope, however, that it gives a window into one of the less-visible-but-equally-vital activities of performers, and the kinds of considerations (including the highly pragmatic ones) that inform this process.

So, without further ado, I present my non-exhaustive LIST OF THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING AN ORGAN RECITAL PROGRAMME:

1. Capabilities of the instrument (including stop list, action, number of manuals / pedals, ease of changing registrations, and the acoustic in which it is situated)

2. Amount of general rehearsal time permitted by your schedule

3. Amount of specific rehearsal time on the recital instrument

4. Audience admission fee

5. Recitalist’s performance fee

6. Architectural style of the recital venue

7. Likely audience demographic. This is a category all of its own, so I’ve divided it into the following sub-categories:

   • Median audience age

   • Predominant audience nationality

   • Average level of musical education (I say this with a dozen caveats, because I genuinely don’t believe it’s as simple as choosing between “accessible” and “elitist” music; BUT if your repertoire comes with a certain essential musicological “lore” in order to be properly enjoyed, consider [a] whether there is an opportunity for you to educate the audience in this respect e.g. through a short talk or programme notes, and [b] whether such an “educational” practice is appropriate to your recital or whether it might come at the expense of something else – time, continuity, or audience rapport).

8. Likely presence of people you want to impress in the audience (Your organ teacher? A prospective employer? Friend who thinks organ music is lame and who you suspect is coming just to be supportive?)

9. Likely presence of organ enthusiasts in the audience (who may be inclined to critique your interpretative decisions)

10. Proximity to key dates in the liturgical calendar. (Admittedly a very organ-specific consideration, but if your recital is the day before Pentecost, or on a Sunday afternoon during Advent, it could be worth tapping into the ocean of liturgically-proper organ music, both to situate your recital within a broader narrative and to offer a memorable reference point for the audience.)

11. Proximity to anniversaries of famous composers’ birth / death dates?

12. Proximity to other places in which you have performed recently or will perform soon. (I believe there’s an English saying about not repeating the same repertoire within a {SPECIFIC KM RADIUS} and {CERTAIN TIME FRAME} because of the likelihood of the audience being the same. I can’t remember the specifics, nor am I 100% convinced that it matters, but I’ve included it here just in case.)

13. Proximity to other events in your professional life. (Preparing for an upcoming audition or exam? Why not use your recital as an opportunity to “christen” your repertoire with the litmus test of a performance? It will reveal exactly what you still need to work on ahead of the big day!)

If you’re a musician, or an audience member, and you think I’ve missed something important in this list, please let me know by replying to this email or commenting on this post in the Substack app.

And now for the recital itself.