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The Internet as a Source of Organ Music |
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Jacqueline Mullen
The Internet has rapidly become a means of buying goods without having to leave home. Sheet music is no exception with many sites available online. The advantage of visiting a music shop is that you can look through the available scores and ascertain difficulty, number of pages etc. before buying. Editions may be compared prior to purchase. Online you may be fortunate to encounter a “song list” when buying a book containing the score you need. Otherwise it can be hard to gauge whether you are getting good value.
Organ music can be difficult to find at times, in particular some items listed on the Archbishop of Dublin's Certificate in Church Music. In some cases the music shops may not be able to assist. The Internet then becomes a very useful tool.
The most useful items when settling down to source a piece of music are pencil and paper. It can be most frustrating to visit various websites, find what you require on a couple of them and then fail to remember which site had the best value. Tedious though it may seem, writing down the URL and the details of price etc. (not forgetting the cost of postage) can save time in the end.
The following have proved useful when searching for organ music.
- Try putting the title of the item you require plus the composer's name into the search engine. If you are very fortunate, you will strike gold straight away.
- Enter the composer's name only. You may then be guided to a site which deals specifically with that person's work or find a link giving information on how to purchase his or her compositions.
- If you have an ISBN number this can be of assistance, however, I have found this tedious and not particularly helpful.
- Try a different country. St Patrick's Setting by Colin Mawby was readily available on websites originating in the USA in 2007. Upon returning to source this in 2008 it was nowhere to be found. It did appear, but on a German website. Recent searches have shown it to be available in Japan! One copy is currently available at the price of £5 from www.usedorganmusic.co.uk.
- Websites that deal in secondhand music can be very useful particularly if you have a number of items to buy and are trying to be thrifty. Care needs to be taken that you source a suitable edition, however. It can be interesting to note what other musicians have written in the margins or on the score in second-hand copies (though this may not be accurate).
The list of website addresses below is not exhaustive but will act as a guide. Obviously local sellers will usually get the goods to you more promptly but I have bought items from mainland Europe with great success. It can be amusing to receive emails in French or German assuring you of the seller's best attention and the advantages of purchasing in the Euro zone will appear on your credit card bill. Be careful though that Ireland is credited with being in the Euro zone. I have been charged in sterling when purchasing from mainland Europe.
Needless to say, some of the books dealing with various aspects of performance, tuition etc. may also be obtained online. I have found that the average music shop may not be able to help if you require a particularly specialised book; you will probably be offered an alternative by a different author. In this situation the internet is invaluable. It is also a wonderful way to be “busy” when other things should be occupying your time.
Students on the Archbishop of Dublin's Certificate of Church Music course may seek help from the Hon. Secretary of the Church Music Committee if difficulties are encountered in sourcing music from the ACCM syllabus.
www.abebooks.co.uk deal in all kinds of books but also a good source of music scores. (Editor’s note: abebooks is apparently an agency that has contact with dozens of second-hand booksellers in the UK, and they can source out-of-print books easily and quickly. They have done so for me.)
www.allegro.co.uk has a large stock of organ music and can supply organ shoes.
www.amazon.co.uk another source of music books.
Books on all subjects supplied.
www.chappellofbondstreet.co.uk
(Editor’s note: Callers to Chappells of Bond St (London) will find that they are no longer in Bond St. A year or two ago the company moved to 152160 Wardour Street (which is just off Oxford St. Chappells stock a great range of organ music and if in London it is worth spending some time there browsing their stock.)
www.cmc.ie (A source of contemporary Irish music).
www.oup.com Oxford University Press website
www.rscm.com Online discounts are available to RSCM affiliates.
www.sheetmusicdirect.com carry a small amount of organ music.
www.usedorganmusic.co.uk A good source of second hand organ music, books about the organ and some choral music.
Jacqueline Mullen is a music teacher and an organist at St Thomas’ Mount Merrion. She is a member of the Diocesan Church Music Committee.
If any readers can add to this list, the information would be welcomed by the Editor for passing on to others.
Parochial Visit
A rector decides to visit some of his flock on a Saturday afternoon. He knocks at a door. He thinks he hears someone inside, but the knock remains unanswered. He takes out one of his calling cards and writes on it ‘Revelation 3:20’. On the following Sunday the card appears on the collection plate with the message ‘Genesis 3:10’.
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Last Modified 10/28/09 9:12 PM