--- title: Still Waiting For Inspiration? Several Seasonal Suggestions description: Still Waiting For Inspiration? Several Seasonal Suggestions --- [![AF-prelude-logo](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/AF_Prelude_Blog/AF-prelude-logo.png?width=181&height=52&name=AF-prelude-logo.png "AF-prelude-logo")](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org/) - [LEARN MORE](https://preludemusicplanner.org/) - [BLOG](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) - [SIGN IN](https://members.preludemusicplanner.org/) # [Prelude Music Blog](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) # Still Waiting For Inspiration? Several Seasonal Suggestions by [Jane Knappe](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/jane-knappe) Many of our Prelude users plan their musical offerings well in advance, but there are many still waiting for inspiration to strike. We polled some of our editors and other folks about their favorite pieces to play in the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. May you gain some inspiration from these suggestions! **From Norma Aamodt-Nelson,** keyboard acquisitions editor for Augsburg Fortress and Minister of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood WA. - In preparation for Advent, I usually pull out the [Augsburg Organ Library: Advent](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/search?ss=Augsburg+organ+library+advent&c=-1) volume as my first resource for gathering and sending music, and one special favorite I like is Alec Rowley's *Benedictus*. I like the way it builds to a *forte*, and then declines, it is the "perfect prelude." - A really fun offertory/voluntary is found in Barbara Harbach's [Gloria! Organ Music for Advent and Christmas](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/4456/Gloria-Organ-Music-for-Advent-and-Christmas) volume, *A Quodlibet of Carols*. - I like the majestic setting of *Helmsley* in Karl Osterland's [I Wonder as I Wander, Seasonal Preludes](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3487/I-Wonder-as-I-Wander-Seasonal-Hymn-Preludes)*.* - Walter L. Pelz, *Variations on From Heaven Above*, are also favorites. - I am playing settings of *Freu dich Sehr,* using Richard Lind's from [Fum! Fum! Fum!](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3978/Fum-Fum-Fum-Christmas-Carols-for-Organ) and the 2 settings by Hovland and Near in [Augsburg Organ Library: Advent](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3652/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Advent). - I'm using Lynn L. Peterson's *Postlude on Veni Emmanuel* in her volume, [Hark! The Glad Sound](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/4546/Hark-the-Glad-Sound), and Marilyn Biery's *Fantasy* *on Veni Emmanuel* in [Augsburg Organ Library: Advent](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3652/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Advent)*.* - And my all-time favorite Christmas carol offertory is Richard Lind's setting of *On December Five and Twenty* in his volume,[Fum! Fum! Fum!](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3978/Fum-Fum-Fum-Christmas-Carols-for-Organ) **From Andrew Heller**, Director of Music at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Ardmore, Pennsylvania - One of my favorite postludes to play on Christmas Eve is Timothy Albrecht’s *Angels We Have Heard on High* from his Grace Notes Volume II. Also from Tim Albrecht – *Go Tell it on the Mountain* from [Augsburg Organ Library: Christmas](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/search?ss=Augsburg+organ+library+Christmas&c=-1). - *Variations on From Heaven Above* by Walter Pelz is another favorite of the season. - For Epiphany I love “Prelude sur l’Introit de l’Epiphanie" by Maurice Durufle in [Augsburg Organ Library: Epiphany](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/search?ss=augsburg+organ+library+epiphany&c=-1&x=35&y=14) **John Schlobohm, Cantor** at Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, Minneapolis MN - [Blue Cloud Abbey Christmas](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/search?ss=Blue+Cloud+Abbey+CHristmas&c=-1)… seriously, a must. - [Fum, Fum, Fum](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3978/Fum-Fum-Fum-Christmas-Carols-for-Organ) – Richard Lind (another must have) - [Christ is Born](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3655/Christ-Is-Born-Hymn-Preludes-for-Organ) – J Wayne Kerr - [Cold December Flies Away, Carols for Organ](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/8563/Cold-December-Flies-Away-Carols-for-Organ) – David Lasky **Karen Kester Areheart**, Cantor at Nativity Lutheran church, Arden, NC - *Go Tell it On the Mountain* and *Infant Holy* from [Christmas Jazz Suite for Piano](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/8562/Christmas-Jazz-Suite-for-Piano) by John Carter - I have used every piece in Anne Krentz Organ’s [Advent Reflections for Piano and Solo Instrument](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3493/Advent-Reflections-For-Piano-and-Solo-Instrument), but the setting *of King of Glory* is really fun! **Some anonymous suggestions**: - I'm a fan of the John Carter [Merrily on Hig](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/1877/Merrily-on-High-A-Christmas-Piano-Collection)h book- - I loooove playing the *Cold December Flies Away* by Keith Kolander on the last Sunday of December, from [Augsburg Organ Library: Christmas](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3691/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Christmas) **Carol Carver**, Acquisitions Editor at Augsburg Fortress and Director of Music at Trinity Lutheran in Stillwater, MN - [Epiphany Caro](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3209/Epiphany-Carol)l by Bruce Neswick - [Out of the Orient Crystal Skies](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3155/Out-of-the-Orient-Crystal-Skies) -Richard Zgodava - O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright – J.S. Bach in [Bach for All Seasons](http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3612/Bach-for-All-Seasons-Choirbook) \*\**Note: Augsburg Organ Library collections are not yet available on Prelude due to permissions issues, but we are working on this and hope to offer them in the coming year. Meantime, the collections are available at the above links.* Need Inspiration for Lent and Easter? Attend one of [our free Music clinics](http://www.augsburgfortress.org/community/events/featured/music_clinics_winter2013/?redirected=true) in the New Year, or consider the [National Conference for Sacred Music](http://www.augsburgfortress.org/ncsm/). Blessing on your music ministry! -Jane Knappe, Event Coordinator, Worship & Music, Augsburg Fortress Publishers Posted on Dec 9, 2013 10:05:17 AM Filed Under: [Instruments and Ensembles](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments-and-ensembles), Filed Under: [Choral Techniques and Repertoire](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/choral-techniques-and-repertoire), Filed Under: [Planning](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning), Filed Under: [review-prelude](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/review-prelude), - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Jane Knappe](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/af-logo-gray.png?width=100&height=100&name=af-logo-gray.png) #### Written by [Jane Knappe](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/jane-knappe) Jane Knappe is the Music Events Coordinator at Augsburg Fortress. ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [review-prelude (87)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/review-prelude) - [Choral Techniques and Repertoire (56)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/choral-techniques-and-repertoire) - [Music Ministry (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry) - [Planning (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning) - [Assembly Song (37)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/assembly-song) - [Potpourri (32)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/potpourri) - [Instruments and Ensembles (19)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments-and-ensembles) - [Hymnody (14)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hymnody) - [music (13)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music) - [Uncategorized (10)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/uncategorized) - [COVID-19 (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/covid-19) - [Composing and arranging (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/composing-and-arranging) - [Coronavirus (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/coronavirus) - [News (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/news) - [Christmas (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/christmas) - [Easter (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/easter) - [Instruments (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments) - [Social distancing (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing) - [worship (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/worship) - [Advent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/advent) - [All Creation Sings (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/all-creation-sings) - [Children Ministry (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children-ministry) - [Lent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/lent) - [Summer (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/summer) - [gratitude (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/gratitude) - [Creative Arts Camp (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/creative-arts-camp) - [Cultural (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/cultural) - [ELW (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/elw) - [Evangelical Lutheran Worship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/evangelical-lutheran-worship) - [Holidays (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/holidays) - [Hope (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hope) - [Hospitality (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hospitality) - [Pentecost (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/pentecost) - [Psalms (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/psalms) - [Youth Ministry (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/youth-ministry) - [children (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children) - [culture (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/culture) - [devotions (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/devotions) - [john the baptist (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/john-the-baptist) - [joy (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/joy) - [leadership (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/leadership) - [marriage (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/marriage) - [race (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/race) - [relationship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/relationship) - [self-care (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/self-care) - [spiritual (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/spiritual) - [time (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/time) - [trust (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/trust) - [wedding (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/wedding) - [weddings (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/weddings) - [writing (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/writing) see all ### About Prelude Music Planner [Prelude Music Planner](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org) is the web-based tool that provides a wealth of music, thoughtful commentary, and time-saving tools for the church musician. - **Explore a wealth of music**. Search our database of congregational, choral, and instrumental church music by lectionary day, voicing, difficulty level, tune name, and more. - **Get the music you need, when you need it.** Preview the entire piece of music from beginning to end, and then download the parts you need. Subscribers will also receive a block of “points” to spend on our library of downloadable choral and instrumental pieces. - **Manage your church’s music library**. Organize your music library in one master location. 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