From my point of view

Organ Improvisation

To improvise — to invent without prepara­tion is the ability to imagine sounds in ad­vance. The sonorous image is a preoccu­pying concern of the improviser. ln that phrase we include beauty and roundness of the tune; its warmth, its depth, its edge, its balanced mixture with other tones, and its acoustical properties in any given environ­ment. The creation of a satisfactory aural image is not merely a matter of musical ta­lent or technical adroitness; imagination plays a large role here! The improviser can not produce beautiful sonorities or combi­nation of sonorities without first hearing the imagined sound in “the inner ear”.

Composers have always regarded impro­visation as central to the exercise of the mu­sical imagination. The ability to improvise depends much upon the quickness of in­vention as well as quickness of hand. Itis true that invention is a gift of nature, but much improved by exercise and practice. Good teaching can encourage sometimes quickness of invention.

© Tomas Willstedt