AGO Accompaniment & Collaborative Skills Flashcards

When accompanying a funeral service soloist performing 'Ave Maria,' which registration principle applies?

Answer: Select warm, soft stops (strings or flutes at 8') that support without drawing attention

Funeral accompaniment calls for warm, subdued registration that comforts mourners and supports the soloist without becoming the focus.

In collaborative organ playing, what is the purpose of a conductor's 'preparatory beat'?

Answer: It establishes the tempo, dynamic, and character before the ensemble begins

The preparatory beat communicates tempo, character, and dynamic level to the ensemble (including the organist) immediately before the music begins.

When sight-reading an accompaniment that has a sudden key change, the best immediate response is to:

Answer: Acknowledge the new key signature mentally and continue without interruption

A skilled accompanist mentally absorbs the new key signature and continues playing, maintaining the ensemble's momentum even if the transition is momentarily imperfect.

Which skill does the AGO Colleague (CAGO) level exam test under 'keyboard skills' related to accompaniment?

Answer: Playing from a figured bass or lead sheet in a hymnal style

The CAGO exam tests practical keyboard skills including playing hymn accompaniments and working from figured bass, demonstrating harmonic understanding in a practical context.

An organist accompanying a Baroque violin sonata should primarily reference which source for ornamentation guidance?

Answer: Period treatises such as C.P.E. Bach's 'Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments'

Period treatises like C.P.E. Bach's Essay provide authoritative guidance on Baroque ornamentation, articulation, and keyboard style appropriate for historical performance practice.

When an anthem accompaniment has a vocal score only (no separate organ part), the organist should:

Answer: Reduce the SATB choral score at sight, choosing appropriate registration

Reducing a choral score at sight — playing the essential voices and bass line — is a required skill for church organists working without dedicated organ parts.