stephenzzz wrote:Maybe in the future I'll be a but more "daring" as I was in my teens and twenty-somethings!
Funnily enough I last played this piece in church when I was in my teens....that might be for a reason!
As to the original question, I think it's a wider issue (as others have said) - it seems that most churches of any denomination prefer quieter music before services, and blow-your-socks-off pieces afterwards. (I tend to be a little more 'reckless' before weddings!)
I think I would shy away from playing that piece before services, it somehow 'feels' more like a concert piece to me. I might consider playing the fugue without the prelude after a service.
I'm enjoying this thread, it's interesting seeing people attempting to put into words the though processes we all go through when selecting prelude and postlude music...!