Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 394 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Don and he writes: “Hello Vidas, Would you please provide your ideas on how to "identify a piece of organ literature by level of difficulty" and provide actual titles of pieces so that we, as organists, can make choices on our own when we want to study a new piece of literature. Thank You, Don” V: What do you think Ausra, do you think it is easy to identify levels of difficulty? A: Well I think that’s a nice question. You could write a book about it because it’s sort of what Don wants that you would provide a list of pieces with level marks on them and it takes actually a lot of time. V: Luckily we have American Guild of Organists (AGO) and if you go to their web site https://www.agohq.org and click on EDUCATION and then click on Educational Resources there you have interesting things. Basically these are lists of all organ compositions that for example Jehan Alain created, Johann Sebastian Bach, Guy Bovet, Maurice Durufle, and others but what I found very interesting is Graded Repertoire Documents and there you have of course not many but a few of them; Bach, Langlais, Messiaen, Rorem, and German music after Bach meaning romantic and classical composers too. For example if we click on Bach and you have this possibility to see a document created by Delbert Disselhorst, who was the professor of our professor Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra at Eastern Michigan University and there he has a list of most or all of Bach’s works arranged into four levels. So for example in level one you have Neumeister Chorales, of course Eight Little Preludes and Fugues, of course today it is thought that a student of Bach created these, not Bach himself, Pedal Exercitium, Pastorale, Alla Breve, Canzona, those are level one pieces. But of course they are not suitable for beginners, right Ausra? A: Yes. V: Too difficult for beginners. Beginners can only play something like a minuet when both voices move very slowly. What do you think about the smallest rhythmical value in beginner level pieces. A: I think it might be too hard for some people truly. V: Quarter-note, occasional eighth notes but with Bach you already have sixteenth notes and we advise to start with something easier before Bach and less voices than normally four. Basically two voices is the best. A: Yes but sometimes not the number of voices gives difficulty too because there might be some really demanding pieces even written in two voices for example duets for the third part of Clavierubung. I wouldn’t see these pieces for beginners even though they only have two voices. V: Let’s see if they have those here in the list in which case they should be somewhere towards the end. Clavierubung III is in the fourth level, in the last level but he writes “Many of the manualiter settings may be studied earlier…”, right? So duets could be studied earlier but certainly not at the beginning. A: Yes, but not number one. V: So Don and others were wondering about grading their organ pieces should understand one thing that real composers created music not necessarily for pedagogical intent and even if they did in those days, 200 years ago, the pedagogical aspect was different than today. The master would write something to you and the student would play it no matter what and today the student would say “No, no, no, it’s too difficult” and the master would say “Oh you poor baby.” A: That’s right, everything has changed. V: So yes, for level one obviously we need two voices and very simple rhythms, then you can either add one more voice and still keep simple rhythms or you can do two voices but with more advanced rhythms like sixteenth notes. A: True, but again three voices not always will mean the easy composition as we have example by J.S. Bach, his trio sonatas, they are one of the most demanding pieces in the organ repertoire and they have only three voices. V: I would find this categorization quite helpful for example in terms of how many voices there are one, two, three, four, or more, we have five voices, sometimes even six in the organ repertoire. A: Sure, double pedal. V: Right. Imagine six levels and then in each level we could have sub-levels in terms of rhythmical difficulties. What’s the smallest rhythmical unit, most commonly used note. If you sometimes see sixteenth notes it doesn’t mean that the entire composition is moving in sixteenth notes, just occasionally but maybe the most common rhythmical value is in eighth notes so that would mean probably a second level with eighth notes and the first level would be with quarter notes for me. A: But still you always need to look at the tempo, what tempo the piece is written in because sometimes you could have as small note values as thirty-second for example but it still might be not as hard as it looks on the paper when it is all black because the tempo might be really slow as happens in many ornamented chorales. V: Right. All those things you have to keep in mind while selecting your new organ piece. A: And of course look at the pedal part because it still for many people pedal gives most of the trouble. V: Right. And to be considered level one probably pedal needs to move slower than the hands. A: Sure, sure, probably in half notes. V: Half notes, exactly not in quarter notes. A: Yes. V: And in level two probably in quarter notes, and level three eighth notes and maybe triplets if that’s another disposition of rhythms and meters. So I guess you can get the idea of how to calculate the difficulty of the piece that you are about to study and your own level too. A: And you also need to keep in mind the coordination problems too because for many beginners it’s easier to play on one manual and on the pedal than for example on two different manuals at the same time and the pedal. This also might make the piece more difficult or more easy or when you have to switch manuals a lot during the performance. V: Then we didn’t mention the keys and the chromaticisms. A: Sure because the more accidentals a piece has the harder it is to learn to read music. V: The same piece in C Major would have lower level of difficulty than the same piece with four sharps for example. Umm-hmm. OK guys, we hope this was useful to you. Please send us your wonderful questions and remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
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Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 391 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Jay and Jay is on the team who transcribes our Podcast conversations. He wrote: “Yesterday, I played organ for my church services (don't get to do that real often). I had practiced the hymns during the week so I felt comfortable with them. During one of them, I made some mistakes on a couple of verses and it didn't go as I would have liked. By the time I got to the third verse I had recovered and it went well. So there are a couple of issues I continue to work on. 1) Volume pedals/swell and great on this organ. When I try to adjust the levels during playing, I have problems and make mistakes in playing. Working the pedals needs to be practiced, like everything else, I guess. 2) Control. I think everyone makes mistakes while playing, to one degree or another (maybe even Vidas—probably not Ausra though ?). The key seems to be, at least to me, how fast we can recover and move on through the piece. Gotta work on technique.” V: And another person from our Total Organist group jumped in and wrote: “Just so you know, you're not alone. I could have written your exact post from the last service I played. In practice, I did everything perfectly. I kept messing up one measure of a very simple hymn on that Sunday, though (Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty). Then, I had to close the swell box a bit because it was a smaller crowd due to the weather and I was playing a little too loudly for the crowd, and when I did that, I messed up the bass, because I didn't get my right foot freed up in time to hit the next notes. In practice all week, I played it perfectly, and even used my hymnal supplement's alternative harmonization with vocal descant flawlessly. On Sunday, I just stuck to the main hymnal because I felt less confident after messing up. I, too, will have to practice operating the expression shoes while playing. I have a really difficult time, for example, when I play Berceuse (Vierne) trying to keep the pedal playing going and operating the expression shoes at the same time.” V: Jay answered to David. He wrote: “Thanks, David. It's comforting to know I'm not the only one struggling with things like this, however, I'm sorry as well. Just gotta keep plugging along—one foot in front of the other, or in this case, one pedal in front of the other. Thanks for your response, and encouragement.” V: And I wrote: “Yes, Jay, practice swell pedal changes ahead of time. And in any place you make a mistake, mark it in the score, go back and play without mistakes in a slow tempo 3 times in a row.” V: Ruth added: “Hi, Jay. You touched upon a major point in your writing. "The key seems to be...how fast we can recover and move on through the piece." I have more background in playing the flute, but I find what you said to relate to the flute also. When I make a mistake, I try to recover almost immediately. Thanks very much for this.” V: Jay wrote to Ruth: “Thanks, Ruth. I play flute, and sax also. Recovery time on those instruments seems much quicker, than on the organ.” V: So Ausra this is a very extended discussion in our Total Organist communication channel on Basecamp. What would you add? A: I would just want to make one quick comment about the beginning of this question about making mistakes that everybody makes them and even I do make them (laughs). So it’s very funny that Jay thinks that I am not making mistakes. Be sure I am making them too, and too many actually. But as you wrote later, it doesn’t matter if you make mistakes or not, it matters how fast can you recover after them and how can you hide them actually. V: What do you mean by hiding? A: It means that you don’t stop, you don’t change tempo, you don’t react to them during actual performance. V: Do you have to distract your audience like “Look, here, the full moon” and then you make mistakes and they don’t listen. A: No, I haven’t done that, maybe you have done that. V: “Look the pastor ate all communion.” A: Well stop making silly jokes but people talked about swell pedal, it’s a problem sometimes for me because at home we don’t have swell pedal and at church we have one, but for example during our study years at the Academy of Music all of the mechanical organs didn’t have any swell pedal so we just had to practice them mentally. V: Umm-hmm. To imitate the foot movements in the middle of the pedalboard to place the right foot. A: Yes and if you would think about the Schuke organ at the philharmonic building where our final exam of organ took place it has a swell pedal but it’s on the side of the instrument and it’s very uncomfortable. V: Like sometimes they have this shoe-pedal in 19th century organs in the very extreme edge of the pedalboard on the right. A: What I’m thinking is that when you practice music that requires to use the swell pedal and you don’t have it for example, you have to prepare mentally to do it. You always need to know in which position your body will be at a certain moment within the piece. V: Umm-hmm. A: So you need to think very carefully about how you are pedaling your piece. V: Yes, if it’s a surprise to you when you are playing an instrument with a swell box, if your feet movements are not comfortable that means that you didn’t prepare in advance and I’m talking about myself too. Sometimes I have to improvise my feet movements and swell pedal movements like that and actually improvisation does help here when you are used so much to playing music on the spot and adding swell pedal crescendo and diminuendo spontaneously then when the time comes to play the real organ composition which you practiced then it’s not that difficult because you practiced those movements millions of times in different situation, right? A: Yes, yes, true and in general I think when actually performing a hymn or any given piece of music the most important thing is don’t stop because rhythm is the most important during actual performance. V: Don’t repeat the notes. A: Sure, especially when you are accompanying congregational singing. V: Because people will think that they mess up when you don’t lead them. A: Sure and I bet if you would record your performance you would find out after listening to it that your mistakes were not as bad as it seemed to you at that particular moment. V: Hmm. Another good thought. Thank you guys for listening and for sending your wonderful questions, we love helping you grow. And remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 388 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by May and she asks: “Hi Vidas, by deconstructing the mode, do you mean improvising?” V: May is our Total Organist student and this was part of the discussion I think when she wrote something about the things that she is struggling with. I think the modern contemporary hymn setting and she couldn’t understand the texture in the course and I suggested to deconstruct the mode and then she wrote back what does it mean. Obviously improvising is something different than deconstruction. A: Oh, yes, I guess that it’s very different. V: It’s maybe the next step after deconstruction. A: I never used this term deconstruction but I think that’s quite a good term. It’s like analyzing it basically, understanding the mode. V: She uses terms construction, deconstruction, and reconstruction. Construction as a composer uses, he or she creates the music, the music is being constructed. Then what you do is take this music apart, you deconstruct it and then when you want to improvise in the style of that composer you reconstruct it. A: Yes, all these terms sound very much like in a building, in the building process, building a house, you construct it. V: So, yeah, the process of deconstructing the mode is simply taking maybe an excerpt of a couple of measures long and putting the notes one to each other in an ascending manner without skipping any notes and you will find a scale or a mode this way. Sometimes it’s a seven note mode, sometimes five note mode, sometimes six note mode, sometimes more, eight, nine, or ten, right? Mode or scale is sometimes used interchangeably in this meaning. Ausra, why do I say you need you need a short fragment, not one page long episode. A: I think it easier to analyze when you have a short segment of something because I don’t think you be able at the beginning to take things as long as a page long. V: I would presume that in a page a composer might use several modes already. Several maybe transpositions of the same mode. A: Unless you are a minimalist. V: Yes, but if you are a minimalist then your entire mode will be apparent in the first few measures I think. A: Probably, yes. V: That’s what I mean and what to do then when you discover the mode. For example you even don’t know the name maybe of the mode but you see that it is C, D, E, F#, G, A, and B flat. It has a special term by the way. It is Lydian/Mixolydian but May might not even know the name. What is the point of knowing this disposition of notes? What do you think Ausra? Would that help for her to understand the structure of the hymn and learn it faster? A: Of course, definitely because if you don’t know how a piece is constructed then it’s much harder for you to play it, to learn to play it without mistakes because some things especially when we are talking about modes they don’t make sense to us because we are much more used to that major/minor system. V: Umm-hmm. A: And let’s say natural major and melodic or harmonic minor I guess. But when we are talking about modes then some of the things might not make sense if you don’t understand them so it’s really nice to analyze them. V: And in general when people play a hymn or a piece of music without knowing what they are really playing, they are just looking at the page and in their mind they don’t understand what’s in that page, they just press the keys at the right time in the right space and it sounds this way, they don’t know why. I can always probably compare it with learning a poem in Japanese. You can probably learn special characters and how it’s written in Japanese, sometimes it could be transcribed into Latin alphabet and you would even read it and Japanese person could even understand I would say but you wouldn’t understand what you are saying in that poem. That’s the problem. A: That’s right. V: So that’s why we need to translate the poem into your native language or to the language that you understand and then once you understand what this poem is about the words in Japanese will suddenly start to make sense and you can memorize this poem much easier this way. A: That’s right. V: Is it a good comparison with organ music then? A: I think it’s a very good comparison because it might not make sense and you will not understand why are these accidentals are here and there and because you do not understand them it’s much more possible that you will make mistakes. V: Right. So what’s the first step that May should take? A: Well, since you are the master of improvisation I think you need to… V: But I’m not talking about improvisation here. She is playing a difficult contemporary hymn setting I think. What would you do in her situation? A: I would find out which mode it’s written in and then I would play probably just a single mode just a few times. V: What do mean single mode? A: Like a scale. V: Ah, notes up and down with one hand. A: Yes, I would sing them too and then I would find out if it’s a composer that uses transposition or not because if he uses transposition then I would play the same mode in other keys as well. V: What happens this way if you practice for a number of weeks, sometimes months, then you will start to pick up interesting fragments in your other pieces? I remember John from Australia told me quite early in his organ playing journey that suddenly he can pick up the dominant chord in a hymn, suddenly, or a sub-dominant chord in his organ piece. A: Sure. V: Or any other like short modulation here and there. Other things that are still difficult to understand for him but he would get a glimpse into what’s written from time to time at the beginning but then later on his understanding will broaden and broaden and he will be much better at this with time. A: And the same with the mode if you will internalize it really well then maybe if you will need to add a little introduction or to do some kind of postlude after this hymn if will be easier for you to do it. V: Umm-hmm. So May and the others who are struggling with this please try our method and write back if this works or not. It’s very interesting to share your experience with organists around the world. And keep sending us your wonderful questions, we love helping you grow. And remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 389, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. Today, I would like to read a comment from Jeremy and Alan in the conversation, and then Dianne later on joined, and Laurie, and Danielle. All of those students are from our Total Organist group. And let’s start with Jeremy. Jeremy writes: Jeremy: Concentrating during preludes and postlude. My congregation (and minister) tend to see this time as social opportunities rather than as part of the service. This morning the minister decided to discuss his week with the lector, who us seated two feet behind me. I opened the swell box at opportune (and musical!) moments until he decided to move on. Petty of me. How do you all focus when that is going on around you? V: Alan replied: Alan: I have a different problem with concentration: I don't have much trouble when there is activity around and I don't feel as though people are paying that much attention, such as during postludes. But during introits, anthems, even hymn introductions, I often lose concentration, get panicky, make mistakes. It's my lifelong struggle with performance anxiety; wIthout question my biggest challenge. V: I wrote, my comment here: The best medicine is to immerse yourself in such situations more often so that this anxiety could be controlled. Dianne added: Dianne: Alan, I am exactly the same way. The problem is that I now only get to sub on the organ a couple times a year, so I don't get too much practice at controlling my performance anxiety there. But, even when I started out on the digital keyboard at my current church, I would become anxious with offertories and hymn introductions. After 3 years, I am much better! It really is true - practice and opportunity is the answer to most performance problems… V: Laurie added: Laurie: I have a pretty good congregation, and the pastor would never talk during a prelude. But, sometimes if there are a lot of noisy people, I like to lift my hands and feet off the organ at a phrase break and pause a brief moment. The silence catches their attention, and for a moment, they quiet down....until I start to play again and then they start to talk again. It's very difficult, and I don't envy your position. V: And Danielle writes: Danielle: This situation has an element of a philosophical problem... are we playing a concert or playing a worship service? This is not an either/or easy question and will have a different answer depending on the denominations or liturgical traditions we are employed by! I do agree the ending of a service would ideally be more reflective for each worshipper and having a postlude supports this goal. Maybe than getting into a situation where you might be labeled passive aggressive for making pointed crescendos, you could have a direct conversation with the minister. And if this does not work, perhaps channel your energy into preparing these pieces for a recital and just work on improvisation for your postludes...if they are not listening, that gives you more freedom to explore and push yourself so it’s interesting for you. Good luck to everyone with this situation V: And Jeremy later added himself: Jeremy: I have come to accept that the majority of the congregation doesn't listen to the preludes and postludes I prepare. I have taken on the philosophy that this my contribution to an otherwise sophomoric service (in my opinion, the church I play for is moving towards a simple theology based on contemporary cultural references—the sermon two weeks ago referenced World of Warcraft). It is the distraction of the minister speaking loudly two feet away from me that is the problem. It is distracting me from trying to pay attention to what I have prepared. I am not the Music Minister at the church and have mentioned it to him. No changes however, and thus the passive aggressive organ playing I did last week. V: That’s a long story, but Alan added: Alan: I like to remind myself that nobody came to listen to me play the organ; they came for the fellowship and to worship. This helps me with my performance anxiety, and also reduces tensions around some of the situational things I need to deal with. For example, I am so single-threaded that it is difficult to avoid making mistakes when people talk to me, which often happens at the end of service because the console is right there at the front of the pews. Concentration can be a challenge, but I envy Jeremy his lack of (or control over) performance anxiety. Maybe I'll try hypnosis. V: So, that’s a lot of ideas, Ausra. A: Yes, it’s like a… V: What comes to mind? A: It’s like a podcast in itself, I think. You could let it be published just like that. V: Mmm-hmm. A: But I think we all experience this annoying feeling that we prepare beautiful music for prelude and to postlude and nobody… V: Cares. A: Cares. V: Organist is generally just tolerated. A: Sure. And I don’t think we really need to get upset about it. I think that nowadays it’s very important for people to socialize. And for somebody, the only place where we can talk and communicate and socialize with others is the church. So that’s what people do. V: Mmm-hmm. A: They come to church to talk, to interact with each other, and not so much probably to listen to organ music, or to what minister has to say during the sermon. V: Lucky for me, when I play the postlude at St. John’s church—and it happens very rarely of course, because I’m not a regular church organist, I’m just sometimes invited to substitute an ensemble when they cannot perform—so then I take advantage of the situation and play the organ all the time, except for singing Psalm, Hallelujah, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. Those parts that are really required to sing, I would play prelude, postlude, offertory and communion totally with my improvisations. And I’m very pleased that after the end of them, postlude, people applaud, almost, all the time. A: That’s wonderful! It means that some of them really care about what you are playing. That’s a nice thing. V: Maybe Jeremy and others who joined in this conversation, could try a trick—if they have a choir who is still listening to you, maybe, if they are listening to you, you could ask them to applaud to you afterwards. Like a reminder for others also to listen and to appreciate what you’re playing. A few times, not all the time but one, two, three times maybe, and then see what happens, if they stop. A: Well, but not all these choir members might appreciate organist and organ music. I remember quite a few times, when we, for example, were playing recitals or making organ demonstrations in Lithuania… V: Mmm-hmm. A: And other local choir members of the church, and they would stay after mass upstairs in the balcony near the organ… V: Mmm-hmm. A: And we would have to perform, and they would talk and interact between themselves like we even didn’t exist and we didn’t perform at that moment, and it was just so horrible. V: Mmm-hmm. Then maybe Jeremy could talk to the music director. A: That’s a possibility too. V: Mmm-hmm. A: That might help, might not. You never now. But I think it’s worth trying. V: And it that doesn’t help, I understand that Jeremy needs like a creative output in the church. He prepares for entire week and nobody cares and listens, right? That’s frustrating! Then, I suggest, somebody else suggested, right?, like playing a recital—separate event, once in a while. That’s a good combination. Or Jeremy and others who would like to have opportunity to regularly prepare in public and appear in public, could record their video and submit it to our Secrets of Organ Playing contest. I remember Laurie telling that, she is already improving in her organ playing, just because of that constant deadline every Monday. And this is I think, wonderful opportunity for people to express themselves if the church doesn’t appreciate, we will appreciate. A: Sure. V: Our community will appreciate their Youtube performances. A: And I think it will help for you also to improve your performance anxiety. I would say not improve but reduce your performance anxiety. V: Mmm-hmm. Yes… A: Then you will be doing that regularly… V: Yes, because... A: Recording yourself... V: Because... A: Admitting your recording. V: When you know that somebody is recording you or even just your smart phone is recording you, you know that you cannot stop—it’s a one time performance, and no matter what, you finish. You could play like several takes and choose the best one, of course. But each take is still you do your best in each take. And in general it’s a very good practice for controlling your nerves. A: That’s right. V: Thank you guys. We hope this was useful to you. Please send us more wonderful questions that you come up with. And your struggles, and dreams are very important to us. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 370, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. Today we’d like to review our 2018 year, and let’s see what 2019 might bring. V: So, Ausra, how was your year? It’s probably over by the time our listeners will hear this conversation. So let’s start with you. A: Well it was very hard year for me. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And I’m really lucky to be alive. And always on New Years Eve, I’m thinking that I wish that my next year would be no worse than this one was, but actually, on this New Year’s Eve I actually hoping that the next year will be a little bit better than this was. Because if I would get another year as this one, I probably wouldn’t survive it. V: What do you mean? A: Well, let’s not go into much details, but I almost died—July of this year, so... V: Mmm-hmm. A: What else can I say to that. V: Not too many listeners know about this but you were in the hospital, right? A: Yes. V: Mmm-hmm. And afterwards you had to go to… A: To perform a recital in London at St. Paul’s Cathedral. V: In mid thirty degrees temperature. So it was extremely hot and very exhaustive, exhausting time. Anything else, that you remember from 2018? A: Well this was sort of a highlight of my year. That July… V: That combination. A: Combination, yes. V: Afterwards it’s downhill? A: Yes. I, would just… V: Easier. A: Yes. V: Mmm-hmm. Yes, so for me 2018, of course with your health issues I was very much also affected, and was worried a lot about your health and even whispered daring to go to London alone. But it was both of ours decision that it was worth the risk and we went both together, as a duet. Do you regret this decision, of going to London, today? A: Well, no, I don’t regret it but because circumstances were so severe, I found London a very ugly city. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And now I’m not sure if it’s really so ugly or it seemed to be very ugly because I was so sick. V: And when we wrote about it afterwards, some people actually shared our opinion. A: Yes. V: So maybe it’s not entirely your vision of your mind. A: No. V: Hallucinations. Yes. London has changed after the 2nd World War a lot, and... A: Have you seen it before, that you are talking like this? V: I was there, 3,000 years ago, like the king of elves, said in ‘The Lord of the Rings’, to Gandalf, I think. A: You’re watching to many movies. You need to practice more organ. V: Alright. Talking about practicing, my 2018 was interesting in the way that I was used to going to my church and practicing in the morning and putting videos on Youtube, especially those in slow tempos, so that our team of some transcribers could then later make fingering and pedaling out of those videos, which are proven to be helpful to our students all over the world. What else can I say? It’s interesting to see the community of Total Organists come alive with our Basecamp communication channel. Because every day, they get this question ‘what they’re working on today’, and they can comment, give feedback, what they’re struggling with, what they’re working on. At the end of the week they get the question ‘what they were struggling with’, what the challenges were. At the beginning of the week, they get the question, what are their goals for the week for them. And this communication with them, because it’s internal with the entire group, everybody can see them, and it’s so empowering for a lot of people who participate in this discussion. Of course there are people who tend to be silent and prefer not to get involved with others and prefer to learn on their own, which is fine. But those who do choose to communicate as a group, tell me that it’s very motivating to practice and to keep posting their answers, because we all grow together. A: That’s right. I think it’s very important to motivate each other, and help each other. V: Well it’s my own experience also, in many other initiatives that I was taking earlier in life. I dropped them because I was alone. I didn’t finish my Swedish language learning process because I was alone. I didn’t finish my Shotokan Karate training because I was alone. And many other things, right? But what I didn’t drop, so far, is drawing and posting comic—Pinky and Spiky comics on Steemit platform. And why? Because there is community there. We participate in contests, and we also organize Pinky and Spiky contests ourselves. And that’s also very motivating to keep going. It’s just one of side of my hobby, right? So the same is for organ playing, I believe, for people that want to advance. Ausra, are you a loner, or are you a team player, in your essence? A: Well, probably not so much a team player as you are, because I’m more introverted than you are. V: But I’m also not very well versed in dealing with large groups, like classroom setting, for example, it’s not motivating for me. But in a small group environment, it’s fine. Among friends, I’m well. People who are on the same track as I, are doing the same thing as I’m doing. I feel then comfortable with them. I don’t think me and you are so much different in this respect. It’s just maybe sometimes we feel that how we are perceived by others is different. Our perception is different. So continuing our discussion about 2018, I was really happy that Pope Francis came to Lithuania and I was chosen to play for him during his prayer at the KGB Museum. A: In general I think that September was the best month of entire year, because we played that wonderful recital in Banchetto Musicale festival, and also heard many wonderful early music performances in Vilnius, during that festival. And then you performed for Pope Francis. It was really exciting. V: And then I went to see Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra in Paslek, Poland, to see her play historical organ there, which was very exciting, at the end of September. So yeah, this year had very terrible life, I believe. July, I wouldn’t want to repeat that experience, and later on was easier and easier I believe, downhill a little, better and better I think. What about you? Do you feel that way too? A: Well, yes, but you never know what might wait you around the corner. V: We’re just talking about 2018 of course. A: Sure. V: So yes, guys, we hope this year was a blessing to you and you continue to be healthy and your family’s continue to be healthy too, because without health, good health, it’s very difficult to continue to practice, right Ausra? A: True. And you know what I learned after that recital in London? V: No. A: Well, and you know why I took a risk of going there and performing? V: No. A: Because I was very well prepared before that. Because, look before that recital—let’s be honest—how much could I practice? V: Uh-huh. You spent two weeks, I think in the hospital. A: A week and a half. But I already was sick before and then after that doesn’t mean that I was, I felt right away well, after a hospital. V: Mmm-hmm. A: It wasn’t like that—still feel the consequences of all that thing… V: Mmm-hmm. A: And I’m not completely cured, but, because I was really prepared in advance, that’s why I could go and perform. V: Right. So I think what you mean to say here is like giving advice for people, who are scheduled to play sometime in the future and they think that they have plenty of time to prepare, but in fact they don’t have plenty of time. A: Because you never know what might happen. V: Mmm-hmm. A: So you really need to get some sort of time pillow, I would say. V: What do you mean? What is a time pillow? A: I don’t know. Time pillow—that you put your time pillow and would not worry that you might be late to prepare for things. V: So yeah, that’s a great idea. Because we know from our close friends, sometimes they think they have time, but things change, situation change, and they don’t have enough time to prepare suddenly, which isn’t nice when you have to sit down and play in public—not a nice feeling. So every day is a struggle in your mind, in our mind, what to do with your time, what to do with our time, and to do what we can to practice today, not tomorrow, probably. Because you don’t know what tomorrow brings. So going into 2019, we don’t know what this year will bring, right? It’s hard to guess and predict. We we’re hopeful, right? That as you say, it might be better than 2018. For example, I hope that we will successfully travel to several European countries abroad to organ festivals, to play. That would be a great thing. I hope that our help will be better than in 2018. What else do we hope for, Ausra? A: Well, I’m afraid of hoping for anything, because I’m sort of very cautious about it. That if you would say something aloud, that it will not happen. V: Uh-huh. I see. A: But anyway, next year will be the year of the pig, and since the pig is my favorite animal, I hope it will be successful for me, and for you, if you will be nice to pigs. V: (Laughs.) You see guys! What do I have to live with everyday. A: (Laughs.) Poor Vidas. V: And my animal, favorite animal is hedgehog, and hedgehogs don’t have year for them, so we only have to be good for pigs. A: Well, anyway, I wasn’t born in the year of the pigs, but my mother is a pig. So if you will be good, nice to your mother-in-law, maybe year will be successful to you as well. V: Exactly. If your mother-in-law is happy, then the son-in-law is happy too. A: True. V: Everybody is else in your family is happy as well. Thank you guys for listening. We hope you will have wonderful 2019. Keep sending us your wonderful questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
Ausra: And Ausra! V: Let’s start episode 368 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Nancy, and she writes: Thank you for the information, Vidas. I have followed the suggestions on the link, and I think all is well with my Total Organist subscription. You asked about my playing now. There are two issues that I am dealing with: (1) The first, and most important, issue is my physical limitations. I have been muddling along as best I can, playing almost exclusively on manuals--not how I like it to be, at all, and certainly not how I learned to play the organ fifty years ago. Unfortunately, there is at least one level of my lumbar spine (at L-4) where the nerve into my right leg is compressed by severe arthritis. Until I have major surgery to release the compressed nerve, I simply can't cope with the pain in my right leg and lower back long enough to return to pedal-playing. The medical testing to locate exactly where the anomalies are, has been ongoing since early this past spring; the neurosurgeon to whom I have entrusted my care is in no hurry to operate. This is a long-standing problem that affects not only my organ-playing, but also my ability to carry on the ordinary activities of daily life. (2) The second issue is that this coming Sunday is the last day the congregation of my church will worship in the sanctuary for several months. To save money on heating, for the past ten years we have vacated the sanctuary after the last Sunday in December and moved into a much smaller space in our Vestry, where we have worshiped through Epiphany and most of Lent. Return to the sanctuary is on Palm Sunday. For that period of time, music is provided on the piano (and sometimes via the pastor's MP3 player). Although I have a small portable heater that sits on the organ bench, the sanctuary is simply too cold to allow for realistic practice time. Having the heat in the sanctuary turned on up for practice time is an extravagance the church cannot afford. I effectively cease being an organist during this hiatus. My hope is that both issues might be resolved in the ensuing months, but that may be asking too much. I intend to keep up with my keyboard practice and to do as much with Total Organist as I can, short of actually having a pipe organ to play. As I am expected to provide the music for our winter worship services, the keyboard part can continue to improve. Just not with any registration. Or pedals. I hope this gives you at least a partial picture of the environment in which I work. It has been over thirty years since I have had any instruction, and it is time for me to get serious again--my love for the organ in our sanctuary is a powerful motivator. Thank you for all that you do to encourage those of us who try to be faithful organists while living and working in less-than-ideal circumstances. All the best for the New Year, Nancy V: That’s a long story, but quite a colorful description of Nancy’s situation, right, Ausra? A: Yes, it’s fascinating, and I can only guess how many organists would share the same experience, or similar experience, because if we are talking about a back problem, about a spine problem, I think it’s very common nowadays, not only for organists, but in general for people who are working with their computer every day. I think they have a lot of trouble with their spines. But that’s a serious thing! And all those surgeries, they are quite a risky thing for the back, because it might help, but it might also hurt. V: Do you think that swimming is an activity that might be beneficial in this situation? A: Well, in general, it is thought that swimming is easier and less dangerous for people who have joint problems and back problems. V: So you would say yes, probably? A: I would say yes, but I’m not a physician, so… V: So anything we say here has to be taken just as our understanding, not necessarily an advice, because we are not clinicians. We are not physicians. We are not medical doctors. And therefore, if we advise, for example, to go to the swimming pool from time to time, first of all, Nancy should discuss this with her doctor. A: Anyway, I think some kind of physical exercise is necessary for everybody, and you need to find something that works for you, of course, in consulting your physician. But anyway, if you have to do that back surgery, I would say do it now, and not later, because my mom was struggling with her spine all the time. She had various problems with it. And now, when she almost can’t walk because the damaged nerves will not allow her to use her right leg at all normally. It’s already too late to have a surgery, because her back is so problematic that no surgeon wants to operate on her and to take a risk. V: And this back, spine situation is because of her overworked joints. Not joints, but… A: Not joints… V: But joints too, probably. A: Well, that’s not her main problem. V: Are there any risks while doing operations like that? A: Of course! She might not be able to walk after surgery at all! V: I mean Nancy. A: Well, I’m talking about my mom! But yes, definitely, there is a risk, depending on which part of the spine is operated on. Because, if it’s near your neck, you might get paralyzed completely, full body. And the lower you go, the lower the paralysis might go. Like, let’s say lower than your neck, your spine parts will affect your arms, and then the lower you go, it will affect your legs. V: Yes, it’s a complicated issue, and all we can do is to say how, for example, Ausra’s mom is feeling. But it doesn’t mean that this applies to anybody, or everybody, it’s just her situation. And everybody should consult their own physician and neurosurgeon. A: But still, my mom does exercises every morning, so… V: What kind of exercises? A: Specific exercises that she was taught at the hospital. V: So it’s not like a regular yoga. A: Oh, no, she could not do yoga! V: But, some exercises might be similar to Pilates, right? A: Yes, definitely. V: But with variations, adjusted to her condition. A: Sure. V: So, Pilates might be another set of exercises… A: But anyway, we are talking about what we are talking about, but you need to consult your physician. V: Yes, of course. But we could direct…. A: Don’t pretend that you are a doctor, Vidas, you are a musical doctor, not a physician. V: I know! I know. But we are giving ideas about what to talk about with the doctor. A: That’s right. V: Swimming pool, and, for example, Pilates! A: Now, let’s go back to the organ, shall we? V: The organ! Which is a problem, because it’s cold in the winter, and the vestry is not heated for Nancy, so what would you do in this situation? Would you wear gloves and thick winter coats? A: Well, I don’t think it’s worth doing this, because I think the health is the most important issue for everybody. V: I see. A: And, you don’t need to sacrifice your body just to be able to practice the organ. I wouldn’t do it. Maybe 20 years ago, yes, but not now. And I would not suggest anybody to sacrifice themselves and just be able to play the pipe organ. What I would do is that I would check in the neighborhood to see if there is the possibility to get access to an organ which is in a heated room. V: In another church, maybe? A: Yes. V: With pedals! What about practicing on the keyboard that she’s already doing, but taking advantage of what a keyboard can offer? For example, she’s already our Total Organist student, and we have courses on music theory and harmony! Would that be a good activity during winter months? A: Of course, it will never hurt, knowing more music theory and harmony. V: And especially now, because she is kind of not limited to learning music for church. It’s like a short break from church for several months, and imagine in the warmer times, she would have to prepare hymns and church music for services every week, probably. And then, she wouldn’t have much time to do theory and harmony. But now, there is an isolated period of time where she has access to a keyboard, but not necessarily a deadline to work on hymns or music for church. I mean, that could be a great time to develop her theory and harmony skills. A: Yes, I think so, plus if you have access to the piano, it means you can keep in good shape with your manual technique, and this is also very important. V: Exactly. So, everybody who is with physical limitations or a situation where pedals are not available could find some creative ways to practice, and I think the most important thing is the will to improve. “Where there is a will, there is a way,” they say. A: That’s right. Sometimes even people with great disabilities do great things and create art. V: And maybe there is hope is that those problems and challenges might be temporary. Maybe she will transfer to the warmer environment later on. Maybe that operation will be successful on her back, and she won’t have those physical limitations. This is hope for the future, but in the meantime, she and others could do what they can, and consult their physicians, of course. Thank you guys, this was Vidas! A: And Ausra! V: Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen!
Happy Groundhog Day! Are you eager for winter to end? We sure are...
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 392, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Ariane, who is our Total Organist student. And, she writes: I’ve been sight-reading some hymns from Bach‘s Christmas Oratorium. Why are his hymns just so special? They always give me goosebumps. V: She means probably choral harmonizations. A: Yes. I guess that’s what she means. V: And not only from Christmas Oratorium, probably in general, Bach’s choral harmonizations, from the cantatas, are very special. A: True. If I would have to answer such a question, I would say that if you think about Bach’s harmonic language, it’s very sophisticated, because he uses a lot of extra notes. V: Non-choral notes. A: Non-chordal notes. Probably much more than other composers, his contemporary composers, his predecessors. So that’s what I think maybe makes his chorals so not forgettable. V: What do you mean by non-chordal notes? What kind of notes could it be? A: Well, all kinds. He uses all the possible… V: Mmm-hmm. A: Variations. V: Such as? A: Well, now you are making, giving me a hard time because it’s really hard for me to use these all harmonic notes in English. V: Passing tones. A: Passing tones, neighboring tones, escape tones… V: Uh-huh. A: That can be at a… V: Suspensions. A: Of course many suspensions. And not in one voice but sometimes in all the voices he uses suspensions at the same time. V: Uh-huh. Maybe one voice doesn’t have suspension, to have the beat on time, and them the other three could have suspension. A: Yes, and he uses also these chords that gives such a nice color to the harmony, such as Neapolitan six chords, and all that secondary dominant chords. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And double dominant chords. V: So this is advanced harmony. A: Sure. Sure. V: Third year of harmony—in your school. A: Well, I don’t think my students would be able to analyze rightly Bach chorales. V: Mmm-hmm. Probably college level harmony. A: Well, definitely not in Lithuanian Academy of Music, that is not as it is right now. V: Mmm-hmm. A: But yes, college level harmony. V: You know, Bach never wrote a harmony textbook. A: Well, that’s why he left so much wonderful music. Instead of writing books, he composed music. So we can take his musical examples as books and study them. V: It is true that he did write a short guide and rules for harmonizing and playing the thorough base, right? I think maybe ten or twelve precepts, like rules—what to avoid. But it’s very short, like in one leaflet. But in general, nothing very extensive, and only his student Johann Philip Kirnberger together with CPE Bach, I think. A: Carl Philipp Emanuel. V: Yeah, CPE Bach collected his choral harmonizations from most of his cantatas, and published after his death in a volume called 371 Chorales. And this is like a testament of Bach’s mastery, plus we have to remember that most of Bach’s cantatas are gone. A: Not most of them but quite a large portion of them, yes, is gone. V: Mmm-hmm. Yes, so anybody including Ariane who is interested in Bach’s special musical arsenal and harmonic language, would do very well if they would pick up this volume of Bach’s chorals harmonizations and play and study and rewrite and transpose and internalize like that. A: But in general I think that Bach genius exceeded his contemporaries and in general probably, other composers of all generations. I don’t think anybody could compete on the same level as he was. V: Mmm-hmm. A: It would be a real challenge. V: And I wonder if it’s worth it. A: I don’t think so. V: Mmm-hmm. Like one time I submitted my seven choral improvisations for publication with Wayne Leopold, and this was my really beginning of improvisation practice. I mostly memorized those chorals and they became sort of written out pieces which I actually wrote out afterwards and put them, put a few of them on Youtube too (here and here), so people can listen even today. But the point is that I submitted the manuscript of seven choral improvisations. Those are I think almost all of, in trio texture, and I was so proud that I could imitate Bach’s style. But what I did is like, is what came out was like, maybe more of like Kreb’s style not Bach’s style. A: That’s fun. V: And a few months later, Wayne Leopold, the famous editor, wrote back that nobody can compete with Herr Bach, that I better create something original than imitation. And since then I think my view about composition in general and improvisation in particular, changed. I admire people who can imitate other masters, but in a long run, in historical run, fifty years from now, I think, like hundred years from now, what is more important, to leave a legacy of original works, not imitations. A: True. V: It doesn’t mean that I’m right or I’m wrong, and it doesn’t that other people shouldn’t have their own opinions about such matters. This is only demonstrates what I’m thinking at the moment, and I of course reserve the right to change my mind. Lots of things to think about, right?, on this gloomy, snowy Monday in Lithuania. We hope that wherever you are is not as gloomy and not as much snow as we have. Thank you guys for listening, for practicing, recording our suggestions. Please keep sending us your wonderful questions. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen! SOPP381: I have just started a new job and I find it extremely challenging to focus on anything else1/31/2019
Just a quick reminder that there is still time to submit your entries to our Secrets of Organ Playing Contest Week 5. Ausra and I are looking forward to listening to your organ playing. Here are the details.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra! V: Let’s start episode 381 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Ariane, who is our Total Organist student, and she writes: I have just started a new job and I find it extremely challenging to focus on anything else. And Erika jumped into the conversation on Basecamp too: I struggle with the same thing and there are times when I don’t get any practice in for a while. But I find that if I force myself to practice for 5 minutes a day, then I will be more likely to practice 10-15 minutes the next day and pretty soon my love for practicing returns. Until the next crisis ? Keep it up- I’m cheering for you ☺️☺️ Ariane replied: Thanks a lot for your words. I think I will start straight away with what you suggested. I am glad I am not alone out there!!! V: What’s your first impression, Ausra? A: Well, that it’s very nice that we have this Basecamp platform where people can share their experience and support each other! I think it’s very important. V: Exactly. If you are alone on this organ-playing journey, then it takes a very high motivation to persevere in lows and difficult times, but when you have other people struggling in the same way or similar way as you are struggling on the same journey, basically, then you really feel not alone, like Ariane said, and, you keep pushing through the bad times and hope for the best. A: Yes, because you always will have some bad times, like having a new job, or being sick, for example, now I haven’t touch any keyboard for eleven days already, I believe, because I have a sinus infection, and I have a fever, so, what good would practice do for me? Nothing, probably. So, I just have to go through all this stuff and then resume my practice. And, it’s okay. Things happen. V: Yeah. We try to take our minds and bodies seriously, and take care of them, so that they would take care of us! We don’t recommend overexerting ourselves, especially when people have illnesses. A: But also, the one thing that I understood about being sick, and it’s not the first time that I understood it, but as time goes by, I used to forget about it. And it’s not a good thing, because as Ariane wrote, that her job takes everything out of her, and she cannot practice, I think that none of us would need to focus on our job so hard, because a job is a job, but it will not make you feel better, and sometimes I thought that in my work I’m irreplaceable at school, but it’s so not true! V: You think that you are irreplaceable, right? Or replaceable? A: I thought that I was irreplaceable, but now I don’t think so! V: Because somebody else is working for you while you are sick. A: Sure. And plus, we had such a case in our school, actually, that one colleague of ours died just recently, and nobody at school knew about it. And, we have a sort of an institution which pays…. V: Social care…. A: Yes, social, like social care institution, and they called to school to inquire why they are still paying this person, because she’s dead already! V: But the school did not know. A: And that’s how the school found out about it! So that’s what your job does for you, that you might pass away and nobody will even notice that you disappeared. I think this is horrible. V: It is a little bit disturbing, how little… A: I think it is very disturbing, and it teaches us to take better care of ourselves, and don’t be so much tied to any job. V: You are not your job title. You’re much more. You are free to be whatever you want to be. A: I’m not saying that jobs are not important, and you don’t have to do it. Of course! It pays the bills! But even if it does that, you need to have some time for yourself and for your hobbies, and for your friends and your family. V: Exactly. And even if we are not talking about death, but what happens if you are no longer needed at the job, and they try to replace you with somebody else, somebody more personally appealing, perhaps, then you get kicked out, and what you do then if you spend decades immersing in this job and fully giving yourself to this position and work, then there is a sort of emptiness, and you don’t know what to do next. A: True. They have such an old saying in Lithuanian, that what people do with old horses that are not suited for work is they just shoot them. That’s not a nice saying, but it’s so true. V: Yeah, or make them into sausages. That’s even worse! A: That’s gross! Vidas, you shouldn’t talk like this. V: Alright, so, advice for Ariane and Erika, who are focusing extremely on their jobs and struggle with playing the organ at the same time: If organ is important to you, important enough that you will want to practice it from time to time regularly, then as Erika says, just do it for 10-15 minutes a day at first. Try not to skip any day. Even if you don’t have an access to the instrument itself, just take out the music in front of you, put it on the table, and play it in your head while moving your fingers on the table and your feet on the floor, pretending that you’re on the organ bench. Would that be considered as organ practice, Ausra? A: Sure. It could be considered. In general, I think that practicing organ is to give you some sort of satisfaction, pleasure. You need to find pleasure in your practice. Maybe it’s not very easy every time, when you are drilling, for example, hard spots, but I think if you find joy in practicing, you will find time for doing it. V: Exactly. Ausra, do you miss your practice now when you’re sick? A: Sure, but I didn’t miss it at the beginning, because I was really feeling very bad at the beginning of this infection. But now that I am getting better, yes, I feel the need for practicing. V: Okay, if you continue to recover, when do you think you presume to get on the organ bench again? A: In a few days, probably. V: Later this week? A: Yes. When we're reading this it's Monday, so probably on Saturday. V: Nice. Thank you guys, we hope this was useful to you. Please keep sending us your wonderful questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 369 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Luke and he writes: “Hello, I just enjoyed playing very much your fingered edition of "Variations on Dances" by Samuel Scheidt. I was wondering if you have any other fingered editions of other pieces by north German baroque composers, such as Scheidt, Scheidemann, or Sweelinck, or if you were planning to make any more. My skill level is somewhere between beginner and intermediate, I would think. I am playing a one manual positive with pedal. Thank you! Luke” V: Ausra, what do you say, why do you say people like north German baroque composers such as Scheidt, Scheidemann, Sweelinck, Buxtehude, Tunder. A: Well because we agreed they are my favorites too although I don’t know if these composers would be my favorites if I would play one manual positiv organ without pedal because in general these composers are known for creating music, not all of them but most of them, for creating compositions for large organs. Look at those north German organs with big pedal power and multiple manuals, not positiv. V: Especially Scheidemann. A: Yes, especially Scheidemann. Not so much Scheidt of course and Sweelinck. Those could be done on one manual positiv. Oh, he has pedal, yes, with pedal. But still for most of Scheidemann’s compositions you would need at least two keyboards, two manuals. V: Umm-hmm. So later on Luke found other scores and he bought Fantasia Chromatica by Sweelinck, Benedicamus by Samuel Scheidt, Da Pacem by Sweelinck and More Palatino by Sweelinck. Then he wrote that he wanted to find even more scores. He is hungry for north German music in general. But it’s a good start I think. It doesn’t make sense to buy everything and only practice one or two pieces, right? Especially at the beginner level or early intermediate level. I think those four scores are plenty to start with. A: But that’s what many people want to do. They want to own something and they buy things in advance just to have them. Haven’t you noticed this kind of tendency? V: I know I have Kindle device for reading books and I have many books loaded up there to read. Guess how many I have read by now. A: I don’t know. V: A small part of them. Yes it is a problem I’m dealing with too because I have a big curiosity about various phenomena and it’s difficult for me to focus on one thing and I feel distractions everywhere. If I see a wonderful book, which is of course wonderful in itself, and I feel to urge to buy it with the hope that I will read it one day or someday. But lately I’ve been checking myself and I’m kind of focusing on the books that I have on my Kindle so that I would not be so distracted. What would you recommend for people, to buy more or to practice more? A: Of course to practice more but usually this is not how it works. V: Obviously when people are subscribed to Total Organist program that we have they don’t have to buy every single one, they can download one or two or four or whatever number they like and see their goals or how they fit their goals and then try them out and practice music that fits their needs the most. But that’s the beauty; they can choose whatever works for them without the need to invest in each individual score separately. A: That’s nice. V: Which is another way. Some people choose not to pay monthly or yearly membership and just buy what they need or I would say what they want sometimes. A: Out of these three mentioned composers which one is your favorite? Sweelinck, Scheidemann, or Scheidt. V: Maybe Scheidemann I would say. At one time I memorized a lot of Scheidemann’s music and tried to assimilate his style and improvise like Scheidemann. I remember my lecture recital at University of Nebraska, Lincoln. It was about mastering the composition treatise by Sweelinck but applying it to the rules of how Scheidemann would create. Dissecting the pieces of Scheidemann and putting them back together in different order and making it my own. That was my idea some 13 or 14 years ago. For that reason I had to memorize a lot of Scheidemann’s music in small fragments and transpose them. That’s why I feel kind of connected with him a lot. A: Yes, I guess when you spend a lot of time with one composer’s pieces you sort of feel like yourself while playing his music. V: What about you? A: I guess also Scheidemann is my favorite because his music is so sweet. V: We have this CD Recording by Bill Porter, it’s called “Music Sweet and Serious.” So Scheidemann’s music was considered sweet by his contemporaries and serious music was by Jacob Praetorius II who lived also in Hamburg. They were contemporaries I believe. They were both students of Sweelinck but Jacob Praetorius’ style was more grave and serious. A: And then Ranken continued the sweet style of Scheidemann. V: Yes, and of course Buxtehude later probably learned from Ranken and transferred this style to Lubeck. A: That’s right so out of those three composers I think that Scheidt is probably in the last place for myself. V: But you know, the good thing about Scheidt is that he is the only one of those composers who wrote a complete collection of keyboard works. A: Tabulatura nova. V: Yes, in three parts and it’s like a compendium of the types of organ compositions or genres that were played at the day in north Germany at the beginning of the seventeenth century and it’s very beautiful too. A: So I guess he had probably the most teacher and scholar approach to the music that he did. V: And scholars today believe that his style still resembles the most Sweelinck style. A: That’s right, yes. It’s very much Sweelinck-like. V: That why Balletto del Granduca or Ballo del Granduca sometimes they call it, was first thought to be created by Sweelinck and now I believe Peter Dirksen says it’s by Scheidt. So sometimes it’s really hard to differentiate both styles of those composers. Scheidemann went further with his diminutions and ornamented line in the solo part which of course neither Scheidemann nor Sweelinck was the champion of it. A: That’s right. V: Although they both knew it and especially Sweelinck when he got involved with English virginilists, virginal composers such as John Bull and Gibbons and others. They have those flourishes in the solo parts, in the bass and the right hand and Sweelinck uses two sometimes in his keyboard variations for example. But Scheidemann went further and I think he created those chorale fantasies with those ornamented versions of the solo lines which are very beautiful on large organs with solo stops. What would you say about polyphony of Scheidemann and Sweelinck, are they similar? A: Of course they both created polyphonic music but I think Scheidemann took a little bit different approach. V: Yes, and he probably made this style fitted for keyboard instruments as well because Sweelinck’s polyphony is basically totally local, taken from Italian theorists like Zarlino. A: Well yes, because you can find all those ornamentations and diminutions and all other polyphonic devices in his fantasies for example. I guess the biggest advantage was that Scheidemann used the organ in more various ways so definitely when playing Scheidemann you really need to have more that one keyboard which is not the case with Sweelinck’s music. V: But you know what I would say in addition to that because Luke fell in love with those three composers is that regardless of the type of instrument you are playing it on the music starts to speak for itself. It’s not like Spanish music, Portuguese music, or even Italian music where need to have specific instrument to sound it convincing, English music too. Otherwise it doesn’t transfer all the beautiful qualities. With north German music the music starts to speak on any interesting keyboard instrument regardless of the style and specification. Even if you have one flute it sounds beautiful just like with Bach. Would you say I’m on the right track here? A: Well, (laughs) yes and no. I don’t think that north German like Scheidemann would not sound well on any type of instrument. Be careful when you are telling things like this because it’s not true, not entirely true. V: So that’s your opinion. A: That’s my opinion. I wouldn’t play Scheidemann on Cavaille-Coll’s organ. Would you? V: Would you play Bach on Cavaille-Coll’s organ? A: Not if I could help it. V: (laughs.) Not if you could avoid it. A: Yes. V: I know. Yeah, that’s a tricky distinction we sometimes have to make. If we like the music so much sometimes we tend to sometimes play it on any instrument that we find and some people are fine with this and some believe that more specific instrument are needed to express the beauty of the music. But what I was referring it’s a little bit from a different angle that Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and English music let’s say in itself they lack those purely musical qualities which let’s say north German music has, and therefore when you strip north German music from the wonderful north German sounds they have much more left than any other I mentioned stylistic trends and Bach even more. I could play Bach’s chorale or fugue or prelude on my little positiv organ at home with one flute without 16’ but it would sound complete in itself because it’s thought out composition and north German is on this track too, not as complete as this, but more on this track that any other previous music that we know. I would say this. A: That’s why Bach writes it so much and took influences from this music because one genius knows another genius. V: Let’s say French classical music. It also lacks a little bit in color when we perform it on a different type of instrument. Not so with north German music. A: Well I would not judge so much. V: But that’s my opinion and I am open for discussion. OK guys. A: OK. V: Let’s be liberal here. OK thank you guys for sending thoughtful questions, we love helping you grow and see how long our answer was. Once I start talking I cannot shut up. A: Yes, because it’s about north Germans whom we both love. V: Just like when we started drawing Pinky and Spiky cartoons those animals start to talk and we have to shut them up because they wont’ stop on themselves. Alright, we hope this was useful to you and remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 386, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Rob. And, he writes: Hi Vidas and Ausra, 1: My dream is to play two or three pieces very well. I’m currently working on Gigout’s Toccata; and, thank you for the excellent fingering. There were a couple of measures that I just couldn’t figure out! 2: a) time, I’m a 45 year old at-home organist with some college organ performance training with a Johannus coupled to Hauptwerk on a mac mini, b) haven’t figured out a good memorization scheme (although I plan to use Dupre’s – again thank you for that information), c) I have played full time in the past but with my current travel schedule, unable to so I play for myself, family and friends. Cheers, Rob V: So the second part of the question is about his challenges, right? A: Yes. V: Time? He doesn’t have enough time. Then memorization is a challenge and also he no longer plays full time but just for his family, friends and himself. And his dream is to play a few pieces really well. I think this dream could be probably reached in a few months, right? A: Sure. V: Maybe six months from now. A: Yes, it’s not like, ‘I want to play complete organ works by J. S. Bach, very well’. V: Yes. Or ‘I want to become the best organist in the world’. A: Yes. We receive questions like this and statements like this. So I think sounds very reasonable to play really well two or three pieces. V: And the fact that Rob is using our fingering is a good sign, right? Because it takes a lot of time. A: Sure. And since Rob doesn’t have much time, so I think it’s beneficial to have fingering written in. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Do you think that memorization is really required for organists? V: No, but I can understand why people want to memorize. It’s enjoyable to be able to play without music. If he’s traveling for example and gets hold of another instrument, somebody says, ‘Hey Rob! Can you play the organ?’ And he doesn’t have the music with him, he could sit down and play from memory, Gigout toccata for example, or any other piece that he likes. Of course improvisation would help here too. A: Yes. That’s what I want to know more about it. V: Mmm-hmm. A: But it’s nice to learn to improvise just to be able to play something on the organ at any given time. V: Ausra, when you try out the instrument when you travel for example, do you prefer to improvise, or to play something from memory, or to play your famous harmony sequences? A: (Laughs). Sometimes I mix all of those three together. V: Uh-huh. A: Play a little bit of everything. A little bit of repertoire, a few measures… V: A little bit goes a long way. A: Yes. Then a little bit of improvisation, but you always laugh about them. V: Why? A: Well, let’s not go into it. V: Oh, let’s do. A: No. No, no, no! V: Tell me the last instance when I laughed at you! A: Well, you are laughing even now. V: No, I’m laughing at the situation. But when I do remember the time when you played something, and I laughed. A: Well, no you do it in a more subtle way. V: Oh! More mean way. A: Yes… V: Meaner. A: The motives that I used for my playing, you repeat them in not a very nice way. V: Oh, so, I sit down afterwards and I try to copy you. A: Yes. V: Mmm. So maybe you are my own inspiration. A: I don’t think so. I think you just want to expose me to ridicule. V: But nobody is listening, so there is no harm. A: But I’m listening. V: Maybe it’s our way to joke between each other. A: Yes. That’s what I thought about too. V: Yes. A: But anyway, those harmony exercises that your making fun of them, gives you some perspective what you could do on the unknown instrument when you don’t know any repertoire at all. You could definitely use them. V: I remember a few years ago, my friend Paulius Grigonis who’s now an organist at St. Joseph church in Vilnius, he, I think went on vacation and asked me to substitute him in his old church—the Church of Holy Cross. And this instrument has just one manual and the pedals. And I was very strategic about that. I said, ‘Okay, I will substitute you, but on the condition that I will record myself, and put it on Youtube, all those organ pieces that I will be playing’. And I insisted that I’m specifically will be playing organ music and not singing hymns. I would sing just required mass parts, like Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, in every day mass, but not hymns. I would improvise my organ preludes, postludes, offertories and communions. It would be like organ versets. Ausra, do you think that was a good idea? A: Well I think it was a good idea but I don’t know if congregation liked it. If those women, elderly ladies were used to singing… V: Mmm-mmm. A: hymns. Then I think they was shocked, were shocked by your improvisation. V: The shocking therapy is also a therapy, right? A: True. V: Maybe they will appreciate the real organist when he comes back. A: True. V: But I didn’t play anything out of the ordinary—anything too modern or anything too dissonant. What I played were versets like I said before, but all improvised. And I would record myself before every playing, and I was doing this for about two weeks I think, every day. Imagine that! So in every mass, I would have at least four pieces, and for the first two weeks in a row I would have maybe fifteen times four, maybe sixty recorded videos. And what became of that was the basis for my course, which is called Organ Verset Improvisation Master Course, I think. I recorded everything, put it on Youtube, and then later analyzed my own playing, what I did, so that other people could improvise like I could. And what I was trying to say right now is that my improvisations at that time were very structural and they sounded just like expanded modulations and harmony cadences and sequences. Like you are teaching. You are teaching maybe eight measure long ideas, right? Or twelve measure long ideas. I would just expand it into maybe twenty-four or thirty-six or forty-eight measures long. A few musical ideas put together, but it’s just like a second step after harmony. And people who studied that course said that they helped them to improve too, improvisation skills. So that’s one of the suggestions also—how you can improve your own improvisation just based on the harmony skills, nothing more. And you can actually demonstrate this instrument various stops, tryout different combinations, purely on improvised cadences and versets like that. A: True. So harmony never hurts. It only helps. V: It’s a basis and it was the basis for any tonal music composed up until early 20th Century, for sure. A: That’s right. V: So if we’re talking about Gigout, for example, Widor, Gilmant, Vierne, although Vierne becomes more complex, but still the tonal harmony is still there, with... A: Sure, sure... V: some variation. A: Although he uses many dissonance, but then still everything is very conventional... V: Mmm-hmm. A: In his music. V: Right. So what Rob could do, well, is to simply analyze his Gigout toccata, for example, or pieces that he’s playing, and write down the harmonies, maybe above the pieces—above the music, or below the music. And then try to play the chords—just the chords in that key. And then later transpose them. That would be wonderful exercise. A: Sure. V: Thank you guys for listening. We hope this was useful to you. Please keep sending us your wonderful questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen! |
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Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. Our Hauptwerk Setup:
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