#AskVidasAndAusra 43 - What practice methods do you suggest for simple fugal improvisation?8/4/2017
Vidas: Let's start episode 43 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And this question was sent by Lilla, and she writes, “Dear Vidas, if you could accept my question, here it is. What practice methods do you suggest for simple fugal improvisation? It might be a good idea to practice it in your writing as well. A good source material method would be tremendous help and would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all your work. Sincerely, Lilla.”
Interesting question right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Not many people ask us question about the improvising fugues. Ausra: Sure, because not many organists improvise them. Vidas: Not many people are brave enough even to try. Ausra: Yes, sure. But as Lilla mentions in her question, that's a good way would be to write it down first of all, or basically start to analyzing other composer's fugues, just to know how they are constructed, then try to write some of them down, and then just go to the practical work. Vidas: Yeah, exactly. What Ausra is mentioning is, before you had any treatises, before you had any method books, and exercise books, what did composers do? They studied other works, they studied a compositions of previous masters, who lived before them. And they, of course, analyzed them and copied them note by note, and maybe arranged them for organ, for other instruments. Like, Johann Sebastian Bach arranged for harpsichord, I think Hortus Musicus by Johann Adam Reincken, these were for string quartets, also contrapuntal works and Bach studied this way. So, before somebody even wrote a treatise on the fugue, or even on contrapuntal imitation, improvisation, they worked practically, analyzing things and writing them down. Ausra: Sure, and you know later you could take Weimar Tabulature by Johann Pachelbel, (not to be confused with Weimar Organ Tabulature) that's an excellent source for improvising. Easy fugues, fuguettes I would say. And then the next step would be, probably to take the Handel's book. Vidas: Exactly, Continuo Exercises According to George Frideric Handel. Ausra: At the beginning, he gives the number to exercises of basso continuo, and later on he gets to the fugues, to improvising fugues based on the basso continuo. Vidas: What do you mean probably is like partimento fugue. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Where you only have the bass line, and the entrance of the subject notated in the bass clef. Sometimes the clefs change, but they also notate which voice has to enter and according to the principals of polyphonic imitation you add other voices, based on intervals. Ausra: Actually, yes. And after Handel you could proceed to the Langloz Manuscript. And actually this is much harder, much more complex than Handel's book. But after Handel you definitely can try to do it. Vidas: It's a very interesting collection of contrapuntal fugues, which are also simplified in notation, just like Buxtehude would write in his organ praeludiums and toccatas. Those intricate fugal sections, but you could write them in one line, in bass line, they're very lively, fast moving instrumental type of fugues, just like Buxtehude and his friends. Therefore, they're more difficult to play than Handel's. Ausra: Definitely. I remember doing them and that's very hard. Vidas: Yeah. Ausra: Very hard. Vidas: But if you practice them diligently (it's a big collection), if you do all of them, one by one, it gets easier. Ausra: Yes, definitely, just don't practice them all in a given row. You just pick up the easiest first. Vidas: Yeah, with slower note values. Ausra: Yes, definitely. Vidas: And also, these are primary sources, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Composer's at the day, in the 18th century wrote them as exercises for their students. What about a little bit later collections and exercises that people could practice? You know there's a student of Bach, Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg I think wrote- Ausra: A big treatise, yes, I remember that. Vidas: Treatise on the Fugue. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: That’s in English and in German it's Abhandlung von die Fuge. It is like an analysis of many, many, Bach's fugues, basically Well Tempered Clavier and even Art of Fugue contrapuntal pieces, it's like a predecessor of modern Treatise on the Fugue, and many modern Treatises on the Fugue method books, are based on this, right? Ausra: They are based on Marpurg. And because Bach hasn't left any written sources, Marpurg's book is actually about Bach's legacy. Vidas: Now based on Marpurg is a collection of exercises, which were practiced at the Paris Conservatory in the 19th Century and into 20th century too by Andre Gedalge. It's called Treatise on the Fugue, it has 11 or 12 chapters, and each chapter is based on one particular aspect of the fugue. Like the theme, the counter subject, an answer, episodes, stretto, things like that. It's indispensable for any serious student of fugal improvisation. Ausra: Yes, and good luck with that. Vidas: Now, do you think that people could benefit from practicing Marcel Dupre's Treatise on Improvisation Vol. 2, where he has an entire chapter on the Fugue? Ausra: Definitely, yes. Vidas: But it's for later, because Marcel Dupre himself advises people to go back to Andre Gedalge’s Treatise on the Fugue first, and write down exercises, on the paper with pencil first, and only then try to improvise on the organ from Dupre's treatise. Ausra: So basically, there are three steps. Analyze other composer's work, then try to write Fuges down by yourself. You can compose your own subject or you can pick up some subjects from real fugues and then try to improvise it. Vidas: Three steps. Very good, Ausra, I hope people can take advantage of this, and let us know what specific step is your favorite from this podcast conversation, what would you apply this week, and let us know how it works. And please send us more of your questions, and you can do this easily by subscribing to our blog at www.organduo.lt and replying to any of our messages, we'll be glad to help you out. This was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice - Ausra: Miracles happen. PS Our first e-book "Is It Possible to Learn to Play the Organ When You Are 56 Years Old" is available here for a low introductory price of $2.99 until August 9. If you have already read it, please leave a rating and review.
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Our first e-book "Is It Possible to Learn to Play the Organ When You Are 56 Years Old" is available here for a low introductory price of $2.99 until August 9. If you have already read it, please leave a rating and review. And now let's go to the question of the day. Vidas: Today's question was sent by Robert and this is Episode 42 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. So, Robert writes, “While comparing two versions of Franck's Offertoire in Eb Major, from the organist I noticed there are some differences in the score, hearing there they have naturalized the odd note here and plus other variations. Is that normal? I suppose they modify as to difficulty or based on level of competency. Thanks again, Robert.” Do you know this collection, Ausra, L'Organiste? Ausra: Yes, I know it. Vidas: Ever played yourself a few of the suites? Ausra: I have played them before. Vidas: For people who haven't played mastered or even sight-read this wonderful collection, can we recommend really looking at it and playing a few times, it's it worth it? Ausra: Yes, it's very worth it, especially for those who work at church, so they are suitable pieces for liturgy. Because they are not long, not too complicated and actually very beautiful. Vidas: Yeah, it's constructed very interestingly. It's sort of multi sectional organ suite and there are seven of them? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Seven and each of them starts on each note C and C#, D and D#, Eb and E, F and F#, G and G#, Ab and A, Bb and B, sort of chromatically, but sometimes they are put together into each suite and each episode can be played for any particular spot for the liturgy, right? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: It's like an organ mass, right? Ausra: Basically it is. Vidas: And it's all without pedals or maybe pedals have not complicated, you can add the lower part, the bass note if you want to do this optional pedal line, but you could play everything without any pedals? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: What Robert is asking in this additional Franck's Offertory in Eb Major, he noticed some notes are different from other editions, so is this normal, does this happen in your case, have you noticed these things and why? Ausra: Yes, actually, I had noticed it so many times, because what you will have to do would be to compare maybe another edition and to look to which one of those two or three editions is the most scholarly based. Vidas: Yes. Ausra: And then you would also read an editorial word, what editor has to say about things and know sometimes those scholarly editions are very expensive, so what could you actually could do is just go to a library to see that edition and then maybe know to write down, to take some notes to your own score that you own- Vidas: Yeah- Ausra: To do some corrections. Vidas: Circle some notes- Ausra: Yes, circle some notes, add some flats or sharps- Vidas: In red probably- Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: Remember Ausra, we did that with Klaus Beckmann's edition of Organ works by Tunder, I believe. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: When we studied with Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra at Eastern Michigan University, she had this collection and we played also from it, so she advised us to do this very scholarly work, or was it Reincken? Might have been both, right? Ausra: Both, yes. Vidas: Because, we played a lot of North German music- Ausra: We did both, yes. Vidas: So what Klaus Beckmann did in his time, in this edition, he changed some of his Tunder’s and Reincken's original manuscripts. Ausra: Yes, because some editors wanted to know to make that music to sound more like modern, more normal I could say. And that's not the right way to do it. So we tried to get back to the original resources. Vidas: Yeah and remember when a few years ago they discovered a copy of Reincken's “An Wasserflüssen Babylon”. It was Johann Sebastian Bach's copy. Basically it means that Bach studied Reincken's work and mastered them and assimilated this style and was influenced by Reincken. But what I mean that Bach's handwriting had those mistakes that were also present in Reincken's autograph that Klaus Beckmann corrected. Ausra: Yes- Vidas: And that means that they're not mistakes probably- they're original. Ausra: Reincken intended is pieces to sound like this. Vidas: What Beckmann did sometimes if you have a sequence and this sequence sounds like this and you transfer and transpose the sequence into other keys, so you maybe expect to do this every time the same in modern terms, but in those days composers did whatever they wanted and the fragment of the sequence might be a little bit different. Ausra: Because for our modern ears we listen to that major and minor system, like harmonic minor for example, we've raise the seventh scale degree, but in those days, you know the modal harmony was still very common, you know and all those ancient modes, Phrygian, Dorian and so on so forth so basically many compositions were based on those modes. Of course, they’re very influenced by major minor, but not as much as classical music or liturgical music. Vidas: Exactly, modes were still very common an everyday tool for composers. So in Franck's case modes were not necessarily the very prevalent tool. But think about this, this way, there are a number of Franck's editions and the first edition is maybe based on the autograph from the 19th century and then later in 20th century other publishers reissued Franck' works and published them again and some of them are based on the autograph and some of them are based on the first edition. Ausra: Sure- Vidas: And this is different because the first edition might have done mistakes. Ausra: Sure, definitely. We really need to be careful about editorial mistakes because humans make mistakes so that's natural. Vidas: Or sometimes Franck himself in his autograph might have made mistakes, but you never know, which is what so you really need as Ausra says to read the editorial comments. Ausra: Yes. I think that's the best way to do it. Vidas: So we hope this answers your question and for other people who are listening, please send your questions to us and the best way to do this is through our blog at www.organduo.lt. Please subscribe to get our daily messages or weekly messages, and you can choose basically the time that you can get them. You can reply to our messages this way and send us more questions and we'll be very happy to help you grow. Thanks guys, this was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember when you practice ... Ausra: Miracles happen. Just a quick note to let our readers know we're very excited to announce that our first e-book is finally ready!
Is It Possible to Learn to Play the Organ When You Are 56 Years Old (And Other Answers from #AskVidasAndAusra Podcast) Right now it has a low introductory price of $2.99 until August 9. It's dedicated to all our students who are 26, 56 or 96 years old and still continue to practice. If you love reading the transcripts of our podcast, we hope you'll enjoy it. Let us know what you think and share this message with your friends and enemies. Thanks for caring, Vidas and Ausra
Vidas: Let's start Episode 41 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And Ron sent this question to us:
"Hi Vidas and Ausra, You are the best teachers. The pedal training is really helping me to integrate my entire body into organ playing. It is a slow process, but well worth it. As you learn to slow down and get things right - which doesn’t happen overnight, especially since the learning process is very biological and physiological—it is as if you are learning to keep your feet underneath you, metaphorically. Practice goes one step at a time, and life goes one step at a time. I have a question, rather questions. When playing on the pedals, for instance, E flat then D, then C sharp then D, the D sounds different in each sequence. There is a sort of shift of frequency in the mind—the D sounds higher in the first as compared to the second of the sequences. However, if you start on the D and go to E flat, then D to C sharp, the D sounds just fine, the same frequency. I realize it is psychological. It reminds me of the phenomenon of comparative colors, where one color seems shifted a bit depending on which other color it is next to. Is there any explanation for that? Does it affect ear training? Is there an exercise to practice discerning notes like that? The most interesting part about learning the organ can be these small things. Thank you for your great programs!" So, interesting question, right? Ausra: It's a very interesting question. Vidas: Not too many people bother about those intricate details. Ausra: And not many people actually notice them. Vidas: What I think is maybe it has something to do with temperament? Remember, a few weeks ago we played in Stockholm on the old organ at the German church and it had this mean-tone temperament. And in mean-tone temperament, when you play chromatic scale, certain notes basically sound higher and certain notes - higher. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So if you play D, as Ron says, and then Eb and then D and then C#... C# would sound lower. Ausra: Sure, that's right. Vidas: Even though in D minor it would be like a leading tone, but C# is lower in mean-tone temperament and Eb is sort of closer to D. Ausra: Yes, and it also might be related to the position of the pipes in the organ case, too. Vidas: Exactly. I don't know what kind of organ does he play but if we have this classical C and C# pipe organ layout, then pipes are positioned in diatonic steps: C-D-E-F#-G#-Bb are on the left side and C#-D#/Eb-F-G-A-B are the right side. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: So, this means that D is one side and C# and Eb are on another side. Ausra: And depending if you're ascending or descending from that D it might sound different while going one way or another acoustically because pipes are standing on another side of an organ case. Vidas: That might be it. Ron also writes when you play D and go to Eb and then to D and C#, D sounds just fine, the same frequency. It's a different feeling when you go upward or downward, for him. But maybe it has something to do with some kind of physiological feeling what kind of note is next to each other? Ausra: That's true. For example, when I practice on the pipe organ, sometime I hear a principal chorus. For me it's the same as there would be human voices singing. Vidas: Yes. Ausra: I get this feeling. It's really strange. Vidas: And some people can really discern colors from chords. Ausra: Sure, like Olivier Messiaen. Vidas: And Stravinsky. And maybe Ciurlionis. Ausra: I don't know about Ciurlionis. Vidas: His musical works are so influenced by his paintings and vice versa - paintings are influenced by music. So the second part of Ron's question is "Is there an exercise you can practice discerning notes like that?" Can you develop through training where you can hear the sounds differently? Ausra: Well, some people might, some - not. Vidas: Yeah. It depends on the personality probably. Ausra: But I think Ron would be an excellent organ tuner. He could tune organs very well because he hears these vibrations. So that's an excellent skill. Vidas: Right. And of course it's not easy to hear it for regular people, so if Ron hears this, it's a gift. Ausra: Yes, definitely. Vidas: Keep it and practice by hearing vibrations even more. The more you practice, the better you become by listening differing vibrations. Even if you go to the church where somebody else is playing, walk around because you will hear different vibrations. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: For example, have you ever walked around when myself or other people were playing in our church? Ausra: Yes, and it sounds very different actually from different angles of the church. Vidas: How different? Ausra: Well, very different. Vidas: And what is different? Ausra: Well, everything. Vidas: Like what? Ausra: The power of the organ. The sound actually in some places is really loud but in other places it's quite soft. And in some parts you can hear different organ stops. So it's very interesting. Vidas: And even different pitches making themselves louder than others. For example, under one balcony or one column you can hear Eb, I remember very well. Or when you climb the organ balcony on this staircase, you can hear the pedal voices very well. Ausra: Sure, it's very interesting. Vidas: Acoustical marvels. Ausra: I wish modern architects would think about acoustics when they are building new churches because some of them have dead acoustics. Vidas: Oh, this is too much to ask, I think. A lot of architects even don't think about organs. Ausra: Sure, definitely. Vidas: Don't leave the space for organs when they plan the space. Excellent, guys. Please send us more of your questions and the best way to connect with us is through our blog, subscribe at www.organduo.lt and reply to any of our messages and we'll reply to your questions on this podcast. And make sure you also practice pedalwork, like Ron. By the way, do we have a course recommend to people who want to improve their organ playing? Ausra: Yes, we have. Vidas: Like Organ Pedal Virtuoso? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Because Pedal Virtuoso Master Course is designed for you to be able to play any type of pedalwork easily and without struggle. At first it might be difficult, right, Ausra? Because when you play those scales and arpeggios some people send us their feedback and they want to quit. And some people do quit but those who persevere later are very very joyful about this course because you can play scales and arpeggios legato, right? This is the basis for the modern technique and then you can really master any type of organ pedal line in organ composition without any struggle at all. Ausra: Sure. Nothing comes easily at first but you must put some efforts and then you will have an excellent result. Vidas: Wonderful. So guys, this was Vidas... Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice... Ausra: Miracles happen. #AskVidasAndAusra 40 - Identification of sounds to the appropriate chords is a problem for me8/1/2017
Vidas: Let's start Episode 40 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today's question was sent by Parvoe who writes, “identification of sounds to the appropriate chords is a problem for me”. Could you explain how do you understand this question Ausra?
Ausra: Well actually I think if I understand it right, that when he learning maybe a new music. It’s hard for him to tell by listening to those chords, if the notes are appropriate or not. So he is playing basically a correct chord, I think that's the problem. Vidas: So that's the hearing problem right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So imagine you are playing a piece, let's say by Bach Chorale Prelude, and in other words he cannot understand what does this sound, this note mean. Which chord would go with this sound, with this note? Does this make sense? Ausra: Well yes and no. The trouble might be, I see a double problem in this type of question. One thing might be that he does not know the keyboard harmony well enough and another thing that his harmonic pitch might not be developed enough yet. Because sometimes people can have a perfect pitch, and very good melodic hearing, but they cannot have like no harmonic pitch. That's different. Two type of different hearing of music. Vidas: Do you think that one is born with this pitch, harmonic pitch, or one can develop this over time? Ausra: Well, some people, of course we are born with that kind of pitch, but I think you can develop it and for people who play melodic instruments, like violin, flute, oboe and so on, usually they develop better melodic pitch. But people who play piano, organ, harpsichord, even choir conductors they develop harmonic pitch too. Vidas: Even guitar. Ausra: Even guitar, then you have sort of chordal structure, you can develop well the harmonic pitch. Vidas: So basically what you are saying, organ playing really helps to develop harmonic pitch. Ausra: Yes. But of course if that's trouble for you, if you cannot hear, if that note belongs to that particular chord, that means that you have to analyze music that you're playing. So just to study the harmonic progression. Play those chords separately. Maybe write the names down and that should help, I think. Vidas: Well exactly. What kind of chords are the most crucial in any tonal composition? What kind of type of chords? Ausra: Tonic, subdominant and dominant. Vidas: Three chords? Ausra: Yes and of course three versions and then all kind of other modifications of these chords. Vidas: Here is the thing guys; if you know the key of the piece that you are currently playing, and you know the circle of fifths, and you know those three types of chords as Ausra was mentioning earlier, tonic, subdominant and dominant, you can basically identify the meaning of any given chord. Not necessarily it will be very precise, you will not necessarily be able to identify diminished seventh chord and it's inversion or let's say six scale degree first inversion chord, but when you know tonic, subdominant and dominant, and you compare those three chords to any given chord that you are playing in your music, you will see that some notes will match. Am I right Ausra? Ausra: Sure. Definitely. Vidas: And then you can say, oh this is a tonic function, or this is dominant function, or this is the subdominant function. That's enough for starters don't you think? Ausra: Yes, that's definitely enough. And just be careful when you are learning a new piece of music because it’s very easy to learn it in incorrect way, the wrong notes, and then it will be very hard for you to correct it. So just be very careful at the beginning. Vidas: It's always very good to basically lead with your mind and not with your finger. Ausra: Sure. And in any given piece of music usually you start on one key and then the key switches, it can switch for a short time, but it can modulate for a longer time and then go back and travel through keys, so just know that tonal structure of your piece this will help you too. And write it down in the score, it will help you to learn the text correctly. Vidas: And to understand the meaning of the notes. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: And basically we will be thinking like this composer who created this masterpiece. Ausra: Yes, and after a while you will see some sort of tendencies like cadences, you will start to identify them and know infrastructure also help you to play music in the right manner, not to play like robot, but to play more musically. Vidas: Do we have any trainings that we could recommend for people to improve their harmony and analytical skills, Ausra? Ausra: Yes. We have some of them. Vidas: The one for example, Harmony for Organists, if you want to start from the beginning, Level 1. Or, Hymn Harmonization Workshop I think that would be helpful too. Or even Bach Chorale Analysis Workshop where you will learn to analyze four-part harmony found in Bach's chorales. Ausra: Yes, or you know you can on youtube just find my videos, with harmonic exercises which will be I think very helpful for you to try to play yourself some sequences or modulations. Vidas: Yes. Ausra: Or basic cadences. Vidas: Excellent. So guys please apply our tips in your practice and let us know for example, what was number one thing which was the most helpful thing to you this week and you applied it in your practical playing this week. This is really helpful. We would appreciate it and this of course will help us produce even more helpful podcasts for you. And please send us more questions that you might have, more challenges. We love helping you grow. The best way to do this is through subscription to our blog when you go to www.organduo.lt you enter your email address and you become a subscriber and you will receive this free ten-day organ playing mini course with our lessons on how to master any organ composition. This is very helpful in the long run. And then you can reply to our messages... ...Oh, you can hear our dog barking in the background. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Somebody is coming. So, we better run to check. Okay. This was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: Have fun practicing.
Vidas: Let's start the episode 39 of #AskVidasAndAusra Podcast. Today's question was sent by Parvoe, and he writes that movement of his left hand fingers always become a problem. Basically, he wants to improve his left hand technique, right, Ausra?
Ausra: Yes, I think so. Yes. Vidas: I think for people who are right-handed, left hand technique is always a problem. Ausra: Yes, it was, especially when you have to add to the pedals. Vidas: Are you right-handed or left-handed? Ausra: Yes, I am right-handed. Vidas: Me too, so basically for both of us, this left hand thing is tricky, and needs extra attention. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: All right. How do we improve this? How do you personally improve left hand technique, Ausra? Ausra: Actually, no. If I'm learning a tricky piece, a new piece, I not starting to play all the voice together. First of all I work on my left hand and pedals. This helps a lot, because right hand and pedal never give so much trouble as left hand and pedal. Vidas: Exactly. For example, let's take it apart. When you practice an episode of music and you have a tricky left hand part, you want to repeat this fragment with the left hand maybe twice as many times, right? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: To speed up this progress of left hand. Ausra: First of all, if you will play all this both hands together, so your left hand will still be weak, or weaker than the right hand. Vidas: That makes sense because let's say you practice 10 times right hand, 10 times left hand, and 10 times pedals, right? Everything really becomes better and better every time you practice, but since left hand is your weakness, it's still a little bit weaker, right? It's not as strong as right hand. What about, Ausra, right hand and pedal combination and left hand combination with the pedals? Do you need to practice left hand and pedals more? Ausra: Yes, sure. Definitely. Vidas: Also twice as many times? Ausra: Actually more times than the right hand. I never count and know exactly how many times I practice with it, but definitely more. Vidas: How do you know when to stop to practice this combination? Ausra: Well, when it all goes smoothly. Vidas: Until it goes smoothly? Ausra: Yeah, sure. Vidas: There is a difference between being able to play without mistakes, this combination, and getting it right every time. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Which one would you prefer? Ausra: Of course, getting right every time. Vidas: Right. That's actually what professionals do. They practice until they cannot make mistakes in a given episode, and amateurs tend to stop when they play correctly. Ausra: Sure. You know, of course, you can play exercise, a special exercise for a left hand. It helps also. Vidas: What's your favorite type of left hand exercise? Ausra: I would have to say that it's Hanon, but actually, personally, I like to play more like etudes on the left hand, something like Czerny etudes. Not always that technique which is suitable for piano technique is working for organ as well, but some of them actually work. Vidas: Exactly, because Hanon is usually constructed in octaves, right? Parallel octaves moving fingers the same direction, you playing the same things. At the same time, right hand improves with the left hand together. You can play Hanon exercise five times or 10 times, or even once, both hands improve equally, but you need to improve your left hand more than right hand. Ausra: Sure. Definitely. Vidas: Yes, extra attention is really needed. In specific pieces, as you mentioned, Czerny etudes and other etudes. Ausra: Of course, you have to play them on the piano, and in general for people who play electrionic organ, or electro-pneumatic organ work more on the piano, because it will improve your technique on regular piano if you have an access to it. Vidas: Just recently, we met our friend and colleague, Paulius Grigonis, and he practiced on the mechanical organ at Vilnius Cathedral preparing for his upcoming recital, and one of his first comments was how different and difficult it is to practice on a mechanical organ because he was used to playing this electronic organ in his church without pipes. Right? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: People sometimes forget the sense of real resistance when it comes to the mechanical action organ. Ausra, do you think that sometimes builders of electronic organs make a special keyboard which is similar to mechanical action? Ausra: Yes. Now everything happens. Yes. Vidas: They improve with time, right? Ausra: Yes, technology improves. Still, if you have another chance, choose a mechanical instrument. Vidas: Play with piano. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: So guys, we hope that this advice was useful to you, and please apply this in your practice, and to please send us more questions. Subscribing to our blog at www.organduo.lt, and when you send us your questions, also please indicate your feedback about what is number one things you will apply from this or any other podcasts that you listen in your practice this week, right? This number one advice, which is the most crucial to you? Take action and apply it in your practice and let us know. We'll appreciate it a lot. Okay, this was Vidas ... Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: Remember when you practice ... Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Today is the 38th episode of #AskVidasAndAusra Podcast. And today's question was sent by Parvoe. He writes, "Joblessness is holding back my concentration when I practice organ-playing." As I understand, Ausra, Parvoe is suffering, and struggling, to get a job, right?
Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Imagine that organ-playing is his, or her, in this case, I don't know, hobby. Not full-time activity. If you want to do the hobby in your spare time, you have to have enough resources. If he or she doesn't have that, then I can understand that this idea of, "I can't find enough resources, and money, and job to support myself," is hurting anything that Parvoe does, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Is it possible to dismiss those external thoughts when you play the organ? Ausra: I think you could do that. Then the organ-playing would become as sort of a therapy to you, but actually I think it's very hard not to have a job. Not to have money, because if you don't feel actually secure, then all other stuff just simply disappears. Vidas: Yeah, it's a foundation of our feelings. You have to have security of health, and basic provision. You have to have a roof above your head, basically, and you have to find something to eat every day. Maybe even support your family, if you have one. I can really understand the struggle that Parvoe is facing. The first advice literally is to ... Ausra: To find a job. Vidas: Job, or additional income stream. Ausra: Yeah, sure. Yes. Vidas: These days, job is just one of the options, obviously. If Parvoe is living in a country where finding jobs is difficult, then perhaps he or she could really benefit from freelancing. Doing freelance work. Maybe he has a skill, some skill that somebody else in the world needs. There is, you know Ausra, this www.freelancer.com. Ausra: Yes, I know that. Vidas: Platform where you could find jobs and even offer jobs to people, for example. If I, and you, need somebody to do some task for us, we could hire a person from another country, or from the same country, basically to do this for money. We would pay them, and they would submit a task and if we are satisfied we would release the payment, and everything would be a win-win situation for everyone involved. The vice-versa is true, the opposite. If, for example, I need extra income, I could search for projects to fulfill and to earn some extra money. Ausra: That's a good possibility now. Vidas: You don't even have to go outside your house. You could do this on your laptop. You don't have to have really advanced skills to do this. You don't have to be a coder or a programmer, IT Specialist. These are very well-paid skills. We know that. There are hundreds and thousands of projects where you even need to enter data. Some kind of word processing document. Or even search for terms online. Maybe translate something. Do you think, Ausra, that ordinary people could benefit from such a platform like www.freelancer.com? Ausra: Yes, I think so. Yes. That's now another opportunity. Vidas: Yes. Maybe additional income. Maybe you will find a job, but if you have spare time and you still lack the resources, and still feel insecure, maybe then check out www.freelancer.com. This is a really a global marketplace for jobs. You only need your PayPal account there and you will be paid in PayPal. I've done this, I hired somebody to do some task. It worked very well. The vice-versa is true too. Guys, I hope you understand that possibilities today are really endless when it comes to additional income streams. Then you will feel more secure about your hobbies, such as organ-playing. Ausra: Yes, and then you can practice and feel better. Vidas: With your concentration. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So guys, we hope that this answer was useful to you. You maybe feel inspired to go ahead and look at www.freelancer.com as one of the possibilities. Please send us more questions. We love helping you grow as an organist. And remember, when you practice- Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let's start the episode 37 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today's question was sent by Maik. He writes:
"Hi Ausra and Vidas. I listened to your last podcast, and then a question came to my mind. When or how to use Bourdon 16' in the manuals? Greetings, Maik." That's a very interesting question, right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that's a very good question. Vidas: Do you often use Bourdon 16', or any other 16' stop, in the manuals when you play? Ausra: Yes, actually. I use it quite often because I like it. Vidas: I think it's a good stop to add the gravity to the sound, right? Ausra: Sure. There are a few cases when I use it in the manuals. For example, when I have Pleno, and if I have 16' in the manuals, I usually add it, because it gives to the Pleno this nice sound of gravity. Vidas: Exactly. There is a specific instant in the Pleno with the mixtures when you must use 16' in the manuals. This is when the mixture is very low, has very low foundation. Maybe 4' basis. Basically, the lowest pipe in the mixture is 4'. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Does that make sense? Ausra: That's right, yes. Vidas: Like at St John’s here in Vilnius, where we work, this mixture on the first manual is based on 4' level. A lot of organists who don't know this sometimes use 16' in the manuals when they see the need, but sometimes not, with the Pleno, with the mixture. I think on this particular manual they have to use it, because the mixture is very low. Ausra: Also, another case to know when you can use Bourdon 16' in the manuals is, for example, imagine that you have no time to practice hymn playing for your service, and you still want to have some lower sound and don't want to use the pedal at all. You can just play, add the Bourdon 16' in the manuals and play it on the manuals. Vidas: Exactly. It's much easier this way, but you have to understand, we are not advocating for omitting pedals. It's just for emergencies. Ausra: Yes, it's just for emergencies. Yes. Another thing, when you know you can use the Bourdon 16' in the manual, for example imagine let's say, some kind of romantic piece, where you also have only manuals. Written for manuals. You have to have accompaniment in the left hand and, let's say, a melody in the right hand. You're playing on two different manuals. It would be very nice to have Bourdon 16', maybe Flute 8', in your left hand on one manual, and then to have something solo in the right hand. Vidas: It's like a Bicinium, right? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Bicinium. Two separate melodic lines. In the right hand you have this chorale melody, Cantus Firmus. Maybe without ornaments, or with ornamentation. You need this maybe a soft reed, or even a trumpet, or even mutation combinations. Even Cornet for the solo in the right hand. Then, as Ausra says, you need to have foundation in the bass with the left hand, so we add Bourdon 16' with the Flute. Ausra: Sure. There might even be some interesting trio texture in the piece, where your left hand might play as a pedal line. Then you could also use Bourdon 16', and maybe have a solo voice in the pedal played by, let's say, 4'. Vidas: Or 8'. Ausra: Or 8'. Vidas: The reed. Ausra: Yes, reed. Vidas: In the tenor basically. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: The lowest voice in this chorale setting would be the left hand. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: The left hand. Ausra: I think in the literature you can find cases like this. Vidas: You can even try to play Wachet Auf by Bach from Schubler Chorales. This way, basically the left hand would play the lowest part and the pedals would play the tenor chorale melody with the trumpet, let's say. Ausra: That's a possibility. Also there are composers who write their registration down, so if they were to ask for Bourdon 16', you definitely use it. Vidas: Excellent. Do you think that Bourdon 16' alone would sound well without any other stops on the manual too? Ausra: Well, sometimes yes. That's not often, but yes, I think so. Vidas: Sometimes when I improvise I need some dark textures in chords, and juxtaposed with some virtuoso melodic lines, flourishes in high pitch level at 4' registration, then I need to contrast it with darker sounds like to depict some different, darker moods. I use Bourdon 16', perhaps alone even. In the depth. In the bass register, so that listeners could get this dark feeling. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Great, guys. I hope this was useful to you. Please send us more questions. The best way to do this is actually through email. Subscribe to our blog at www.organduo.lt if you haven't done so already. Just reply to any of our messages that you would get as a subscriber. Remember to practice, because this is the most important thing, because when you practice- Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let's start Episode 36 of AskVidasAndAusra Podcast.
Today's question was sent by John and he writes the following question: "Do you think it's achievable for me to learn Widor's Toccata by March next year? My youngest brother has just announced his engagement and the wedding will be in early April next year. Several years ago, he told me he would love to have this piece at his wedding one day. It's probably beyond my technical capabilities, but I really want to give it a go for my brother. I played for the church service last week and everything went really well. You remember last time you ran the question answering series ... I asked about struggling to learn Tenor voice. You would be pleased to learn that I learned Tenor voice for all four hymns. So, I played all four parts for all the hymns now. It felt like I was struggling for a week with no progress, but I kept practicing the left hand and the pedals' combination. Then it just clicked, and it became together really well. Thanks for all your great podcasts, answering people's questions. They're great questions and great answers. John." So, Ausra, for starters, we're very glad about John's progress in church hymns. Ausra: Oh, yes. Very much, yes. Vidas: Because we've been communicating with John over a number of years now and he's been our most loyal subscriber, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Right from the beginning, starting from 2012. He started to play hymns in churches regularly, but his challenge over the time was to play four parts together. He's been practicing three parts, so he's been missing tenor voice. Ausra: Actually, tenor voice gives the most problem, I think. Vidas: But you know what he did right, he didn't double the base with the pedal like many people do. They play four part hymns with the hands. Plus, they add the bass line with the pedals, which is not right. It will slow down your hand and feet independence process. Ausra: Sure. I'm so glad to know that John achieved this independence. That's a very good sign. Vidas: Right. Ausra: Because he has patience and he's such a hardworking man, I think he might get to that Widor's Toccata in time because he still has a lot of time. So, if he will start to practice now and will do it every day, he might be able to play it for his brother's wedding. Vidas: Right, right. Now, it's the end of July. So, let's think about August. August, September, October, November, December, January, February, and March, eight months for one piece. Well, it's a little bit disappointing to learn only one piece over eight months, don't you think? Ausra: Well, it depends on your goal. Vidas: If it's a big goal like he has, maybe he can persevere but a lot of people will quit, I think. Ausra: Yes, I'm sure and I'm just thinking, wouldn't it be possible to find an adapted version of Widor's Toccata? I'm not sure. I don't think I have heard about it but- Vidas: I haven't, and it would be actually counterproductive because later maybe three years from now, he wants to repeat this Widor Toccata and his technique will be better by this time. But this easier, adapted version, I think you can find it online. You can find just about anything online now. So, for people who are really struggling but want to play it, sort of Widor Toccata adapted version, they can find, but perhaps we don't necessarily advise that, right? Ausra: Well, yes. John will manage to play it, then he will have an excellent piece for many occasions because you can play it for weddings, you can play it for service, like as a prelude or as a postlude. That's a great postlude actually. Vidas: Yeah. Ausra: And of course, for organ recitals too. Vidas: Yes, and memorize. Above all, memorize this piece because you will love it and want to keep it in your repertoire for a long time. Ausra: Yes, and I think it's a good piece to play from memory. Vidas: I think the most challenging part with Widor is hand part, not the pedals and not together, hand and feet together combination, but the hand part, this toccata movement. But remember, Widor didn't like people playing his toccata too fast. Ausra: I know. Sometimes, people go just like crazy, just playing like Harley Davidson tempo. Vidas: Maybe not even Harley Davidson but let's say, Yamaha, on this race. Ausra: Yes. It's really too fast. It makes that piece sound so mechanical. Vidas: So, slow down when you practice. Practice in fragments, just like we always suggest with hard pieces. Even practice hands separately now. Ausra: Sure, definitely. Vidas: That's the first step probably. Ausra: Yes, I think so. Vidas: In John's case, I think he has to make a plan. Eight months, right? But for his situation, I recommend to be ready not one month before wedding, but three. Three months will give him enough time to be secure with this piece. So, maybe to be ready by February, that would be great. February, March ... Or maybe even January. Ausra: March is actually the wedding, I think. Vidas: Yes, so maybe by the end of this year. By the end of December 31st, he has to really play this piece for his friends or family without stopping at the concert tempo. That's his goal. With mistakes, don't worry about mistakes by that time. He will have three months to get rid of those mistakes. But make sure you really make a plan to learn enough fragments for each day and refresh your previously mastered material each day so that day by day, you complete this piece. I think it's doable, even if you learn just one line per day. Ausra: Sure, yes. Vidas: One line is maybe a couple of measures in this edition. Ausra: Because in toccata, in the movement like this, there are lots of repetition. Vidas: Yes. Ausra: So when you will manage to, let's say, page or two, it will be a key to the rest of the piece. Vidas: Yes, it's like an exercise. Your fingers will get used and adjust to the difficult level of this exercise and will get stronger and stronger each day you practice. But Hanon exercises would be beneficial too here. Don't you think? Ausra: Sure, sure. Vidas: Just like in any virtuoso piece. Ausra: Also, I think it would be very good way to practice it on the piano, just do the hand part on the piano. That might help to. Because I found that with composers like Widor and Vierne and our great French composers that practicing from the piano helps a lot. Vidas: Because piano was the basis, basically, of the organ technique at that time. Ausra: Yes. VIdas: Yes, good advice. So, find a usable piano and not the keyboard, not synthesizer, not electronic. Ausra: Yes, not a synthesizer. Vidas: But real mechanical piano. Ausra: Because that mechanical feeling of a keyboard will help you to strengthen your fingers actually, to strengthen your muscles. Vidas: If your church has a piano, practice on the piano too. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Maybe you have a choir room, which has a piano. Not necessarily in the nave, but maybe in the choir room you can go and practice. Ausra: Because if you will be able to play the hard parts of the piano well, it will be well on the organ too. Vidas: Oh, yes. Ausra: And it shouldn't be so hard to actually add pedals. Vidas: No. You practice pedal preparation, of course, also. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Pedal lines, that's a big key. But other than that, just a slow, persistent and regular practice, that's the key. Wonderful. I hope this was useful to you, John, and other people who want to play Widor Toccata and learn to play it in eight months, let's say, from now. Make sure you don't worry about fingering. Ausra and I have prepared the fully-fingered and pedaled version of this piece. So, you don't have to write down every finger. We've done the hard work for you so that you can jump in and get started right away with correct, efficient, and persistent practice. Please send us more questions. We love helping you grow, and the easiest way to do this is by subscribing to our blog at www.organduo.lt. Then you can reply to our messages and send or ask the questions this way but please be patient. We get tons of questions. We get to your questions eventually and answer them, but maybe not the next day and even not the next week because we have a line of people waiting really for help. This is great, guys. Make sure you practice today because when you practice- Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let's start episode 35 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today's question was sent by Robert. He writes:
"Vidas and Ausra, I have a question for both of you. I am working on Vierne’s Symphony no. 1, movement 6 “the Finale”. What would be the most effective, fastest way to play the last part confidently? I am challenged a bit by the triplets moving against the theme in the pedals towards the end of the piece. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thank you also for what you do for the organ. It is encouraging and uplifting as a full-time church musician to receive an email each day from you. You're making a difference in this world. All the best, Robert." So, Ausra, you remember this last episode of this symphony, right? Ausra: Yes, I remember this episode actually, it's a beautiful sonata by Louis Vierne. I think you should answer this question very well because you have played this piece. Vidas: In my experience, Finale was complex not because of the manual finger work, right? Manual passages. In my experience the difficult spots were coordinating hands and feet, especially in the secondary theme. Primary theme was okay, but the secondary theme was kind of tricky where you have canon between one hand and the pedals. So, that was for me. When Robert says the last episode with the triplets ... recapitulation, I think? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: I think what's happening is that probably he needs to work on his manual technique more. Maybe Hanon exercises. Remember, Ausra, Vierne writes in the exposition of the first theme you have double arpeggios. Broken chords with sixteenth notes, sixth in one interval, and sixth in another. Sort of tricky configuration. In order to get this right you have to play a lot of scales with double-sixth. Sixth intervals in each hand, that will help you. That would be too difficult at first, then maybe you start with double-thirds first. So, Hanon has this good menu of exercises, collection on this. First part, second part, and later the advanced third part where you will find the scales with double-thirds and double-sixths. But the recapitulation is easier actually because these broken chords are broken into triplets. You have I think only first interval is a double interval and then two notes running loosely as a passage. It's easier actually. Faster notes, but not double intervals like in the beginning. What would you think in this case Ausra? Ausra: Yes, I would suggest that you would really have to practice probably just right hand and pedal, and then left hand and pedal. And place like this because if you have coordination problem that might help. Vidas: But you are talking about the secondary theme where you have canons. I suspect canons might be also problem for him, too. What about the last episode with the triplets? Ausra: Just practice slowly at the beginning until you feel comfortable while playing slow, and only then you will speed it up. Vidas: It seems that people sometimes don't have enough patience. They think that they play too slow, and they think that public performance should be very fast. It does, it has to be fast but it has to be gradual process. You don't get better overnight, I think. Sometimes, if the challenge is too much, do you think Robert might benefit from taking easier toccatas first? Boellmann, Gigout... Ausra: Well that might be a possibility too. Even maybe Widor's staccato is easier or not? What do you think? Vidas: It depends. If you can play staccato chords easier than triplets, then it's easier. But maybe Boellmann for starters? Ausra: Yes, Boellmann. It's a very good place to start. Vidas: I don't know if Robert has played this staccato or not, but it wouldn't hurt to practice easier toccatas first and then play more advanced finale movements by Vierne and Widor from symphonies. But, definitely do not rush and play really, really slowly. Enjoy this process, and know that with every practice session you are really getting better, but you might not even notice that. Ausra: And work on some exercises, you know it will definitely help. Vidas: Exactly. So guys, I hope this episode was useful to you. Ausra and I were really glad that, for example, Robert is finding our daily emails so helpful. If you want more advice please subscribe at at our blog, www.organduo.lt. Just like Robert you will get a lot of benefits from getting daily advice and inspiration. And when you subscribe, please send us your questions. We love helping you grow. But don't forget to practice. Because when you practice- Ausra: 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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