Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 355 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Tamara and she writes: “Dear Vidas and Ausra: Thank you so much for your instructional emails, conversations about certain issues related to repertoire and organ playing, and support. They have been so extremely helpful in my own work. I've been following/completing each email as best I am able to get the time. I work a part-time organist position, but also 4 additional positions (as pianist/conductor/teacher) in the music industry here in the U.S.! I missed the Black Friday/Cyber Monday discount on Total Organist, which I hope you will offer again around Christmastime! At that point I will take advantage of it. I will be very busy anyway until third week of December, so I will have time to concentrate on organ over the holiday break. I will for now purchase your edition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah, as well as the Karg-Elert Nun danket alle Gott--the latter which I played for our Thanksgiving Service two weeks ago. I will appreciate your take on the fingerings and pedal markings. Sending you both very best wishes! Sincerely, Tamara PS--I also enjoy your cartoons!” A: That’s very nice. V: Tamara is very diligent listener of ours and tries to apply our tips in her practice in her church service work a lot and this is extremely pleasing to know right Ausra? A: Yes, I’m glad she finds it useful. V: For people like that it’s worth doing what we are creating because these people like Tamara can really reap the benefits of their practice and they can help themselves and we’re glad to be part of this. A: And we are glad that somebody like Tamara responds to us back and we know that we are doing a useful job. V: And she says that she didn’t take our offer for Total Organist for Black Friday and Cyber Monday and she hopes to get around it for Christmas time. Will we offer it Ausra? A: Yes, I think we will. V: And Christmas is really not far away. A: Yes, it’s coming really fast. V: So when Tamara will join Total Organist and if other people will join together with her they can practice any course that there is in our repertoire, any material that they wish to download, any program that they find useful. We have music theory courses, harmony courses. We have improvisation right Ausra? What else we have? A: Yes, plenty of to choose. V: Sight reading, hymn playing, pedal playing. Just about any area from organ playing. That’s why we call it Total Organist. A: Yes, plus a lot of pieces with the fingering and pedaling written in. V: Umm-hmm. It’s really helpful. A: You know what I noticed when we were reading Tamara’s letter that she has so many positions as a musician. Do you think it’s hard for a person to have three or four part-time positions or it’s harder to have one full-time position? V: I would think that having one full-time position is easier than five part-time positions because then you can concentrate fully, give 100 percent in your one job. What about you Ausra? A: But maybe it’s nice when you have part-time positions then sort of you never get bored because you have to change surroundings all the time. V: And there are certain advantages, right? If you get kicked out of one position you have four more left. A: Yes, you have four more left or three more left. V: What do we call it? Diversification right? A: That’s right. V: And diversification is the path to financial independence and that’s what people in today’s world are striving for a lot these days because to be dependent on one full-time position is scary these days. You have the job and maybe your priest is transferred to another church and then you can lose it. A: Yes. So I guess it’s sort of nice to be a musician because you have all these options. V: You can be a free-lancer right? You can be substitute organist. You can position yourself as a person who can play services for other churches when there isn’t anybody around. A: And since Tamara also is pianist and conductor and a teacher it gives her broad perspective of things to do and I think it’s very often the case with organists that we play both organ and piano and can conduct choir and can teach too. V: Exactly Ausra. Would you prefer being a full-time or part-time musician in several institutions? A: Well it’s a tricky question. V: Like today I will explain a little bit situation. Like right now you are working at National Children’s School of Music with lots and lots of hours. A: Yes it’s a full-time, more than a full-time. V: How many classes do you teach? A: Twenty-six hours per week. V: Twenty-six and plus all the grading papers and additional… A: Yes, preparation and all that paper work. V: So it’s a full-time. A: Yes. V: It takes probably forty hours of your week easily. A: Definitely. V: And would you rather teach less there and do something else in other fields. A: Well I can’t imagine how I could teach less then I would get less money and even now sometimes it’s hard to survive from teaching full-time and plus I’m also a part-time organist at Vilnius University. V: Umm-hmm. It depends on where you live in the world, how advanced your country is and ... A: How we are valuing teachers let’s say because my country is not obviously. V: Just last week-end we had strike and demonstration of teachers and other unions in the center of Vilnius demanding respect for this profession, bigger salaries, lesser classrooms and what else? In general, more respect. Do you think they will succeed? A: I don’t think so. V: And the same week-end they had strikes and demonstrations in Paris, violence. A: Yes, they were breaking windows and burning cars. V: And our teachers just were protesting with bells in their hand and books and very politely. A: Very intelligently. But nobody listens to you when you are too polite. V: Yeah, you are right. A: But we are northern people, we don’t know how to protest. We had not thrown us off. V: Exactly, we have cold blood. A: I don’t think so, I think we hide our emotions inside. V: Oh, that’s why we have so many psychological illnesses. A: Yes, and so many alcoholics. V: Umm-hmm. A: And also you know… V: Suicide rate is quite high. A: Yes, it’s very high. I believe it’s the highest in the world. V: Umm-hmm. Yeah. Every country has its own advantages and disadvantages and you have to live where you are and make the best of it I guess. A: That’s right. V: Luckily today we live in a global world where we can teach, right? You can teach not only your school but teach globally in 89 countries. A: Yes, that’s a very nice thing. V: And anybody who has any sort of skill they can do similar things today and writing a blog and getting paid for it is so easy today with blog chain technologies. Just five years ago it wasn’t possible at all. You had to do what we’ve been doing, right Ausra? You usually have product or service in addition to your blog selling to people, helping in other ways who would prefer to pay you. But today you could just post your teachings online and the platform itself pays for it. A: I wish more people would take advantage of this and do such a sort of work but for me now seems that so little understands about it. For example we have so many teachers, some are friends you have especially. V: Alex, from our book club. A: And we are all in all teaching languages and most of them work at school or at university but we just don’t understand what we are doing and Vidas tries to explain to them so… V: I was once proposing to get our communication into the telegram group where instant chat and messaging services is much more efficient and flexible and easy to do and user friendly and most of them were stuck with email. A: Yes and Vidas was so persistent and he’s never tired of educating people. He tried so hard to convince them but nobody took advantage of it, almost nobody. V: Anyway you have to always be curious about new developments, about new technologies and how they can help creative people and I can tell you quite surely that there hasn’t been a better time to be a creative person. And we are all creative. It doesn’t matter which field you are in, teacher or musician or artist, we all are creating something from our brain. Ideas. We generate ideas and today is the best time to generate ideas and get paid for them. A: That’s right. V: So for Tamara, maybe for others who are also struggling with part-time positions you could actually look online and take advantage of new technologies, such as Steem, ONO, Whaleshares, Trybe and others and do what you are still doing actually but diversify your income even more than you are doing and actually get paid while you sleep. That would be wonderful right Ausra? A: Umm-hmm. Yeah. V: You got paid while you slept right for your cartoons, A: That’s right, yeah. V: (Laughs.) Pinky and Spiky. Thank you guys for listening. Thank you guys for applying our tips in your practice. If just a few people do what we are experimenting with and leading by example I think this is a good precedent and they can also start developing their own new ideas and create new circles. 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 356, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Jay and Pauline. They are responding to my blog post from yesterday about playing with pointed high-heel shoes. I talked about when one lady, beginner organist, came and tried to play with high heels and pointed toes. And at the end of it I asked what our listeners think, should she keep trying to adjust to the difficult of playing with these high heels and pointed toes, or should she just get a pair of real organ shoes. So Jay responded with following message: I think it’s better if she (or anyone) can get closer to a ‘real’ pair of organ shoes. I’ve found that it’s more difficult to learn and remember good pedal technique, when you’re changing shoes constantly on which you play pedals. It’s better to have some consistency. Some people may not have the funds to purchase great organ shoes, like from the Organmaster site for example, especially students. I don’t have a ‘genuine’ pair of Organmaster shoes either. I’ve thought about purchasing a pair of those, but just haven’t yet. Mainly because I had an older pair of shoes that I just had resoled—just had a leather sole and a higher heel put on them, and they work fine for me. Cheaper too! In doing that though, you need to make sure that if you just replace the heel, that the rest of the sole is leather, or at least not rubber. Something that will slide easily on the pedals. That’s my two cents worth. And Pauline writes that she plays organ shoes less. So she writes: Hi, I play organ shoeless. Because when I took organ lesson before we’re not allowed to wear shoes into the studio. And at home we also don’t wear shoes inside the house. And after so much practices without wearing shoes, I felt more comfortable without shoes. I can feel the pedals better. 1st day I played in church I also took off my shoes. So I m a naked feet organist. In your opinion what do you think? No standard or just being natural. V: Interesting comment, right? A: Yes, it is. And maybe outside [of] answering to Pauline’s part of letter, it’s a very nice one, and I also know some organists in Lithuania who always play without shoes. But, and I played without shoes myself too. I find it sometimes it’s very beneficial to know how to do it. Because let’s say, if you are traveling, and you didn’t take your shoes… V: Mmm-hmm. A: with you, and you want to try some new organs, you cannot play with the street shoes. At least I don’t do it because I feel that it’s disrespectful and it’s not a nice thing to play organ with street shoes. V: Unless you wipe the dust... A: But, still, I just take my shoes off and play on my socks. A disadvantage of it is, actually there are two disadvantages, because if you are playing a really virtuosic piece, let’s say romantic or modern, not Baroque piece, your ankles will, might get hurt. Because you will have to… V: Flex it. A: To flex it too much. And it might be really harmful for your foot. And another thing is that, imagine that you are playing a recital, and organ is not upstairs in the balcony but it’s downstairs in front of people, of your listeners. How do you imagine that happens? Because often in that case, the pedal board is turned in such a way that people would see your feet because it’s one of the most exciting thing for people to watch for organist is dealing with the pedal. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And then can’t you imagine that you are walking on your socks, next to the organ bench? V: With slippers! A: With slippers. I don’t know, how you go with shoes and then you take the shoes off and put next to the organ bench and then sit down and play. So you might get in a really comical situation. V: Make this large artistic movement of taking your shoes off so that everybody will see it. it’s part of the game. A: True. True, and it’s so you might find this very comical situations. V: Not right that you’re playing without shoes but actually expose your socks and expose the process of taking off the shoes. A: So I guess it’s a good thing to know how to play without shoes, organ, and to be able to do that, because it’s very useful sometimes. But I also believe that you need to adjust some shoes and practice with them as well. V: Plus it’s cold in the winter—without shoes. A: True… V: Right? A: But it might be cold with shoes also, and sometimes it’s better to play on your socks in winter when it’s cold. It’s less dangerous... V: Why? A: to play in shoes. V: Why? This is counter-intuitive, right, Ausra? A: Well…. V: Explain please! A: Because your organ shoes is always right on the edge of being too small for you. V: Mmm-hmm. They fit very… A: Tightly. V: Tightly. A: And I had such experience in my life, maybe, I don’t know, twenty years ago. It was December, right around for Christmas and I was performing in one small town in Lithuania, and I was using my organ shoes for like, what, hour and a half, and actually my toes froze. V: Mmmmm. A: And I was in a big, big, big trouble. And I’m lucky that everything was fine after a while, but it was really bad. I didn’t feel it at the beginning but when we went, left the church, and went to our house, to our, to my parents’ friends house, actually, and I started to feel that something is really, really, really bad with my feet. V: Mmm-mmm. A: I had that feeling that somebody took many needles and started to… V: Hammer. A: To hammer my toes. And I took my socks off and I saw that my toes are red and they are actually swollen. V: Wow! A: And was really, really bad. V: What degree of frost is this? A: This is the first degree, I believe. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And I got lucky that it wasn’t the higher degree. Because I might end up without toes left at all. So, but luckily that there was a medical student next to us and she told me not to do anything like external with my toes—not to rub them, not to try to put some ointment on them, but she said that I need to get warm from inside. So actually they gave me like… V: Brandy. A: Yes, brandy. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Like a hundred of brandy and I really got warm from inside and somehow when I put woolen socks on my feet to keep them warm, and well, I got fine after a couple of days. V: What if you went to the bathroom and put your feet into the bathtub with a little bit of warm water? A: Well, she told that it wouldn’t be good. V: No? A: No. V: Not hot water but… A: No, no! V: But lukewarm... A: No, no, no, no... V: Room temperature. A: Because your skin is very sensitive in cases like this and you might do more harm than good. V: I’ve noticed that when you are really cold, you’re fingers are cold and you put them under the hot water flow—it’s extremely hot. A: And actually after that time, I learned my lesson. That now when I know when I will have to perform during winter time in a cold church, I put the woolen socks on my feet instead of organ shoes, and that way I know that I will not froze [freeze] my feet. V: That’s good to know for other people, I guess, too, who are playing without shoes. But now you are playing with shoes every time, right? In public? A: Yes, but if it’s really cold, I try just to put them right from my performance and then to take them off. V: Uh-huh. A: As fast as I can. V: Not for a long period time… A: True, true. V: But just as short period of time as possible. That’s good to know. Thank you guys. If you have any observations about playing with, without regular organ shoes, please keep, send them to us. A: And another remark about Jay—I think he find a great solution—that he remade his shoes into an organ shoes. I think that’s a very good way to do. V: Yes. You don’t always have to buy things. A: That’s right. V: You can repurpose. A: True. V: Just make sure that the soles are from leather, and that the heel is like three centimeters or two inches high. A: Yes. And another thing about that lady who played with high heels; maybe she has a French blood. Because I have heard so many stories about these French madams, like Madam Durufle who came actually to Lithuania to perform, way back. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And some older colleagues of ours listened to her recital we told that she actually was playing with high heels and really fashionable shoes, and she was just brilliant. So I guess some people can do it. V: Do you think that Madam (???-12:23) started with high heels? A: I don’t know. V: As a beginner organist? A: I don’t know. V: That’s the question. A: I guess French women are very special. V: But I have no doubt that it’s possible to play with high heels too. It only takes much more effort and much more time to get used to this, because it’s much easier to slip, because of narrow heels. It depends on your needs, I guess, and how fashionable you want to look on the… A: That’s right. V: organ bench. Okay guys. Wonderful questions! We hope to help you grow. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 353, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Jonathan. He writes: Memorizing a 3-voice piece. I’m not sure how best to do this. I’ve been memorizing a phrase at a time, then gradually stringing them together. Any suggestions? V: This is seems like a good idea, right? A: Yes. That’s how I thought, when I was studying at school. That you need memorize two measures, then add next two measures, then two measures. It is actually… V: Mmm-hmm. A: But, really memorization is probably the hardest thing for me. And I have struggled with it for many, many years. But now when I’m thinking back, I think that I was just too lazy and didn’t start to memorize things on time. Sort of why I always fell behind the schedule and, right before exam or concert, I would be just faking out. V: Wait! You said you were too lazy. I thought I was the lazy one. A: Well, yes. Back at school I was lazy too. V: Wow! A: Not about everything but about memorization, yes. Somehow I always procrastinated this thing—starting to memorize pieces. V: Maybe that’s because nobody told you the technique, how to do it. A: No, I just was too lazy. Because if you would spend enough time with it, you wouldn’t have such a struggle. Of course there are different techniques, but you have also to know your structure of the piece, how it’s put together, and all these things but definitely there is no technique which will teach you to memorize things without putting effort into it. V: Yet! Maybe later you will have photographic memory, and then you can memorize right away. A: Well, I think what kind of memory you have since your birth, that’s what you have. And if you don’t have such a memory, photographic memory, you will not develop it. It’s not as easy. V: Remember how electronic organs sometimes have MIDI capabilities, and sometimes you can play a piece of music and record at the same time. And then push the button and the organ will play, playback for you. You can actually listen from the pews. A: So, what about… V: Maybe in the future we will have some kind of memory card inserted in our brains. A: I hope that not. V: And then we don’t need to memorize. Everything will be in the cloud. A: But right now, if you still have to memorize something, I would suggest for you to analyze the piece that you are working on and you have to memorize it. So this is the thing that I didn’t do when I was a child, and I think that’s a big mistake but nobody taught me to do it. So you need to know what form is your piece written in. You need to know the tonal structure of it. And then of course you need to do that memorization thing, and I would do it in phases—learn two measures, then add another two measures, and then another two measures and repeat everything from the beginning. And I think when you actually perform it, you will have no trouble. And when playing you really need to know in which exact spot you are, at the right moment. Because sometimes when we are playing from memory, we just let things happen. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And it works sometimes, and it works well sometimes but not always. Because suddenly if you will think about something, you might slip and you might lose the general flow and then you will not have idea where you are and what are you playing. Have you had such experience before, Vidas? V: Many times. A: So… V: That’s why I started improvising. So that I could play something even though I would forget what’s written on the page. A: Yes. And I think playing from memory, I still have this nightmare, time after time, that I’m back in the school and I have to play exam and I just don’t remember a thing. V: My nightmare is that I have to play an exam and I don’t even know the music. A: Well, I have that with organ recitals, this nightmare, that I’m sitting at the organ bench and I hear that bell towers already ringing… V: Uh-huh. A: And it means that I have to start my recital to play, and I look at the music rack and I don’t recognize these pieces at all. Or I recognize them and these are like massive organ compositions that I have played either many years ago or haven’t played at all. V: Reger. A: Yes, Reger, and all these big long compositions. V: My recent nightmare was that I had missed a piano exam of my student and now I myself have to play that exam. A: Instead of him? V: Instead of him. A: That’s a funny dream. But I guess it wasn’t funny when you dreamed about it. V: No. Just yesterday, last night, I had a dream that I went to the school and sort of, it was a meeting of piano teachers, and I, in the middle of that dream, I understood that I’m no longer a teacher there. A: Excellent. V: And I told everyone. A: Excellent. But in general, do you think when talking about organ music and memorization of organ music—do you think it’s a helpful and it’s a good practice to memorize things and to play, to perform from memory or not? What is your opinion? V: It depends on your goals. If you want to play just a few pieces perfectly, then yes. But if you want to play a lot of pieces, then it really slows down the process. It actually doesn’t help with your sight-reading skills, and you lose that ability to read many musical compositions fluently, if you just memorize things. It’s really good for blind people for example, and I would add actually to Ausra’s ideas about memorization, that Jonathan could try out Dupré’s method, how to memorize. It’s not in two measure phrases but in sentence long excerpts. A: So that’s four measures. V: Four measures, but not entirely in four measures. But first you repeat ten times, five times looking at the score and five times without looking at the score—one measure, just one measure. And then the same thing—the second measure, then the third measure and the fourth measure—basically each measure separately. Then the second stage is to do two measure excerpts—one and two, two and three, three and four. Then memorize three measures—one, two three, two, three four. And then finally one, two, three, four—entire sentence together, playing five times from the score, five times from memory. And always starting and finishing on the downbeat of the measure. And that helps to connect different fragments. And after you do that, you can take a break, or continue with the next fragment of four measures. And the next day maybe you start your practice with repeating previously mastered material a few times, and then learning something new again, four measures at a time. It’s very systematic. I’ve done this before, and it then helps me retain this music in my memory for a long time. A: For how long? V: For a month. And then after a month I have to repeat the process a little bit to refresh. A: Well, so it seems that it is much harder to keep your repertoire alive in that way if you memorize everything. Just think how much things you will have to repeat. V: Mmm-hmm. I guess this is for people who either have extremely good memory, you know, phenomenal memory, or who don’t play a lot of music. Maybe they have two, three hours total of repertoire and that’s it. And they do in cycles—refresh the memory and once they have three hours they’re set and tour the world. That could be done, but it’s not my goal, I mean it’s not interesting to me just to have that kind of music and not to learn anything else. But because it definitely requires… A: A lot of time. V: Lot of time and refreshing of memory of old memorized pieces. But I would advise anyone to try it as an exercise. You have to learn a few pieces this way. It’s very helpful, I think. A: Yes, definitely it is. V: In order to know what works for you and what not. A: That’s right. V: Alright! We hope this was helpful, right Ausra? A: Yes. V: And please keep sending us your 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 352 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Anders and he writes: “Hi Vidas and Ausra I have written to you before and I was quite happy that you published my thoughts. What I’d like to tell you is that I’m really happy to have entered the world of organ playing. It is indeed a world in its own. So sad sometimes when I realize that my work mates or friends really don’t understand what they miss. They just don’t know what I’m talking about, poor souls. I have been given the keys for 2 of the churches in my parish and I’m quite grateful for that. One organ has pneumatic action and the other is mechanical. It is very interesting to change between them, they are very individual and have their own personalities. I’m not at all good at playing, only simple pieces, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying what I’m doing or trying to make progress. 1.) I’m very happy that I can sit alone in a church and play. It is a very special and somewhat mystical experience to see the afternoon sun shine through the beautiful coloured windows when I play some soft piece of music. 2.)The organs make a lot of mysterious sounds sometimes and I think somebody entered the Church. 3.) It’s much more demanding than I could imagine to play with the feet. My shoes seem to be way too big sometimes, though I have special shoes. Sometimes I mix up my hands, the feet and manuals totally….Then it’s a good thing no one listens. 4.) It’s much more difficult to play with a lot of stops pulled out. The voices of one manual may be completely drowned by the other and I’m lost…Registry is an art. 5.) If I have "mastered" a piece, then I may try to play loud and not before. 6.) I have escaped from my work many times (without my boss knowing) to be able to find time for the organ. That’s very bad for my future career. But I just couldn’t resist. 7.) When I become retired after a few years I don’t need any money like so many others dream about. I’ll just sit in the Church playing organ. That’s really good! And completely free. 8.) Your advice has been really helpful. Partly because of the specific information but mostly as an important inspiration. Especially about the necessity to have a "professional" attitude about practicing in the face of being tired or feeling that time is scarce. 9.) I can play for about 2,5 hours, then I get tired and have to make a pause of at least a few hours before continuing. It is contra-productive to press on too much. The music has to sink in for a while. 10.) As you say that practice make miracles happen, that is true. Even if the miracles are a bit slow in my case, practice and practice intelligently is the only way forward. Best Regards Anders Ståhl, Sweden.” V: Well that’s a very comprehensive question. A: Actually its not more like questions, like sharing Anders experience with us and we are very thankful for it because it’s a wonderful letter and we appreciate it very much. V: When I read this actually it’s like a post, right, with ten points. It could actually be written with the title “Top 10 Things I’ve Learned In My Organ Playing Career” or something. “The List of 10 Things You Should Be Aware When Playing Organ” or something. These types of titles are very user friendly and readers are just eating it up. Would you suggest Ausra to put Anders’ post online, maybe on his own website or on any other platform? A: Yes, if he has it then definitely yes. Why not do it? It’s wonderful how he shares his experience. I think that many organists will feel with him together while reading his letter because I think some of those moments we all experience. V: Exactly. A: And I strongly believe that we organists we are sort of very happy ones because we have this experience with the organ that others don’t and it’s truly magical. V: Let’s take for example point by point. Number 1 for example. Are you happy when you sit alone in a church? A: Of course it’s truly my time, my time and organ time. V: When I do this every morning when I go to church and I see the janitors doing their work, cleaning the floors, or drinking some tea, or chatting, I am very happy that I can sit and play and I’m free to play whatever I want. A: Yes and I think that the most magical time to spend at the organ is the night and I sometimes envy the night guards in some churches because if I would have such a position I would spend it on the organ, practicing. V: What about number 2? That organs make a lot of mysterious sounds. A: True and especially this is true if you are playing at night because at that time all the other surrounding sounds are dead so that’s when the organ really speaks to you. V: And number 3 is it’s harder for him to play with the feet than he imagined before. A: I think it’s often the case with many beginning organists. V: But not all, I’ve seen people playing very easily with pedals too. A: Well some have better coordination, some don’t. In general it’s a problem for many. V: Number 4. He talks about registration, it’s difficult to play with loud voices. A: I have to agree with this point. I feel the same way when I play at St. Johns Church. If you are playing only with a few stops then tracker action is much easier. But if you pull out many stops then yes, it’s much harder to push the key and to control everything. V: In number 5 he talks about that he usually practices softly and only after he masters the piece then he plays loudly. A: That’s a very wise way to do it because if you will practice loudly all the time you might damage your ear because it’s not good to practice always with loud registration. You might become deaf with years and that’s actually the case for some organists and some percussionists. V: In number 6 he writes how he escapes from work to organ bench and it reminds me how kids escape from school, go to the movies but here he goes to play the organ. A: It’s fascinating absolutely. I just love this point. V: Number 7. After a few years he will have the freedom of playing the organ all day long because he will be retired. A: And I find that actually many people who have tried organ before in their lifetime but then they didn’t have time to practice during most of their life they come back later to this habit, to this passion and they start to play more when they retire and I think that’s a very good way to keep yourself in good shape both physically and mentally. V: And we both know people in our acquaintance area who are retired but don’t do much. A: Yes, just watch TV and that’s about it. V: And that makes us sad. A: True. V: But what can you do? Number 8 he talks about how our advice is helpful for him not only because of specific information but as a general inspiration. A: I think we all need that inspiration. V: When somebody sends their words or whispers in your ears as a Podcast every day something, right? It definitely, inevitably sinks in day after day and whatever you are saying, it might be something that your saying about registration, pedaling, or fingering and the problem that another person is having is about something entirely different, about practicing, about performance anxiety, improvisation, but the fact that we are there for him or her makes those people realize that they can achieve so much more too. It’s like a little bit of a community feeling when somebody else is doing the same thing. A: I think it’s very much a community feeling because we all have problems and I think it’s nice to share them and try to help and try to share them because even just telling about your problem is a big help. And for us too, this kind of work is sort of like an anonymous alcoholic. V: Alcoholics Anonymous. A: Yes. Where everybody gather and talk about the problem so we are sort of talking about organ problems and enjoying them together sharing our experience. V: It starts like “Hello, I’m Vidas and I’m an organist.” And everybody says “Hello, Vidas.” (Laughs.) A: True. V: In number 9 he talks about how he can practice for 2 and a half hours and then he has to rest. For me it is just 30 minutes and then I have to rest. A: Well, obviously Anders is more advanced in practicing for many hours than you are. V: I generally tend to stop before I’m tired. I’m kind of cautious. A: I guess you are very soft on yourself. V: Like my mother. That’s what my father used to call me. A: Maybe he was right. V: In number 10 he says that miracles really happen but in his case it’s more like slow miracles. A: I think for all of us it’s slow miracles but at least they happen and that’s good. V: Umm-hmm. The only way that miracles happen is you have to make them happen. A: True so you need to put some effort in order to have that miracle. V: OK. Thank you guys for sending these wonderful questions and definitely put your thoughts online, not only to us. It’s nice that people are sending these questions but they are not sending every day. Anders is not writing to us every day but maybe he’s thinking every day you see and those ideas might be very helpful to a lot or organists around the world too. Thank you guys, this was Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: And remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 345 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And this question was sent sent by Pauline. She writes: Hi, I have a question to ask here. I am a self learned electronic organist in church. I play hymns every Sunday together with another pianist. In order to create a more inspirational music for God & the congregation, who should be playing melody and who should be the accompanist? Thanks! V: Ausra, don’t you think that the organist and pianist both should be playing something more substantial, not only melody or accompaniment? What’s your opinion? A: Well, it depends on what kind of hymn it is, because some hymns actually work quite nicely on the piano, and some don’t work on the piano at all. So, you obviously need to look at the real of the hymn, and then decide what to do. V: But, I don’t think that, for example, a pianist could play the melody and the organist could only play the accompaniment in chords, or, for example, vice versa, that the organist could play the melody with the right hand, and the pianist would provide the accompaniment. This wouldn’t be... A: Of course I couldn’t agree more! I think in general, electronic organ and piano is a bad duet. I wouldn’t mix them both together. V: But, if you treat it like a Taizé music… remember, so, in Taizé, they have a basic chordal structure for a keyboard instrument, but then anything else that plays together, they play melodies and duets and trios and dialogues, and it sounds rather nice this way—polyphonic. A: Well, true, but I think if you would want to do something like Taizé, you would still have to have only one keyboard. And if you want to have some elaborations, you would need to add other instruments, such as flute, maybe...I think flute would work very nicely… and a violin, or any other solo instrument. V: Do you think that Pauline’s pianist could play two melodies—two separate and contrasting melodies in each hand as maybe two melodic instruments, a violinist and flutist, would do? A: Well, it’s possible. I’m not sure about how the final result would be. V: Or in the left hand, maybe he could imitate, maybe, cello, and in the right hand some kind of solo treble instrument, and create a nice dialogue. A: That’s a possibility although I don’t know how advanced they both are, and how well they could do that. Because, this kind of musicianship would take some improvisation skills. V: Right! This would be nice. I believe they could train themselves. What would be the first step? What would you do if, for example, you and I had to do this, or even in our house situation, I would play on the organ and you would play on the piano, and vice versa? That wouldn’t work, because our piano is not in tune with the organ. A: As is our organ, yes. V: But, in theory, maybe, I’m thinking…. Thinking in chords, this accompaniment, so to say, but melodic accompaniment could also think in chords that the organist is playing, or choir singing, and then play a lot of arpeggios and things like that. But not only arpeggios, make them melodic, make them meaningful. A: Somehow now, I’m thinking about that Geistliches Lied from Austria. Remember way back in the year of 2000, when we were in the church music courses in Salzburg. V: Yes, this is like a Christian popular music, but quality popular music, I think, because each instrument has its own part, and a very developed part. So, Pauline, maybe you could actually do something like this with your pianist. Maybe you could even write out the melody, or two melodies for your pianist, and maybe you could write out chords and things like that for yourself, right? Because to do this on your own on the spot would be too stressful. You need to either rehearse or write it out. A: Sure. And really, if you want to make everything very nice ask from the congregation. Maybe there is somebody who plays another instrument other than a keyboard instrument. That would really make things much nicer. V: And then, you could actually arrange any time of hymn for them, to add descants and treble solos, and maybe bass lines—alternate bass lines. A: Sure. Although, I don’t know how many and which stops this electronic organ has. But, if it has enough reeds, and other colorful stops, maybe the organ could then act as a solo instrument, and piano would provide accompaniment. V: Right. Then the organist needs to play maybe the treble part, and maybe the left hand could play the cello part. Right? A: Yes. That way, maybe the organ could be a solo instrument, and piano would accompany. V: Interesting. A: Although you need to check it on the spot, and I cannot guarantee that it will sound nice. V: And also, it depends on where the organ is located. In the back or in the front? A: How far is it from the piano? V: Mhm. How difficult it is to communicate and play together. So, it’s a lot of things to take in and to take into consideration in this situation. Do you think that organists usually have enough time to do such creative things in church? A: Well, I’m not sure. It depends on the situation. Usually, I think we all don’t have enough time for things. V: But usually, people are very appreciative, congregations are usually appreciative if you do a little more than is required from you. A: That’s true. V: Right? Her pianist could easily play the chords, and she could play on the organ what’s written in the hymnal, and that would be it. And nobody could complain, and actually nobody would have the right to complain, right? Because it’s quite enough if you play it nicely on both instruments. But if both of you do something extra, then people will notice, I hope. A: True. Do you think people always notice and appreciate new things? V: No, not always, but imagine if Pauline or her pianist, before the service, would come up and say, “My dear congregation, today, we have prepared for you something very special,” and the both of them would describe what they will be doing in, for example, the following hymn—the opening hymn. People would, I think, appreciate that. A: Well, yes, but it’s of course also a danger of elaborating too much, and adding too many things that the hymn might be unrecognizable, and people might not be able to sing it. V: And there’s always the danger of playing like in a concert setting. Right? Sometimes the clergy doesn’t like that. A: True, because, for example, for my case and my understanding of good hymn accompaniment, the most important thing for hymn accompaniment is to play in a right and steady tempo. This is actually what is the most required from the organists who are accompanists. Congregational singing. V: But, I mean, if it’s, let’s say, a special occasion, maybe a hymn festival, and they would like to do something more and more creative on a number of hymns during that festival, for example, then a few verse, not necessarily every hymn every verse should be done this way, but every once in a while to make it more colorful and more creative, that wouldn’t hurt. A: True, and I think it’s always easier if you have a choir at a church. It is a big help for singing congregational hymns, because they lead the congregation. V: Interesting. I would probably do such experiments. It’s all experiment… you don’t know what the result will be, but you don’t know until you try. And if you don’t try, you will always regret it afterwards, because you don’t know. Maybe it would have been worth it. 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. SOPP350: Two recent developments have made me feel ready for my first Bach Prelude and/or Fugue12/8/2018
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 350, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Leon. And he writes: Dear Vidas: Two recent developments have made me feel ready for my first Bach Prelude and/or Fugue. Last week I learned about the great but shunned French organist Charles Quef. I tried his little fugue and was able to do it slightly less than half speed with fewer than three mistakes per system. After that, I wrote to my contrebombarde friend who played a Quef/Fauré piece, which Bach pieces he'd suggest. He was very busy with Armistice 100th anniversary uploads, so I asked him to wait to answer. Got it today. And this week, I returned to trying the Dupré 79 Chorales, which I had not done since April. I was able to sight-read from where I'd been stuck for many months at #69, to #55 to find one that would require more than a little work. So, based on that, which of David E. Lamb's suggestions would you support, or offer others? Fugue in G Major, BWV 576 (might not be Bach) Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 537 Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535 Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 545 (NOBODY plays the pedal trills in the Prelude) He added that the G minor is seldom played; the C major a lot; the C minor being popular, but still not played that often. I know I have not been able to afford your course to deserve this kind of answer, but I'm hoping for your grace. Peace, Leon V: So, Ausra, I think BWV 535 in G minor is being played right now by Totile in our Unda Maris organ studio. And I’ve been hearing her play at least for couple of months now and she’s making good progress. It’s not an easy fugue. Prelude is virtuosic but rather straight forward. But fugue deserves more attention. What about C major BWV 545? I think any piece that is on this list could be suitable, right Ausra? A: Yes. But in general, speaking all of these pieces are already quite advanced. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Don’t you think so? V: Yes. A: And if I would, I don’t know what Leon played before by J.S. Bach… V: What kind of prelude and fugue. A: Yes V: But he says… A: For my first. V: Yes. A: So... V: This is his first. A: Mmm-hmm. If I would be his teacher, I would suggest for him to start with Eight Little Preludes and Fugues. V: And to play a fugue. A: Yes. To play a fugue, and then start working on somebody from this list. In general, out of this list, I think that maybe that when Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor would be probably a good start for… V: Mmm-hmm. This piece gives a solid impression, but it’s not very technically challenging. A: True. True. So if I would be Leon I would start with this Fantasia. V: If he absolutely protests of playing Eight Little Preludes and Fugues. A: Yes. Because from my eyes of educator… V: Mmm-hmm. A: I think that those Eight Preludes and Fugues, they are so good for us as a guide to develop the Baroque technique, modern(?) technique and to get ready to play Bach. V: Luckily we have some organ students who understand this. And remember Regina in our organ studio. She has a goal, this year, to play the missing two, I think, preludes and fugues, and then by the end of this year she will have played all eight. A: Because each of that cycle, each piece of that cycle, it works on some different Baroque issue—either figure in the manuals or in the bass and it’s really very useful. V: It has such a nice variety of techniques, right? A: True. V: Mmm-hmm. A: True. And actually those, some of those fugues, they are quite complex and not as easy as seem at first. V: For keyboard we could compare the two-part inventions and then later three part sinfonias, which every pianist should play. A: True. And it’s like, if you are a pianist, you will never start to play Bach from the Well Tempered Clavier. You will have to do some smaller works first—two-part inventions, then three parts, and just after that, you would go to the Well Tempered Clavier. V: Have you played any of the inventions and sinfonias before, Ausra? A: Of course. V: Everybody has. A: Of course. Of course, that’s a tradition. And even you will not start with inventions right away. Before playing inventions, you will have to do something like minuets, for example from Anna Magdalena or Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Clavier book. V: Or short preludes… A: Yes. V: They have little preludes too. A: Yes. V: In William Friedemann’s clavier bücklein. Mmm-hmm. So those two-part inventions and three part sinfonias are very helpful for organists too. A: That’s true. V: By the way, I’ve been spending a whole lot of time this week on the organ bench in our church, recording in a slow practice tempo, those two-part inventions. And as of time of this recording, there are only two left, or four, maybe two days left. Because I tried to record two of them every day. And then our team of transcribers can prepare the scores with fingering so that people who want to advance their technique faster, then, without help of guiding, guidance, could take advantage of them. A: True. It’s good to have these inventions ready because they quite are suited, quite well suited for organ too. Not much better suited than for example Well Tempered Clavier. V: Yes. After I finish two-part inventions, I think I will start playing three-part sinfonias too. A: Yes. V: That’s the next step. Excellent. So that’s what, maybe, Leon could play also, some inventions and sinfonias, also. I don’t know if he has played all of the them. It’s really basic foundation when you have played them all. You don’t have to memorize all of them, but spend at least a few weeks with each of them. Then you have the foundations to move on to the more difficult works of Bach. A: That’s right. V: And any other composer too. A: That’s right. V: Thank you guys for listening, and thank you guys for paying attention to what we are saying and applying our tips in your practice. This really helps. Sometimes our advice works on us, sometimes it works on others too. But you never know until you try it. A: So you just need to try it and see if it will work. V: And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 349 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And Francois is writing: “Dear Vidas, I would like to ask about an exotic Pedal form, in German Stummelpedal, impossible to find an adequate translation... Well this pedal form, coming from Halberstadt over Böhms e-organs, to mention a better form than the ones on spinet organs, has some advantages. One is that it is not so monstrous like a conventional pedal, in an house organ. I think of building one (long pedals, axis far behind. So my question, did you had to do with historical pedal of this form? Or students who could bring far their technique (at least till some romantic works) practicing on this kind of pedals? https://www.ebay.de/itm/Boehm-25-Tasten-Midi-Orgel-Basspedal-Stummelpedal-Jazz-Hammond-Clavia-Nord-PK-27-/122842973043?nma=true&si=%252FOVcECBhMJw0n%252FPnaT6fggIwn4E%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Thanks in advance, Nicer and nicer you daily email, Thank You. Francois” V: Oh this is really wonderful to hear that Francois is enjoying our daily conversations, Ausra. A: True. V: Can you say some nice words to Francois at first? A: I appreciate it. It’s nice that somebody finds us nice and useful. That’s why we are doing it. V: Exactly. If nobody would pay attention or find them valuable we would probably would be doing something else. And concerning Francois’s question, the picture that he is sharing is basically looks like a pedalboard with very short sharp keys and it’s flat and some electronic pedalboards have that. 25 keys, midi organ pedalboard, suitable for jazz and Hammond, Clavia-Nord, PK-27 model. It looks like similar to historical instrument, right Ausra? But it has some differences too. A: Well, for me it does not look like historical. V: The only similarity of course is its flat. A: Yes, that’s the only similarity as far as I can see. V: And plus 25 keys are really not enough I think for today’s practice, you need 30 keys at least or sometimes 32. A: And you know historical pedal board even is often as flat as this one is, it displayed sort of wider because the keys are wider too, and especially black keys, they are also wider in my experience. And on a keyboard like this you really have to play sort of like a ballerina. V: I’ve played such a similar disposition before on Allen digital organ. A: Me too. Some of Allen digital has this kind of pedalboard and it’s sort of pain in the …. V: Pain in the neck. A: Not only the neck but you know what I mean. I don’t want to swear. V: It’s very inconvenient to play actually. You have to constantly think about where you are hitting and if you play historical pedalboards they are as Ausra says, wider. A: And this kind of pedalboard, I don’t know what they are suited for. Neither for historical performance practice, nor really for modern music practice. It’s really not so comfortable. V: And we have pedalboards with 25 notes in our church chapels, right? They go up until C. And I guess a lot of organs in baroque times had the compass until C, treble C, but today sometimes even in baroque organs need D, right? A: Of course it’s better to have this kind of keyboard when don’t have any keyboard. V: You mean pedalboard. A: Pedalboard, yes. If you can manage such a pedalboard you will probably be able to manage any pedalboard. V: So Francois is thinking of building one and maybe if he likes historical pedalboards maybe he could look at pedal clavichord layout. A: But what I understood from his letter maybe he does not have so much space as a real pedalboard takes. V: Umm-hmm. A: So I guess what he liked about this one that it doesn’t take so much space. V: Yes, it’s smaller. A: So pedal clavichord pedalboard takes a lot of space. V: Probably the same space as a normal baroque organ pedalboard would take. A: At least, maybe even a little bit more. V: But in general he asks can you advance in organ playing not only playing early music this way but also romantic and modern. A: Of course you can. V: Using early type of pedalboard. A: Well to play the modern music on the baroque, well, that’s a tricky question. V: We heard this situation in Rochester, New York, remember in one conference when one student at Eastman School of Music, he practiced exclusively on the pedal clavichord, even sonata by Reubke and got really good with it, at least he said so. So people do all kinds of tricks I think. What do you think about that? A: Well you can do that but when you get to another organ you will have to re-adjust. V: Umm-hmm. A: But that’s the case for all organists with each different instrument. V: Imagine if Bach wanted to create romantic music on his area organs what he would do. A: I think it’s very unrealistic. He didn’t live in romantic era so he didn’t have to struggle with that and to solve that dilemma. V: And composers influenced organ builders and vice versa in their discussions and meetings about what kind of music to create and what kind of instruments to build. A: That’s right. V: OK. This is interesting question, right? The one that people sometimes have to think deeply in figuring out the solutions and solutions might not fit every one, right? If Francois likes this kind of pedalboard there is nobody stopping him, right? A: True, why not? V: And he can do that and after he has done that and midified his pedalboard maybe he can then after six or ten months he can tell us his experience if he likes it or not. A: True because it’s still better to have such a pedalboard than not having any. V: Than practicing on the floor. A: True. V: Umm-hmm. Yes. Thank you guys for sending these 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 347, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by David. And he writes: Thank you for telling me about this "mini-life" concept. It helps me to know that there are other people who do this, and that it's not some crazy idea that only I do. I am trying to work on "On This Day, Earth Shall Ring" arranged by Gustav Holst (Personent Hodie). I wonder, since this is originally written before the Baroque era but arranged by Holst in the 1800s (modernist? Romantic period?), if you might have suggestions on registration, articulation, etc. I'm looking at doing this for congregational singing, choir accompaniment, or processional, depending upon what happens this season (if the pastor picks it to sing, it will be played as a congregational hymn. If the choir sings it, I will accompany them, and if neither occurs, I will pick it as a prelude or processional). At this time, I'm trying to play the right hand quite detached, the left hand is mostly mirroring the pedals an octave higher and I am playing it only with toes. But I'm not satisfied completely with the results. Is it better to register the pedals as 8' and 16? Should reeds be used in the pedals? Should I double the pedals? Should I use mixtures instead of reeds? Maybe couple the Great to pedal and add a 16' stop? Maybe play with 32' on the electronic instrument and 16' on the pipe organ (because it doesn't have 32')? What is the best thing to do with registration for the high descending notes starting at the end of the 3rd line? I almost thought about playing octaves in the pedals (2 pedals an octave apart), playing the lower two notes on the Great, and playing those descending notes on chimes on the solo manual on the pipe organ, but on the electronic 3 manual organ, I'm not sure what to do with those notes. I don't like them played on the same manual as the lower two because of clarity. (Here is a link to the score from which I am playing: https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/137356 And if that link doesn't work, here is a link to another score 1/2 step higher. http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/7/71/Ws-hols-per.pdf Thanks for your advice on this, David) V: And, David includes a link to this hymn, which we are looking at right now. And this is arrangement by Gustav Holst. Let me analyze it… And it starts with descending scales starting from E in octaves, in the left hand part. Do you know, Ausra? I don’t know this hymn. A: Neither do I. But I think as David has so many questions about this, and he’s not quite sure who will perform it—if congregation will sing it, or choir will sing it, or he will play it as a processional only, processional. V: Mmm-hmm. A: I think the final performance on it and registration of this hymn will depend on which of these versions will be done. Because if he will play it alone, he can use entire organ.... V: Mmm-hmm. A: And do whatever he wants. If he will sing it with congregation, accompany it with congregation, he can also probably use many of stops and reeds and other loud stops—if the congregation is bigger. But if only choir will sing it, then he of course will have to not play so loud. What do you think about it? V: I agree, and I also think that this arrangement that he sent the link to us, is for piano, not for the organ. A: True. V: And if you play double octaves with the pedals, it’s just too powerful. A: I wouldn’t do it. Then I would play the lower part, the lowest voice with the pedal, but maybe I even wouldn’t do the octaves on the organ. Because already, since we have, let’s say, in the pedals, 16 and 8’ stops, it’s already doubled. It already sounds in octaves. V: Maybe sometimes it’s 4, 4’. A: Yes, and even four, 4’. So I wouldn’t do that. V: And if it’s a loud registration, maybe you would have, maybe I would say, mixtures too, so it doubles in fifths too. What about playing the lower part as you say with the pedals, but I just think sometimes the range is below key. A: Definitely you have to arrange it. Of course. V: Mmm-hmm. And then the right hand is free to play the chords but maybe divide them between the hands. A: True. And for me, all this kind of arrangement, it looks a little bit dull. V: You need I think, space it out, I think, maybe open position chords. Especially when the melody goes upwards. A: That’s right. Because again, look at the accompaniment, that top voice of accompaniment. It doubles the melody that congregation or choir will sing. V: Mmm-hmm. Is this a good thing? A: Well, yes and no. It might be nice for one verse but then it will get boring. V: For congregation, yes, I think, good. A: Yes. It will be easier for them to follow. But if you are only doing it with choir, then choir knows already the melody very well, so, you could do something else maybe. V: Maybe invert the right parts and play in a different melody… A: Sure. V: Position. A: I think that might work. Definitely. V: Tenor in the soprano. A: Yes. V: We see the right hand chord at the beginning is G, B, E, but you could start, for example, as B, E, G, or even E, G, B, like that. A: Sure. V: But splitted between the hands, I think. That’s more work of course. A: That’s right. V: And one word about, Ausra, the pedaling and articulation? Do you think it’s a Baroque type of piece or not? A: Well, anyway if I would play it, I would articulate it. V: Would you use heels? A; Well, if I would decide to play those double octaves, then yes, I would probably use the heels too. V: Uh-huh. A: But if I would play only one melody, then maybe not. V: I’m just thinking about the style of the accompaniment—it’s modal. It begins and ends in E, but it has two sharps. What is it, what is this mode? E, with two sharps? A: You don’t know, that you are asking me. I know. V: Can you tell us? A: Yes I can. V: Don’t hesitate. A: If you pay me. V: In which currency? A: In Euros. V: I only have a Steam. A: Okay. I’m just making fun out of you and out of myself. If it’s E and it has two sharps, it means it’s a Dorian mode. V: Dorian! Okay. A: It’s type of minor mode, which has comparing to the minor mode, natural minor mode, it has the sixth scale degree raised. So like in E minor, scales you wouldn’t have C# but here, you have it. V: Uh-huh. Doesn’t it remind you of a little bit of 20th Century writing? A: True. A lot. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Because there was a time when it was very popular to sort of imitate early music like middle age music, Gregorian Chant. V: So should we play then this type of style in the early way, or the later way? Modern way? Legato or regulated way? I’m not sure sometimes. A: Well, it depends. It depends on the piece and it depends on the place. Well, if you want to imitate Gregorian Chant then you probably wouldn't articulate as in the Baroque type. But again, if you want to play this kind of thing with a large registration as David wrote, then if you wouldn’t articulate at all, it might get really messy. V: Mmm-hmm. You’re right! You always listen to what’s sounding—what the congregation is hearing, not what you are hearing, but down in the pews. A: But, anyway, I guess in this kind of a piece, you will be sort of forced to do some articulation, even if you will intend to play most of it legato, because it has so many repeated notes. And since the top voice of the accompaniment doubles the melody, hymn melodies, so, you will have to articulate too because it has repeated notes. V: Mmm-hmm. Okay. I hope this has been helpful to David who is also on the team of podcast conversation transcriptions. He helps us to provide you written text of the MP3 files. This is really helpful. And this is the only way we can produce so much material suitable for both listening and reading and in-depth conversations, right, because that’s a lot of words what we talking today, right, Ausra? A: True. V: A lot of transcribing. So we’re really grateful to David and others on the team. Okay! Please send us more of your 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 346 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Danielle and she writes: “Dear Vidas, I purchased the Dauqin Noel score through PayPal but have not received a link to a pdf. Can you please help? I would love to learn part of it for Christmas! Thank you very much! -Danielle” V: Of course I have sent the score to her because sometimes those attachments get into the spam folder, sometimes people don’t notice them. So it’s all solved. I thought maybe we could talk a little bit about this wonderful piece and I have the score in front of me. Do you know this? Grand Jeu, et duo by Louis-Claude Daquin and I have prepared fingering and registration for three manual organ based on my performance in 2016 in our church. So let’s see how many variations does it have? A lot, five pages, right? And it starts, what do you think is happening in the first variation or the theme maybe Ausra? A: I think the theme is provided. It's an exposition. V: In how many voices? A: In two voices. V: Uh-huh. So the melody is then in soprano and bass is in the left hand but it’s in a high range. It’s like a duet of two solo treble instruments. A: Yes, that’s right. V: Umm-hmm. Interesting. A: And I remember as we talked a few days ago that French music if you would omit ornaments it would be probably boring. So I am looking at this melody and I am thinking that ornaments gives a lot to this melody. V: Exactly. And this Christmas feeling like birds, like chirping sound. A: Yes. V: OK the theme is clear, then after the theme comes Cornet de Recit and the theme was played by cromorne or clarinet and in the Cornet de Recit we have to play either with trompette or cornet, right Ausra? A: That’s right. V: And how many voices do you see here? A: Also two. V: Also two, right and what’s happening? Is it different from the theme or not necessarily? A: Well, it’s a little bit different but… V: Adding maybe more eighth notes. A: True. V: And those eighth notes are inegales. What is Notes Inegales? A: Well it’s a French tradition when it’s written even notes that are written are played uneven. V: A little bit… A: Dotted. You need to dot them a little bit. V: Maybe like triplets. Maybe like instead of two equal eighth notes sometimes you play as you say dotted notes but sometimes you make gentle swing like make the first note longer and the second note shorter. A: Yes but of course you need to do it differently because in French tradition if they would want you to play those eighth notes equally they would note it. V: Notate. A: Notate it, yes. V: It’s like in jazz, sometimes you have to swing in order to provide stylistically appropriate performance even though it’s written equally you play unequally. A: True. And if you would think about that famous Charpentier’s Te Deum that is used for Eurovision’s radio for example as a calling signal they play it so nicely with dotted rhythms but if you would take Lithuanian version of Charpentier interpretation they play it so equally it just sounds so boring. V: Right. A: I cannot listen to it. V: And I also sometimes play with one famous saxophone player who likes to play this piece with the organ and he always plays equally and you cannot teach these things. A: I just think you need to learn things to find how other cultures treats similar things and if you are playing French music then you need to play it accordingly. V: Umm-hmm. So after that, after this Cornet de Recit comes Grand Jeu. Oh, what’s Grand Jeu Ausra? A: The big sound of the organ because it would be played with the reeds. V: Reeds, cornets, and flutes probably. A: So it would be quite a big sound. V: You could even add optional pedal sometimes. A: That’s right. V: But I didn’t. I didn’t use the pedal at all. A: Well I think that most of these were not intended to be played on the pedalboard so you don’t have to add it if you don’t want. V: So these are big chords, three notes in the right hand and one note in the left hand, it’s just like keyboard harmony exercise. Nice. What comes next Ausra in Cornet de Recit second double? A: Oh this is what often happens in variation set, if we have like doublettes before, not we have triplets. V: Uh-huh. A: So this sort of variation adds more validity to set of variations because things seems faster now because you have three notes instead of two notes. V: More energetic. And those two voices that we see are played on separate manuals. Cornet is in right hand and cromorne is in the left hand. A: That is what is so fascinating about French music that you always have those dialogs between hands. V: Does it seem difficult for you this variation? A: Not so much yet. V: But then… A: But then yes, look at that long trill and then in the next variation the sixteenth notes comes. So we have now duplets, we went to triplets, and now we have sixteenth notes so the energy is building up. V: So you have to choose a tempo wisely at the beginning. A: Sure, this is the thing about that piece which is so made out of so many segments. You have to look at the most difficult spot where the smallest note values are and then you pick up the opening tempo according to the hardest variation. V: Umm-hmm. And I’m looking at this disposition of voices and figuration and it’s just like Johann Pachelbel would write. A: Yes, it’s similar. V: He also would start his chorale variations with chords, then with eighth notes, then with triplets, then with sixteenth notes. A: And I think it’s common not only for him only in this setting I think it’s in general how the things are made, even in Sweelinck’s music. V: Right. You start slow and speed up. And what’s at the end, Grand Jeu, we already had Grand Jeu, right? A: But here we have more voices than in that Grand Jeu I believe. V: And what’s happening in the last page of the third line here? A: The echoes? V: Yes, and even towards the end even more echoes. Between Grand Jeu, Recit, and Echo. Three manuals I believe are involved or two manuals. A: I think echoes is one of the nicest things in organ in general especially if it’s in a big church with large acoustics then it works extremely nice. V: Maybe I was wrong, actually it’s three manuals. Grand Jeu, then Cornet, and Cornet de Echo. You have to close the box or play cornet on a distant manual. Grand Jeu, Cornet, Echo you see. A: So if you have a three manual organ use all three of them in such a spot. If you have only two manuals but one has a swell box then for the softest manual you can play on the same swell manual with the box closed. V: Umm-hmm. So this is a very nice piece. A: Especially now when the season is getting close. V: And there is still time to practice and learn it. At least some parts of it. You don’t have to play entire setting if you are not advanced with your technique. A: And if you are willing to learn the whole set then start learning from the end probably because those three last variations are the hardest ones. V: And obviously check out our score with fingering and registration provided because this will save you many, many hours I think. A: True. V: 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.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 344, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Glenn. And he writes: Hi Vidas and Ausra! I love your podcast, especially that I can read the transcript when I am in a place where I can't listen. I have a question about articulation. When you have a sustained note, like in the first partial measure of BWV 603 right hand, and an adjacent voice that sounds the same note, how do you articulate it? Do you just hold the sustained note—then it seems like the adjacent voice just goes away! Or do you break the sustained note, to sort of make room for the converging voice? Then it seems you don't hear the sustained note like you should. Similar problem in the fourth measure. Am I missing something? Thank you. -Glenn V: This is really common, I think, situation when two voices are very close together and then they form a unison at some point. And what you do, Ausra? A: True. Actually it’s a very complex issue. It should be a simple one but I don’t think I found a right answer to it. And sometimes it depends on situation. Sometimes I just leave that note for a short while, while another voice hits the same key again, and then I keep holding it, and sometimes not. V: Marcel Dupré once wrote, that in this situation, it’s better to repeat, right, to lift up the sustained note, and to make a rest with exact break of a unit value. I mean the shortest most common rhythmical value in the piece. Let’s say it’s eight note, right? A: I think it’s a very good advice. But sometimes when the texture is very thick… V: Mmm-mmm. A: I don’t follow it, because it takes too much pain to do it. V: And also sometimes, you don’t necessarily have the same situation or equal situation. Because sometimes this second voice is important and sometimes really not important. A: But the thing is that interests me the most was why, especially, it’s very often the case in Bach’s music, why he does that. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Why he composes like that. And I understood it thoroughly when I started to teach harmony. V: Understood. A: Yes. Because he is very particular about voice leading. And usually in places like this, if he would do something else then the voice leading would sort of suffer. V: Mmm-hmm. So if you are really particular about that, and want to be very precise, then probably lifting up and making a break in the sustained note is a good idea. Especially if you are playing in a[n] acoustical environment when the echo is great. A: Yes. V: Right? A: Yes. V: But then you need to be very meticulous about that. Are you very meticulous, Ausra? Are you perfectionist? A: Well, I would say yes. V: More than me? A: Especially now when I am teaching harmony for so many years. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Voice leading is very important for me. V: Mmm-hmm. A: That they always analyze how each voice goes and why it goes like that, and it’s important for me what I have to sustain and what I have to release and then to do it. V: Mmm-mmm. And in practice, this is one of the things that separates amateurs from professionals too. This professional attitude—attention to details. A: And I think when learning, especially Bach’s music, because it’s so complex, it’s very wise to start with the very slow tempo and you need to listen to what is happening. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Because if you will learn it in a wrong way, with the wrong voice leading, then you will have a real hard time to fixing it. Sometimes it’s much easier to learn a new piece than to fix something that you have learned incorrectly. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And sometimes it’s quite easy to miss things with thick polyphonic texture. V: Exactly. You know, when I’m playing modern pieces sometimes, I get carried away and forget to look at the middle voices and lift them at that precise time. Maybe not because of sloppiness but maybe lack of time. Remember last time I played this recital with organ works by Teisutis Makačinas, and there was a reason I didn’t play extremely precisely. You know what? Because composer didn’t write extremely precisely. Because every time something repeats, he writes something differently. And he likes that, so I thought to myself, maybe I should also play some, in a different way every time. A: Don’t remind me about it. When I remember that second part of that second sonata, I just feel really bad. V: You were my assistant. A: True. And everything just sounds the same, and the same, and the same. And then you have to add stops or to turn page, and if you just miss a few measures by accident, then you cannot find this spot you are on because everything looks and sounds the same. Or almost the same. V: What would you rather do, teach harmony or assist a piece like that? A: Well I better teach harmony. V: It’s so, I presume that, compensation, financial reward for you, has to be bigger, right, when you assist in registering this piece, than teaching harmony. A: Well, I never thought about it. But maybe you really have to pay me for all that work that I did for you. V: Okay. Let’s make a deal. I will pay you when they pay me, okay? A: (Laughs). Deal. V: Because it was actually surprise—I was going to play it for free, just because composer asked me and he was our former harmony professor and polyphonic professor at Academy of Music in Vilnius. But, when he came to the rehearsal, he said that Lithuanian Composers Union is going to pay me for this performance. So, is it fair to say, Ausra, that I should give you half of what I receive? A: Well, no I don’t think half would be a fair. I think you need to give me maybe like… V: More. A: Ten percent. V: Ten percent? A: Yes. V: Oh, you are being modest. Let me give you sixty percent. A: Okay. We will see. I think you will forget about it. V: No, no, no. Let me give you sixty percent, but then you will buy me coffee. A: Okay. I make for you coffee every morning, so… V: And take me to the movies as well. A: You asking too much. V: (Laughs). Thank you guys for listening. We hope this was entertaining to you, and remember that you have to actually think in details, right? It’s very good. Unless you are really, really short of time and then you choose what is better to play with less perfection but complete musical texture and rhythmical drive, or with great precision but stuck every ten measures or so. A: Well, don’t take me wrong—if you want playing with precision, it doesn’t mean that you play slowly… V: Mmm-hmm. A: And sloppy, and boringly. It’s not why I’m studying that voice leading in each piece that I am playing. Because now you put like fast and exciting and precise, slow and boring is not the right way I think to say things. You can do everything precisely but in a fast tempo too. V: I’m saying from my perspective, because I had to choose. A: But I’m not talking about your last recital. I’m talking more in general. V: In general. I was talking about me. I always talk about me. I’m very egoistic. A: Well I don’t think, or maybe if you would play, have played that recital very precisely, maybe it would be easier for me then to assist you. I don’t know. V: But it would last maybe half as long. (Laughs) A: Because honestly, at that recital, I thought maybe I just simply don’t have a pitch, and can’t hear and can’t see anything. V: Could not follow the score. A: Yes, in that particular one spot. Few pages in a row, yes. I felt lost and I’m almost certain that you didn’t play as it was written. V: Was it almost as good as written? A: I don’t know. Maybe it was even better. Who knows. You never know with contemporary music. V: Uh-huh. And composer asked me to improvise at the end, too. A: And I think that was the nicest part of your recital. V: Mmm. A: I’m always surprised how slow you can be at doing the domestic things that I’m asking you to do, let’s say to help me in the kitchen, or do something else, like cleaning, and how incredible you can be on your organ. V: We all have our own challenges and handicaps, I think. A: I know, because when I see you on the organ bench and hear your playing, oh, I’m thinking, this man can be be really fast, in doing things. V: But see, you are much better at both things—in the kitchen and playing organ, than me. A: Well, no. I couldn’t improvise like you. V: Maybe, maybe, you don’t know, Because you didn’t play that recital, you see, I did. So maybe next year, composer asks you to play, and then you say ‘okay, professor, I will improvise’. A: Thank you, thank you. No I have already my recitals planned for the next year, so... V: Mmm-hmm. You will go to Paris, right? Notre Dame? A: This will be in 2020, so… V: Oh. A: Not be next year. V: 2020, exactly. A: Alright. Thank you guys again. And please keep sending us your 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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