First, the news: If you would like to learn the famous Toccata from Suite Gothique by Leon Boellmann, I have prepared this PDF score with complete fingering and pedaling which will be helpful in your practice process.
This score is available here with 50 % discount which is valid until October 11. It's free for our Total Organist students. And now let's go on to the podcast conversation for today. Vidas: Let’s start Episode 82 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Peter, and he writes, “Dear Vidas and Ausra, I recently learned a new and ugly concept: Convenience rubato. Meaning slowing down, when it gets difficult. It hit me by my heart, because it is, what I do during rehearsal. But how do I avoid it during a performance e.g. a service (especially during preludes or postludes, since the hymns normally stick to the the tempo)? Thanks for your continuous work teaching and inspiring me. Regards, Peter.’ Remember, we also had a similar experience while playing piano. One of our former professors said, “Oh, when it gets difficult, just expand the tempo and slow down!” Ausra: Yes, I remember that! It was funny. Vidas: Of course, he didn’t mean we should do this all the time, but he tried to make us feel better about difficult spots, basically. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Did you, for example--while working, remember, with our organ studio, Unda Maris people--did you ever hear somebody slow down when it gets difficult? Ausra: Oh, definitely. There are some students that change tempo--like in the two beginning opening lines, they change tempo a few times! Vidas: Or speed up when it gets easier. Ausra: Yes. And that’s especially obvious in fugues, because one subject enters alone, and it’s easy to play it, so you can take a fast tempo. And then, each subsequent subject would just slow down the tempo a little bit; and finally maybe after a few lines you establish the right tempo. It just means that you have to pick your opening tempo according to the hardest spot of the piece, from the beginning. Vidas: The densest texture. Ausra: Yeah. Vidas: Just look at your piece of music that you’re currently playing, and find the spot which has the most difficult rhythmic values--maybe syncopations, maybe four or five parts--and then try to play all the parts together. If you cannot really play at the concert tempo without mistakes, all parts together, at that spot, slow down until you can. And that’s your current practice tempo, basically. Ausra: And I think what creates this problem that you cannot keep a steady tempo in the hard spots and just slow down--It’s very hard for us to push ourselves, for example, while practicing, to start to work on those hard spots first, and then only after practicing those hard spots, to play everything right from the beginning until the end. Because, that’s what kids do at school. They always try to play from the beginning to the end. And in that case, you will never be comfortable with those really hard spots, because they need your additional attention--extra practice. Vidas: Or kids even do other things, like playing pieces which are easy... Ausra: That’s true. Vidas: And not practicing pieces which are difficult at all, for some time, until it is too late. Ausra: Because always, if you don’t keep a steady tempo, it means that you either have some technical difficulties in some spots, or you are not listening to what you are playing. But I think in this case, this is the first scenario: you still have trouble playing some difficult spots. Vidas: Would recording yourself help? Ausra: Yes, that would help, definitely. Vidas: Because then you would find out how much your tempo fluctuates. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And in which places. It’s pure math, I think. As Ausra mentioned, for example: fugues. And fugues sometimes have four voices--but not at the beginning. So at the beginning, you have just one voice, a single line. Then a second voice enters: you have two voices. Then three voices, and then four-voice texture; that’s the hardest part, perhaps. And there are several of them during the entire piece. So what happens? At the second entrance of the fugue, you have two voices. But you have not two problems here, but three: because you have to solve the first voice separately, second voice separately, and both voices together--that’s three problems. When you have three voices...you have seven problems! Right? Because each voice is separate, and then two-voice combinations are three, and plus additional three-part texture--all parts together. And when you have four parts, you have fifteen problems to solve! That’s why it is fifteen times harder to play the middle of the fugue than the beginning of the fugue--right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that’s true. Vidas: So, I hope, guys, you can practice more of those combinations in difficult spots. Ausra, are there any other exercises that people could do, which would help them stick to the tempo? Or would just mastering the challenging parts help? Ausra: You could exercise, but I think it’s good to master those hard spots in a specific piece of music, for keeping a steady tempo. Vidas: Because like Peter writes, about hymns--it doesn’t happen with hymn playing, right? He sticks to the tempo in hymns, normally. But preludes and postludes give him more trouble. So normal organ music would be a good place to look at-- Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And to practice difficult spots. Considerably more times than the easy spots. Ausra: Definitely. Vidas: Okay guys, please send us more of your questions. We really enjoy helping you grow. And...this was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
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Vidas: Let’s start Episode 81 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Alan. He writes:
“Hello Vidas and Ausra, this is a very interesting problem that Vince describes, and one I can empathise with.” By the way, Vince had a problem: that when he makes a mistake, he really cannot hear it. Basically, he might play a piece of music, but mistakes elude him, especially in the inner voices. So Alan writes further: “In my case, I seem to be somewhat dyslexic between my feet and my left hand. Which is to say, when I make a mistake, I often find that I have confused the left hand (tenor) and pedal (bass) lines. Somehow I am reading the bass line but the instructions are being carried out by my left hand instead of my feet (and visa versa)! I have to stop, recognise what is happening, and mentally reassociate parts with hands and feet in order to continue. It is frustrating, but I do believe that the right sort of exercises/training could improve independence of motion, and strengthen the linkage between parts and hands/feet. I have tried to develop a few such exercises myself, but I haven't had very much success in eradicating the problem yet. I continue to enjoy and benefit from your daily postings. Thanks and keep up the good work! Regards, Alan from Australia.” So, what do you think, Ausra? In my opinion, this problem that Alan experiences has to do with hand and feet coordination. Ausra: That’s right. And this problem, I think, most of the organists at the early stage of their practice - beginner organists encounters this problem. Very few can escape it. Vidas: Especially right-handed ones. Ausra: Yes, especially right-handed ones. Vidas: So, when we were beginners, remember, 30 years ago or more, we had a fairly good background in piano playing; and then pedals came along with the organ. And now our teachers gave us pieces to play on the organ...How did you feel with the LH and feet combinations--reading three staves? Ausra: Actually, very bad, at the beginning. I just remember that my LH always wanted to play the same line as the feet - my LH wanted to double the pedals. Vidas: Yeah...for me, too. Ausra: And I remember one piece I had to play a passage up with my LH, and at the same time my feet had to move down. And I could not do that. It just seemed like my brain was divided into two parts. Vidas: Mhm. That’s very natural, right? Because we have to understand what’s happening in our brains, then. When we pick up a new instrument, like the organ, which has an extra part--solo part, pedal part, which is like a third hand, by the way--our brain has to develop new neural pathways, basically, which are not there. It’s like riding a bicycle for the first time. You stumble, you fall, you trip...and then you get better, a little bit...and then you STILL fall and trip many times. But less, with practice. Ausra: Yes. And of course, in this case, I think every person is different. For somebody it might come very easy; and somebody may not even encounter such problems; but for others it might be a real, big problem, and it might take a lot of time to make it work. Vidas: Well exactly, because as you say, some people can manage coordination and doing several tasks at once in their brain, right? Like talking and driving. But others cannot really concentrate on talking or on driving; they have to do one thing at a time. Unless they are naturally very good at this. Ausra: And it might even be a gender thing, at some point, because I think that women can multitask better than men. Vidas: Why is that? Ausra: I don’t know, it’s because of our brain. Vidas: Evolution? Ausra: I don’t think it’s because of evolution, but… Vidas: I’ve heard it’s because of evolution, because women had to take care of many things at the same time. Ausra: Yes, but also, women just have more neural connections in their brains. Vidas: Ahh, that’s right, perhaps. But because of that kind of evolution maybe, they have more neural pathways, right? Ausra: Yes, it could be, but I also encountered this combination problem at the beginning, as a beginner organist, and I struggled with it for a while. But you just have to be patient, and you have to practice in slow tempo, and you have to work in different combinations. There is no easy way to overcome this problem. There is no magic stick that will solve all your problems right away. Vidas: You’ll maybe feel better when we say that we also had to overcome this challenge in our beginner days, right? When we were just starting to play the organ, we also played lines with our feet, but in our minds, it got mixed up with the LH, and vice versa. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: It’s normal. Ausra: And I wonder how do left-handed people feel? Do they have the same problem with RH and pedal? I never heard about it. Vidas: Oh, guys! If any of you listening to this discussion is or are left-handed, please write to us: what’s your beginning experience with pedals and LH combination? Maybe it’s easier for you than for right-handed people; I don’t know. We are both right-handed. Ausra: Yes. But it’s good, because after a while, while practicing organ, most of the domestic things you have to do, you can do with both your hands; because you sort of have both your hands well-developed. Vidas: Not only hands; you can also pick up things with your feet. Ausra: No. I am not doing that. Vidas: I do! I do pick up eraser and pencils all the time with my feet. Yes. I cannot really write with my feet yet, but I’m trying. So guys, this was fun. We hope this was useful to you. Please don’t feel discouraged and frustrated, because everybody is suffering from this at the beginning. You just have to go over that dip of frustration and continue to the other side. Ausra: It will get easier in time. Vidas: Exactly. And of course, if you want other exercises which are good facilitators, then of course, regular organ music definitely works, right? Because LH and pedal part are definitely different and varied; in many cases they don’t usually double each other. And if you want extra exercises, you can take a look at our Organ Playing Master Course, Level 1, where we have exercises for RH, and LH alone, and pedals alone. That’s the beginning stage. Once you can do this correctly, you can easily go to the Left Hand Training, I would say, Ausra. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Remember, this training has all 6 trio sonatas by Bach, transposed in all keys, and you can practice for LH and feet, LH combination alone, and RH alone, and pedals alone. That’s the next stage after the Organ Playing Master Course, Level 1. Once you get through this, then the next stage would be Two Part Training, which also deals with trio sonatas in different keys; but then you have those 2-part combinations which Alan is struggling with, and obviously these exercises from trio sonatas could help you improve your hand and feet coordination enormously. Ok, please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow as an organist. This was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 80 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Ugochukwu, and he wants to know about enharmonic transposition. He writes, “Why do I need to know the rules for enharmonic transposition if the notes sound the same?
So Ausra… Ausra: Oh my God... Vidas: This is a question about harmony; and first, let’s explain for people, what is enharmonic transposition. Ausra: Well, in general, enharmonic means it sounds the same, but it’s written in a different manner. For example, F♯ and G♭. That’s the same note on the keyboard, but has a different meaning in a score. But you know, when a question like this rises, I just would like to ask Ugochukwu if he knows, for example, the Circle of Fifths. Vidas: It’s hard to tell; I think he doesn’t. Maybe he has heard about the concept, but if you tell him, “Please tell us the exact order of keys,” I wouldn’t count on it. Ausra: Well, if you don’t know what enharmonic means, and you don’t know how to do enharmonic modulation, it means that theoretically you cannot realize the music you are playing, especially if you are playing, Romantic music and modern music. Because look what happens in the Circle of Fifths: if you will not change keys enharmonically, you go, let’s say from C Major, which has zero accidentals. Then you go to a fifth above, you have G Major with one sharp and then D Major with 2 sharps, A Major with three sharps, E major with four sharps; then you go to B major with five sharps, and then you come to the F♯ Major with six sharps. In this place you should have to change enharmonically to G♭, and then you would start moving into the direction of the flats by omitting one of the flats. But if you wouldn’t do that, so instead of D♭ Major, you would receive C♯ Major and then G♯ Major… Vidas: How many sharps do you have with C♯ Major? Ausra: You have 7, and that’s the most you can have in music. Because other sharp keys moving up from C♯ Major, would have double sharps; and we don’t use that. We don’t create keys like this in real music. You could do that theoretically, but you could have the key of G♯ Major, but it would have six sharps and one double sharp. Vidas: Mhm. Ausra: And then D♯ Major would have like 5 sharps and 2 double sharps. That’s you know, artificial keys; we don’t use those in music. So for example, yes, F♯ and G♭ sound the same, but they have completely different musical meaning. Vidas: You have to specify a little bit that F♯ and G♭ sound the same on a keyboard that is tuned in equal temperament. Ausra: Yes, but let’s not go now into historical temperaments. Just focus on this, on equal temperament. For example, let’s say if you are in the key of g minor, for example, and you have a dominant 7th chord--D, F♯, A, and C--could you write in the music, like, G♭? No, because it would not make any sense. Vidas: Why? Ausra: Well, because in the key of g minor, it would be the first scale degree lowered, and we do not do that. Vidas: Why? Ausra: That’s inappropriate! That’s simply...you know, you could not say in math, like that 2 + 2 = 3, because it equals 4. So this is the same. They’re just, like, general rules. Vidas: Ah, it’s like the sun revolving around the moon. Or the earth. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Hahaha. Or vice versa. I always forget. Ausra: And, for example, if you have an interval, like C to F--that’s a fourth, yes--and you invert them, you have F and C--that’s a fifth. That’s how it works. That’s just math. And the same with enharmonic things. Vidas: Is it a rule or a law? Ausra: I would say that’s a law. Vidas: In tonal music. Ausra: Yes, in tonal music. Vidas: You have to specify which kind of music. Ausra: Yes, in tonal music. But look, that tonal music, it goes all the way from Middle Ages to 20th century. And even in the 20th century, most composers still base their music on these laws. Vidas: There was--or we could say, still is--a number of composers who don’t adhere to the rules of tonal harmony, right? And they treat any pitch of the chromatic scale as a tonic in serial Dodecaphonic style. Ausra: Well, yes there are exceptions; but for example, look, if you have a composition, let’s say, whose home key is D♭ Major, and if composers will start to confuse this key, D♭ Major, with for example, C♯ Major which are enharmonically the same, yes? Vidas: Mhm. Ausra: You just will not be able to learn it. Vidas: It’s like sometimes when I play a composition or improvisation on my keyboard, which is connected to the computer through Sibelius program--and notes appear on the screen right away (with weird syncopations, perhaps, I have to clean it up later), but what I improvise, could be written down, right--instantly. And if I play in some kind of tonal mode (major, minor, very simple and understandable), sometimes a certain flat or certain sharp gets mixed up in Sibelius. And instead of D♯, they write E♭. Suddenly, in let’s say, in a e minor piece: instead of D♯, I would get E♭. It’s weird. E♭ is not present in e minor. Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: So that’s why we need to know what fits together--what works together in each key, so that you could respell it enharmonically, if you want. Ausra: Sure. And because we are organists, usually the texture that we play is so thick. It’s based on functional harmony--where you cannot avoid knowledge of chords and knowing what fits together and what does not fit. So then, it makes a big difference if you are having F♯ or G♭. And by learning new pieces, the more you know theoretically about composition, about how the piece is put together, about all those chords, the easier it will be for you to learn it. And when I receive a question like this, I would suggest for a person to really take music theory seriously. Vidas: Mhm. Ausra: You really need it. Because otherwise, if you are theoretically well-educated, I don’t think that such a question would rise at all. Usually kids in my school in like 6th or 7th grade may ask question like this. Vidas: Teenagers who want to challenge you? Ausra: Yes, yes, yes. Vidas: Who think they’re smarter than you? Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: Right. So guys, we can recommend, of course, starting with our basic chord workshop and learning the circle of keys, and any other courses in music theory and/or harmony collection. But this really helps you to grow as an organist in the long run. You will know how the piece is put together, you will know what the notes on the sheet music mean, what the composer was thinking when he or she created that masterpiece that you are playing right now. Ausra: That’s true. Because in life, you can teach different things to different creatures--for example, a bear can ride a bike. I have seen it in the circus. Vidas: Really? Ausra: But--it’s not the same with human beings. We have more evolved brains, and we can make decisions, right decisions. And we can teach other people to ride a bike--I don’t think a bear could teach other bears to ride a bike! Vidas: Exactly. Ausra: So, I think knowing what you’re doing and understanding things is what separates us from other mammals. So just use your potential. Vidas: Yeah. And teach other people how to ride a bike. Excellent! Please, guys, send us more of your questions. And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen. Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #114!
Today's guest is Dr. David Danielson Eaton who is an organist, teacher, and church musician whose performances have been described as ‘world class,’ ‘dynamic and consummately musical,’ ‘meticulous and powerful,‘ and ‘the zenith of musical talent.’ His appearances in the great Cathedrals and Churches in Europe, and various venues throughout North America, including Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, The Piccolo Spoleto Music Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, The Concordia Organ Series at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York, The Old West Organ Society Summer Evening Concerts at Old West Church in Boston, and St. Thomas Church in New York City, have been met with great enthusiasm. As church musician, he has held appointments in New York, Boston, Minneapolis, San Antonio, Austin, Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Carolina. Dr. Eaton served as Director of Music at The Church of St. John the Evangelist on Beacon Hill in Boston, and as Director of Music at historic St. Helena's Episcopal Church (founded 1712) in Beaufort, South Carolina. For ten years Dr. Eaton served parishes in Texas, first as Director of Music & OrganistChoirmaster at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in San Antonio, Texas, and then at All Saint’s Episcopal Church on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Dr. Eaton is currently Director of Music & Organist at The Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, Massachusetts. While at St. Luke’s, Dr. Eaton reinvigorated a dormant music ministry that became recognized for exhibiting the highest standards of choral and organ music. Dr. Eaton passionately developed a Chorister Training Program based on the Royal School of Church Music model; was Founder and Artistic Director of the Music at St. Luke’s Concert Series which hosted over twenty-five musical events annually and focused on partnerships and collaboration with musicians and musical organizations within the community; managed the St. Luke’s Friends of Music which emphasized the cultivation of relationships that produced financial support for the music program; and led the Parish Choir on their first ever Pilgrimage to England where they sang in Canterbury, Southwark, St. Albans, Wells and Exeter Cathedrals. Dr. Eaton has been the recipient of numerous academic and performance awards including the Elizabeth Margaret Meyer Award for Excellence in Music at Concordia College, Bronxville, New York. He was a finalist in the Arthur Poister National Organ Playing Competition in 1992; an E. Power Biggs Fellow with the Organ Historical Society; a Recipient of Fredrick Rahn Scholarship for excellence in academic achievement at the University of Iowa; is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society; and was received as a Distinguished Member of Sigma Alpha Iota, International Music Fraternity. Currently, Dr. Eaton serves on the Board of Directors for the Old West Organ Society (Executive Director, pro tempore), and as the Region I Chair for the Association of Anglican Musicians. Eaton has held numerous academic appointments. He was awarded a Graduate Instructor faculty position at the University of Iowa to teach undergraduate theory. Dr. Eaton was appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music (Organ) and College Organist at Bethany College where he taught organ, harpsichord, piano, church music and theory. He held an appointment within the performance faculty as Lecturer in Music at the University of Massachusetts at Boston where he taught organ. He also served as Assistant Professor of Organ and University Organist at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, where he taught organ, piano, and theory. While on the faculty of The Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival, he taught organ, music history, theory and directed the Collegium Musicum, and then was appointed Executive Director. From 2004 through 2014, Dr. Eaton served as The Bess Hieronymus Fellow on the music faculty at the University of Texas at San Antonio where he taught organ and harpsichord. Eaton earned a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College-New York, Bronxville, New York; a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Massachusetts; and the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. While in residence at the University of Iowa, he taught organ, keyboard harmony, and completed the Theory Pedagogy Minor. Eaton also attended the North German Organ Academy. His organ teachers include Richard Heschke, William Porter, Yuko Hayashi, Delores Bruch, John Chappell Stowe, Delbert Disselhorst and Harold Vogel. In this conversation, David shares his insights about the importance of enjoying yourself when you play the organ, about slow, concentrated and careful practice, and being open for other people's suggestions. Enjoy and share your comments below. And don't forget to help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends. And if you like it, please head over to iTunes and leave a rating and review. This helps to get this podcast in front of more organists who would find it helpful. Thanks for caring. Listen to the conversation Related Link: https://www.daviddanielsoneaton.com #AskVidasAndAusra 79: Can you help me so that I can log in to my monthly subscription account?9/30/2017
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 79 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Rose. And she writes:
“Dear Vidas, I love your products and have a monthly subscription. The problem I am encountering is that suddenly this week I cannot log in with my email. The system says there is no account with that address. I also tried my personal address, in case it was the one linked to the subscription, but it didn't work either. I receive my monthly bills at that address for some reason. I may have just created a new account with my new address as a way to try to get the system to remember me, but it is not linked to the monthly subscription, so I still cannot download scores through it. Can you help me so that I can log in to my monthly subscription account? Many thanks. Rose.” Ausra: So, because I’m sort of technically challenged, maybe you, Vidas, could explain about this question and answer it? Vidas: Rose is having a problem that from time to time, some of Total Organist students also face. And I’m very happy to help, and it’s not a big deal, we always find a solution through email communication. So first of all, if you cannot login into your account, don’t panic, just send me an email and we will work together. The issues might be not necessarily just one, but several… Ausra: Could you explain just the most common issues? What you have encountered, from your experience? Vidas: For example, Paypal--this subscription works with Paypal accounts, and people sometimes pay with their money directly taken from Paypal accounts, and sometimes from cards that are linked to their Paypal accounts; that’s not the same thing. And sometimes, they update their accounts--like maybe one card expires, and another card is linked again. So if you do that, sometimes Paypal doesn’t recognize your card, and your payment doesn’t go through, and then your subscription gets suspended. So at this point, you cannot really login into your account. Ausra: So what should you do? Vidas: Well, simply...There are 2 solutions. If you’re not suspended, but just simply, temporarily, Paypal is trying to deduct some money from your account, but unsuccessfully, and you have maybe 5 days period for that, and Paypal notifies me also, that they’re trying to transfer funds from somebody’s account, but unsuccessfully, and they will try again in 5 days. So it’s not cancellation, not suspension yet, it’s like period of trials for Paypal. And during that period, I may write an email to you if you have this problem, and you can update your card. Maybe you have insufficient funds, for example; maybe add some funds to your card, and then this payment will go through, and you will get easily accepted to Total Organist website account. Or just add another card, validate through Paypal, and Paypal will accept it and the payment will go through. You see how it works? It seems like technical work, but it’s really not. Paypal is trying various ways to find payment solutions from your account; and if either the payment method doesn’t work for them, or the money is insufficient in your account, then they get worried, and sometimes suspend. If your subscription to Total Organist gets suspended--from that moment, you cannot log into Total Organist account. You write to me, if that’s the case, and if you still want to continue your training, then the best way would be to subscribe from the beginning, like a new student. What do you think about it, Ausra? Because Paypal already has suspended this account, you cannot really reactivate. Ausra: Yes, I think the best solution is to start from the beginning. Vidas: The best solution is to purchase your subscription from the beginning. Ausra: But the best thing, first of all, I think--what to do--would be to send you an email directly. Vidas: Email! Always email, and communications. And by the way you can try out membership for Total Organist for free for 30 days. And after that, if you like it, you continue with the full amount, monthly or yearly, if you want. Thanks, guys, we hope this was useful to you, to think about your payment options and subscription to Total Organist. And if you have more questions, please send us through email, and we will be happy to help you. This was Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen. #AskVidasAndAusra 78: I’m a beginner who still struggles with pedals, I really need your help9/29/2017
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 78 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Marvin. He writes, “I’m a beginner who still struggles with pedals, I really need your help”. That’s a nice and simple question, right?
Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Imagine, Ausra, you have a student who just started playing the organ. Maybe he or she has piano technique of some sort, and can read the notes, but the pedals are new for them. So what would you suggest for starters? Ausra: Well, maybe just start with some pedal exercises. Don’t try to play hands and feet together at the beginning. Do some simple pedal exercises. Vidas: Don’t even try to play pedal scales. Right? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: In our Organ Pedal Virtuoso Master Course, we have pedal scales and arpeggios over two octaves, over one octave...But that’s more advanced technique, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: If you want to do that, to perfect your pedal technique and advance to the next level, then it will work; but first you have to reach the basic level, I would say. Ausra, do you think that playing hymns, for example, with pedals would be helpful? Melodies of hymns. Ausra: Could be, yes, why not? Vidas: Melodies--simple soprano melodies-- Ausra: But even at the beginning, I would say you just play everything in a very very slow tempo. Imagine that each note in the melody is written in whole-note values. And play them as that. Vidas: Exactly. If you want to make your pedal technique a little bit more fluent, and not hit the wrong notes, then very very slow tempo is the key, and repetitive practice. You have to practice over and over again short fragments, maybe one measure at a time, two or even four measures. Ausra: Yes, and then, when you will be able without any trouble to play that part in the bass, in the pedals, then you can add hands--and not both hands together, but maybe RH and pedal first, and then LH and pedal; and then everything together. Vidas: In general, I think students should think about their goals first. And maybe my advice about playing hymns doesn’t work for somebody who is interested in playing real organ music, right? Ausra: Yes. Then take just, for example, Little Prelude in g minor by J. S. Bach. Vidas: And play just the pedal part? Ausra: Yes. Because it’s written in long-note values, it’s very suitable for a beginner. Not the fugue of that prelude, but just the prelude itself. Vidas: Yes. We have many solutions for everybody, right? But not everything works for everybody. You have to think and adjust personally what would you like, what is boring to you, right? Never play pedals scales and arpeggios if it’s very boring to you. Or never play exercises if it’s too boring. Maybe treat real organ music as exercises. Ausra: Yes, you can do that. But some people love to play exercises. Vidas: Exactly. So for some people, it’s gold! And I know one of our subscribers--his name is Leon--he writes (frequently) updates on his practice, so he loves to practice exercises both on the manuals and the pedals. And they challenge him really everyday, and he seems to enjoy it. Ausra: Good for him. For example, when I was back in the School of Art, I loved these technical skills exams where we had to play scales, arpeggios, chords, chromatic scales, and the scales in different combinations and thirds, and so on and so forth. And you know why I liked it? Because I wasn’t worried about forgetting the text which I had during my other exams, when I had to play repertoire, and I had to memorize it and to play from memory. So it just seemed so easy to play scales, because you just know what it is! And you don’t worry about the text. Vidas: Well yes, it’s already pre-designed for you: you don’t have to improvise or play something very difficult or from memory, you just play a simple scale up and down. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Or other technical studies like arpeggios or chords. Ausra: So I believe that some people can just love to play exercises and scales. Vidas: Yes. And in some sense, they feel some sort of improvement. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Because they are improving, actually. And they’re improving their technique, right? Of course they will lack the knowledge of applying that technique to real situations, to real music. That’s another side of the coin: you have to read music, real organ pieces, regularly. Ausra: But going back to the original question, with pedal technique at the beginning you just have to be really patient, and try not to be too much disappointed in yourself. I’m sure that in time, you will succeed, and you will overcome those technical difficulties. Vidas: Oh, by the way, Ausra, how was your first experience with organ preludes, do you remember? Ausra: Horrible, it was just horrible! I played this G minor Prelude by J. S. Bach, and I could not get the right notes. At the beginning there is like G and then C in the pedal in whole notes... Vidas: Mhm. Ausra: And I could not get that C. I would hit, like D or something else, instead of C. Vidas: Did you play with your inside or outside portion of the foot? Ausra: I don’t remember now exactly, but it just did not work for me. Vidas: Your first teacher didn’t tell you the exact way to depress the pedals. Ausra: No, she did not. Vidas: Well, yes, technique is important, and it might get you quite far with organ playing. But, as Ausra says, be patient, right? And I think we all need to have some kind of reward every day, to feel that we are progressing somewhere, so if you play a set of exercises, then you don’t necessarily feel that you’re progressing. Maybe try to play excerpts of real organ compositions with pedals, too. Or, Ausra, tell us a little bit of your experience with organ demonstration for bankers the other day. Did you demonstrate something with your feet, the lowest voices? Ausra: Yes, I demonstrated it. Vidas: What did you play with pedals for them? Ausra: Well, I just showed some--some excerpts, you know, just improvised, some... Vidas: Improvised, that’s what I was looking for. Keyword: improvisation. Improvising a pedal melody is not something you should be afraid of, right? Ausra: Mhm. Vidas: And it gets you familiar with the pedalboard, as well. You’re creating a melody, but at the same time, the pedalboard becomes your own, a little bit, more and more every day. So, besides those technical exercises, besides excerpts of real organ compositions--why don’t you play a melody of some sort, that you make up in your mind, on the pedals, too? Ausra: Sure, that would be a great idea; it would help you to improve your pedal technique. Vidas: And play hymns on the pedals, if you like playing hymns. Ausra: Yes, maybe for starters, you could do hymns in closed position. And maybe you could play three voices in your RH, and pedal part (bass line) in the pedal, and don’t use your LH, at the beginning. It would make things much easier, I think. Vidas: You mean to play the entire harmonization of the hymn! What about playing just the soprano melody with your feet? Ausra: Well, you could do that; I don’t know how well you could apply it in the church service, I’m not sure. Vidas: Mhm. So, explore everything, right? And keep something that works for you. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: That’s the best advice, probably. Excellent, guys. Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. Okay, this was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
First, the news:
Our 4th e-book "MY GOAL IS TO BE A BETTER CHURCH ORGANIST" (And Other Answers From #AskVidasAndAusra Podcast) is available here for a low introductory pricing of 2.99 USD until October 4. Please let us know what will be #1 thing from our advice you will apply in your organ practice this week. This training is free for Total Organist students. And now let's go on to answering people's questions for today. Vidas: Let’s start Episode 77 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Jerome, and he writes, “Can you please tell me the notes in this b minor chord progression?” And the chords are as follows: iv, ii 65, V42, i6, and V43. So, Ausra, I think this is a rather simple question about expanding and explaining chords to people how they actually need to be understood, right? Ausra: But first of all, he just asked us to tell the notes, what the notes would be-- Vidas: In b minor. Ausra: In b minor. So the first chord would be E-G-B... Vidas: E-G-B... Ausra: Then the second chord would be E, G, B, and C♯... Vidas: That’s a second scale degree 65 chord. Ausra: Yes. Then the next chord would be E-F♯-A♯-C♯. Vidas: That’s a dominant 42 chord. Ausra: Then next would be D-F♯-B-B. Vidas: That’s a tonic 6th chord. Ausra: And the next would be C-sharp-E-F♯-A-sharp. Vidas: The last one, dominant 43 chord. That’s all in b minor. By the way, you can play everything in any key you want, in any minor key you want--it’s a nice transposition exercise. It expands your theoretical knowledge to other keys as well. Ausra: I would say that’s a little bit of strange progression, because it doesn’t end in a tonic key, and begins not in a tonic key. Vidas: So what could be the last chord, in your opinion? Ausra: The last would be a tonic. It would be B, D, F♯, and B. Vidas: B, D, F♯, and B. Ausra: Also it’s a strange way to begin a progression on a subdominant chord. Vidas: So before the subdominant, before this minor iv, you might probably need to use tonic. Ausra: Tonic, but maybe 6th chord would be best, so it would be D, F♯, and B at the beginning. Vidas: Can we spell them out in 4-part notation, just like in your harmony exercises? Ausra: Definitely, yes. Vidas: Because now we’re using the simple 3-note notation to be able to play with one hand only. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: If you want to play with both hands, you have to use 4 parts, SATB, and sometimes closed positions, sometimes open positions. So the first would be, let’s say, tonic, right? And tonic would be, in b minor… Ausra: Well, if you want to do the subdominant next, then it would be easier, for example, for the beginners to not start on the tonic but to start on tonic 6th chord. Vidas: Okay, so D in the bass? Ausra: That would be a smoother progression. Vidas: D-B-F♯-B. Starting from the bass… Ausra: But in order to play chords like this, you have to have basic knowledge of harmonizing things. I don’t think it will be much use to our audience, if you will say this progression again in an open position. They just have to start with harmony--learning harmony from the beginning. Vidas: So it’s too hard, right? Ausra: I think so. Vidas: Ok. Ausra: That’s an entire course. Vidas: Okay, so guys, if you want to play those 3-note, 4-note chords, in 4-part notation using both hands, and even learn to harmonize hymns, you need to learn the basics of chord progressions, and basic harmonic rules--how the voices have to move between the chords, and what is forbidden, for example. Ausra: Because you know, resolving only one progression will not teach you harmony. If you cannot read chords like this, as I understood from his question, that means you have no basics of theory and of harmony. Vidas: Okay, so we can recommend something. We can recommend a few courses. Probably the beginning course would be Harmony for Organists, Level 1. And I explain in this course all the major and minor, root position and first inversion and other inversions, tonic, subdominant, dominant chords, and even dominant 7th chords and inversions; and I will teach you how to harmonize the melody in the soprano. And that will get you started...and moving to the world of harmony, which is very useful if you are interested in playing hymns and understanding organ music that you play, for example. Okay, guys. Hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions. And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 76 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Paul. He writes, “I want to be able to take any music and create an arrangement which would be possible for me to play without automatic or electronic tricks, and yet would be found interesting and fun for whoever should hear it.” Ausra, is it a question about arranging music? Or improvising music? What do you think?
Ausra: Actually, I’m not sure I understood this question right. Vidas: In my mind, I think Paul means that he wants to make a version of a piece that was originally composed not for organ. Like arranging for organ. Ausra: Transcription? Vidas: Like transcription, yeah. Ausra: Could be. Vidas: So, let’s talk about the best way to make organ transcriptions. We have made a few, right, like the famous Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And we’ve played together, and alone. I think we have to understand that the organ, with two hands and one pedal line, cannot really play everything that, let’s say, orchestra can play, or even pianist with large leaps and octaves can achieve. Even choir or double choirs or certain instrumental ensembles...Do you think that there are certain voices that we could omit, and certain voices that we could keep? Ausra: Definitely you have to keep, of course, the melody, because it’s the most well-known; but with other voices, I think you have to omit something. Vidas: What is the second most-important voice? Ausra: The bass. Vidas: So you have to have at least two voices in your arrangements: one for RH, one for LH. What if you have pedals, and you can play the bass with the pedals? Ausra: Yes, that’s right, that would be the best, I think Vidas: What could your LH play, then? Ausra: Some sort of accompaniment, to fill in the harmony. Vidas: One or two voices? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: To keep the chords complete? Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: So what I mean is, if you take a vertical line (not a horizontal line, but a vertical line--one beat, right?), and you play RH and pedals together at the same time, and you see what is sounding, let’s say in the RH there is for example C, and (in the pedals) is also a C. So you have to fill in some harmony. So think, if it’s a C Major chord, what could be filled in? E and G, probably. Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: What is more important, E or G, in C Major? Ausra: Of course E. Vidas: Why? Ausra: Because it gives you the understanding that it’s a major chord. If you would omit E and add G, then what’s that? You wouldn’t be able to hear that it’s a major chord. Vidas: So from G to E, what is this interval? Major third, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And from C to G, what is that? Ausra: That’s a fifth. Vidas: A perfect fifth. And can you discover that it’s a major chord from the third alone? Ausra: Of course. Vidas: And not from the fifth? Ausra: Definitely. Study the cadences. Most of them at the end have incomplete tonic with a third but without a fifth. Vidas: So guys, if you want to limit yourself to three voices, always have a third in your chord, right? Ausra: That’s right. And the same with like, four-voice chords, like seventhchords. You always omit the fifth, if you have to omit something. Vidas: Excellent. Can your melody, by the way, be in the LH, in the tenor range? Ausra: Could be, but that way I think it would be much harder to play. Vidas: And then you would need an extra solo stop, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: On a separate manual. Ausra: And because I think it was Paul who asked about a coordination problem in the last question--the question that we answered before--so I would not suggest him to put the melody in the LH. It might add extra problems. Vidas: Could be. But for other people--or for Paul in the future, when he is advanced enough--that’s another way to arrange: in the tenor. Ausra: And of course, the melody can be in the bass, too. Vidas: But then you have another problem: about harmonization, right? Because then, if you transfer your melody from soprano to bass, your soprano becomes the foundation of the harmony; and then the chords that would have fitted earlier will not necessarily work, right? Ausra: But I think you always have to see what kind of piece you are arranging for organ, and to look what it is in the original. Vidas: Well, exactly, because maybe the original has another bass line. Ausra: That’s true. Vidas: Right. Good, guys. Please experiment with your arrangements, and send more of your questions to us. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen. #AskVidasAndAusra 75: I don’t have enough free time to become good enough to play difficult passages9/23/2017
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 75 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Paul, and he writes that his challenge is that he doesn’t have enough free time to become good enough to play difficult passages. He writes, “However, on thinking about it a little more, it is the problem of coordination between two hands and feet, with all three playing something different. Yes! It is this problem of coordination between separate rhythms. Unfortunately, I only have one brain, probably with only one core, while an organist probably needs at least three cores.”
So, Ausra, that’s an analogy with computers, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: The more cores you have, the faster you can process information. But yes, we as humans have just limited amount of possibilities to process information at the same time. We cannot really multitask. We can focus on one single task at hand. What do you think about it? Ausra: Yes, that’s true, but you know what? I think that people nowadays want to have immediate gratification. They want to put in very little effort, or no effort at all, and to be able to play as J. S. Bach did. Everything takes time, and there are no ways how you can escape that, if you want to play really well, and you want to have well-coordinated voices; and to coordinate your hands and feet, you just have to practice more and to work on combinations. And I think we already have talked about it so many times. Vidas: And I think we will talk so many times in the future, because it’s so important, and we have to reinforce this concept. Ausra: Because there is no magic pill, no magic trick, that you would just do it like that, in a second. It’s a step-by-step approach; it’s diligent practice every day. Vidas: I think people in general have to lower their expectations of what they can achieve overnight, right? Ausra: Yes. If you cannot play the hard passages, don’t pick pieces that have such difficult passages. And if you chose one, then work on it: not playing from the beginning to the end, but take those hard passages and work on them. Work on different combinations--learn left hand first, then right hand second, and then pedal, and then work in different combinations. Vidas: And another thing to be careful about is, you have to (obviously) never underestimate what you can achieve over time, long-term. Keep lower expectations for your short-term progress; but if you calculate those countless hours you spent on the organ bench overcoming months, years (and even decades, for some people)--it will add up, right? Ausra: Yes. You just have to be patient. Vidas: Yeah, that’s the bane of the modern age--we’re not patient enough. We are constantly bombarded with new information, with temptation for instant gratification; and we have to resist that, right? If we want to achieve something worthwhile, there is pain involved. “No pain, no gain,” that is a famous saying. And people don’t want to suffer, actually, right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes! Vidas: We are built, we’re wired to avoid suffering. We flee from pain and seek pleasure, that’s our nature. And actually, learning something is against our nature, in this case. So we have to be absolutely, very firm in our beliefs, in what we want to achieve--and just simply stick with it no matter what. Ausra: Yes, and be honest and don’t try to cheat. Because maybe you can cheat other people, but you cannot cheat yourself. Vidas: Maybe you can cheat yourself once… Ausra: Yes… Vidas: But you will start to notice, if you cut corners too often, if you spend not quality time on the organ but just fooling around, so to say, it doesn’t lead you anywhere where you want to go in the future. And sooner or later, you are going to regret this time you spent on the organ. Not quality time, not focused time, not with intent. That’s what we can suggest to everybody, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Excellent, Ausra. Is it easy for you to delay gratification for yourself, when you sit down on the organ bench? Do you have those urges yourself--do you want to achieve something very quickly, too? Ausra: Well, I think it’s in everybody’s nature; but you know, I’m not a chimp. I’m a human being, and I have reason, I have control of myself; so that’s what I’m trying to do. Vidas: What you’re saying is probably, your motivation is stronger than your pain, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Your will to succeed is stronger than the fear of pain, which is involved in this process for everyone, right? If you want to achieve something, you have to persevere, and a certain amount of pain will definitely be there. And you have to be conscious of that fear, and don’t flee from that fear, because you have that inner motivation to succeed--in this case, on the organ. Ausra: Yes. That’s right. Vidas: Excellent, guys. I, too, have constant urges to be successful, let’s say, in fugal improvisation (it's an advanced stage for improvisation based on chorale tunes). It’s a very difficult sphere of creating music in the moment. And I want to do this like the masters did in the past (or some of them can do today, like my friend Sietze de Vries); and I want to play fantasies and fugues with triple counterpoint right away! It’s funny because that doesn’t happen! I have to stick with my schedule--with the method, with the system that I apply to myself, to my practice. Otherwise, it’s foolish to hope, right? Miracles happen only when I practice! Ausra: That’s true. Vidas: We keep saying that, but there is no other way around pain. Just go through it. Okay, guys, thank you so much for listening; thank you so much for sending us your questions. Please send us more of your questions, we love helping you grow. And apply our tips to practice; there are no shortcuts in this art. This was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start now Episode 74 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by David, and he writes, “Thank you very much for answering my question. I have the Ritchie/Stauffer book and started with Chapter 3 Early Organ Technique since I am working on Handel's Largo. I have a follow up question. When I master Handel's Largo, should I continue with another early music piece or change to modern music and start at the beginning of the Ritchie/Stauffer book?”
Ausra, do you think that people should practice simultaneously a few pieces of different stylistic periods? Ausra: You know, if you’re just a beginner, maybe do a few pieces of the early style first, and then go the modern style, and do a few pieces of the modern style; and then you can practice them simultaneously. Because if you will begin to practice simultaneously right away, it might be too difficult for you to differentiate these two such different techniques. And what do you think about it? Vidas: Absolutely true. And that’s the reason why Ritchie and Stauffer chose to do their book this way. They don’t mix their techniques this way, but they have one part of the book on modern technique and the second part on early technique. And actually, they start with the modern first. Do you know why, Ausra? Ausra: I think because most organists, when they begin to play organ, they come after playing piano for many years, or at least a few years; so the modern technique is easier for those who have practiced piano before. Vidas: True. So, for David, I think he could start working on Ritchie-Stauffer’s exercises from the Early Technique section right away; and at the end of that section he will find a few of the early music pieces suitable for that technique that he just learned, right? Ausra: Yes. So just do the mixture of exercises and real music pieces, but learn more of early music pieces, and then go on to modern technique. Vidas: And after that--after you have mastered a few pieces from early repertoire, a few from the modern, legato repertoire--can you learn a few of them simultaneously? Ausra: Sure, yes; after some time you can do that. But not right at the beginning. It probably would be too hard. Vidas: You wouldn’t recommend, like, on Mondays you do early technique, on Tuesdays… Ausra: Well, I wouldn’t do that at the beginning. It’s not so easy to master each of them, so you might experience too much trouble. Vidas: True. When did you first discover that you need to play several stylistically different pieces simultaneously? While at the Lithuanian Academy of Music, probably? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: When you had to play recitals… Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And people appreciate variety in recitals. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: So that’s why you need a lot of stylistic differences right away. Ausra: But when I started to practice organ for the first two months, and it was intensive practice, I played early Baroque music--so, early technique; and that was a good thing. And then later on, I started to practice Romantic and later music. Vidas: Me too. I remember this well. What to do for people who don’t have the Ritchie-Stauffer book? Can they still practice in a similar order? Ausra: Sure, why not? Vidas: Basically, early music first, probably? And then, like, modern or Romantic music later. Or vice versa, you could reverse that, if you are a better pianist. Ausra: Yes, that’s true. Vidas: How many pieces do you think they would need to feel comfortable with one technique at first, and ready to switch to another technique? 3, 4, 5? Ausra: Well, it depends. For some, yes, that might be 3-4, but for some, it might be like ten pieces. Ausra: I think it might be very different for each person. Vidas: With every new piece in that stylistic repertoire, you will discover something new about yourself, and your instrument, and your music; it will be like a small experiment, exploration; you will feel like a scientist, exploring new, unfamiliar lands. And every tenth piece, you will probably have a small breakthrough--don’t you think, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, I think so. Vidas: Excellent, guys. We hope this has been helpful to you in your practice. And please send us more of your questions; we really love helping you grow as organists. This was Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra! Vidas: And remember, 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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