#AskVidasAndAusra 73: I wonder if "selling" your ideas of fingerings is the best for students9/21/2017
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 73 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Don, and he writes, “Dear Vidas, while I respect your work as an organ teacher, I wonder if "selling" your ideas of fingerings is the best for students. My present teacher would never force me to copy or use other person's fingerings. Dupre, in my opinion, wasted a lot of his time with his "fingered" editions of the Bach works. My instructor at the time told me to "throw them in the garbage can!"....so who, as a student, do we believe? Let us guide students with some basic principles...but to finger every note for them??? Don”
That’s an interesting question, right, Ausra? Ausra: Well, you know, I’ll just say this for Don, if his teacher did not explain why he should throw away the best fingering and pedaling for Bach: in that time, the historical approach of historical performance of Bach’s music wasn’t discovered. Actually, it was discovered fairly late, in the 20th century. So that’s probably why his teacher suggested him to throw those scores away: because they are inappropriate for playing Bach. That’s my opinion. What do you say about it, Vidas? Vidas: Absolutely. I think Don replied with this question to our post about Bach’s Piece d’Orgue’s (BWV 572) fingering, the day we offered it to the world; and every finger in this five-part texture in the Gravement section is written out, and it’s a very thick texture to figure out the fingering yourself. On the other hand, you could use all your fingers, and it should look fine; but the way we do it is similar to what organists in the 18th century would do, back in the day when the piece was written. So of course we teach you principles how to do it: we don’t use thumb glissandos; we don’t even use the thumb too often, right? We don’t use finger glissandos or finger substitutions a lot, because we don’t need legato touch for this. We never keep it a secret. You can do this yourself. But for people who are struggling with this, and especially for those who want to save time--how much time?--maybe tenths, even hundreds of hours if they don’t know what they’re doing! If they finger it the wrong way, and their entire articulation is legato--so this type of fingering doesn’t help them play with the right stylistic approach. And we try to help people solve this problem while providing this fingering. Of course, some of them have other teachers, like Don; and those teachers have their own ideas, right? And as Ausra says, the Dupré collection is not suitable anymore; it was just for those times, when everybody played Bach legato. Ausra: Yes, and that’s not a good idea to do nowadays. Nobody will understand you, if you will play Bach legato nowadays. Vidas: Yeah. While we won’t, probably, personally throw Dupré’s edition in the garbage literally, we would definitely not use them in our practices, today. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So we are not disagreeing with Don on this. Ausra: And I just know one thing, if you will not be writing fingering down in the score, you will just be wasting your time, especially if you are a beginner organist. Because it means that every time when you will sit down to that particular piece, you probably will play it with a different fingering. And it will slow down your learning process by maybe 5 times. Or even more. Vidas: True. Ausra: So, it’s up to you. I would try playing with fingering. Of course, you could just write down the fingering for the hardest spots; that’s up to you, but I would suggest doing at least some fingering. Vidas: Until you learn the principles. Ausra, when you play a Baroque piece like that today, do you need those fingerings? Ausra: No, I don’t need them. Vidas: Do you need pedaling? Ausra: No, I don’t need them, but, you know, I have a long experience. Vidas: How many years? Ausra: I have more than twenty years of very intense practicing experience. Vidas: When did you discover first that you don’t need fingerings and pedalings anymore? Ausra: Probably at UNL during my doctoral studies; but because I got my bachelor’s and two master’s first, so I had, already, a lot of experience before my doctorate program. Vidas: Exactly. So probably ten years, at least? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Intense, daily practice? Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: So guys, if you practice at least a couple of hours a day, or probably more… Ausra: And of course, because I went to the organ while having excellent piano technique because I was playing piano before playing organ for twelve years. So that also added to my fingering experience. Vidas: So, could you say that you already practiced your ten thousand hours? Ausra: I haven’t counted, but probably yes. Vidas: Yeah, that’s the general number that they say, in order to master some difficult skill or form of art, you need to practice for ten thousand hours with intent. Not just fooling around, right? But you have to be very intentional about each of your daily practices. And we did that. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: That’s why it’s so easy for us; that’s why we can do this on the spot. That’s how you should also aim to practice. But don’t expect to be a master at this overnight; that’s a mistake. You should just enjoy the process. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: The process is very, very long. But at the same time, every time you sit down on the organ bench, you learn something about the music, you learn something about the instrument, and you learn something new about yourself. So that’s an enjoyable way of exploration. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Always stay curious about what you can learn, and those new experiences will come to you over time. Ausra: Yes. And I think if someday you will have the chance, do this experiment: Take the same piece by J. S. Bach, that Dupré fingered and pedaled, and the same piece, for example, that Vidas or I fingered. And take it to a historical organ of that time, to a real Baroque organ. And try to play it in Dupré’s fingering and pedaling, and then in our fingering and pedaling. And the instrument will do justice to one of these approaches. Vidas: Mhmm. I’ve discovered this the hard way, myself, when I was preparing to play a recital in Sweden, in Gothenburg. In one of the churches, the Haga church, they have a Renaissance-style organ built by John Brombaugh. And the second manual is so light, and so easy to play with wrong notes; and the keys are so short, so that you really can’t use your thumb, and there’s no way you can use finger substitution, if you want to play with articulation--articulate legato; and of course they have split semitones--for example, G-sharp is not the same as A-flat; they have separate keys for that. Or D-sharp is not the same as E-flat. Ausra: Well, were you able to use heels on such an instrument, on the pedalboard? Vidas: Definitely not! And I prepared for that very well in my mind; and even on my modern organ, I practiced with early fingerings and pedalings. And guess what? Maybe ten years ago when we visited that organ as students at the Gothenburg International Organ Academy Ausra: It was more than ten years ago… Vidas: At that time--it was maybe back in 2000--it was very difficult to play such an instrument. I made a lot of mistakes. And keeping this in mind, for my second visit, I practiced with studies in the correct fingerings, and when I went back to Gothenburg to play at the Haga church, I was amazed how easy it was for me to adjust, and to perform almost without any rehearsal. I would have needed just twenty minutes to check my registrations (because I made everything in advance, on a table in my head), just to check; and most of them were right. And then to play the simple passages, to adjust to the keyboard just a little bit, and I would have performed quite easily in public, that way. So it saves time for you to practice with stylistically appropriate fingerings, even on a modern instrument, don’t you think, Ausra? Ausra: That’s true, because, you don’t want to use different fingering for the same piece on a different instrument. That would just kill your time! Vidas: A lot of organists say, “Oh, but we don’t play early instruments!” Ausra: Well, you never know! If you’re living in the States, that wonderful land has so many beautiful replicas built by all these excellent organ builders… Vidas: And more and more are being built every year. So you might visit a few newly built Baroque organs, even while living in a land which historically wouldn’t have too many old instruments. Or you might go to Europe on a tour. You never know! And you might visit a local organist, and contact them in advance for an opportunity to try out their instrument. That’s completely possible, and absolutely doable in today’s global world. And we recommend doing this, because it’s so much fun, and you can make a lot of new friends this way. Ausra: Yes, I strongly believe that you have to do everything in a correct manner right from the beginning. Vidas: And Don also has a little bit of truth in his saying, too. Because yes, try your own hand in writing in fingering. Ausra: Yes, that’s a good way to do it; but you have to know the principles, how to do that. Vidas: Apply our advice, and try to experiment with fingerings and see what you come up with. And if you do this often enough, your experience will grow, actually. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: And you won’t need anybody’s help after that. Thanks, guys, for listening! Please send us more of your questions. And we love helping you grow as an organist. This was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
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Vidas: Let’s start now Episode 72 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Matt, and he writes,: “Vidas and Ausra, I have enjoyed your posts and appreciate all the work you put in. My goal is to be a better church organist.”
So Ausra, can we help Matt today with this goal, and give some pointers that he could apply in his practice? And perhaps other people as well, who would want to become better church organists over time? Ausra: I hope so. Vidas: So, what’s the first step in order to become a better organist, in your mind? Ausra: Well, we should keep in mind that now we’re talking about church organists. So it means that liturgy comes first. And that is a crucial point while being a church organist. You must know what is going on in the liturgy, and to select your repertoire appropriately, and to play appropriately. What do you think about it? Vidas: The number one skill that organists need when playing at church services is probably playing hymns. Ausra: Yes, that’s number one. Vidas: Then accompanying choir, perhaps, too. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And then providing organ music for preludes and postludes, and maybe communion when the choir is not there. Even an offertory when you play, when the choir is not singing. Sometimes you need more than just the prelude and the postlude. Ausra: Definitely. Vidas: So in general, it’s like a public performance. Some sort of performing for people in general, but with additional element of hymns. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: For the most part. Ausra: And while playing in church, you always have to know what time of the liturgical year you’re in--if it’s Lent, or if it’s Advent, or Easter and Christmas, or just regular time with no particular festivity; and you need to choose your hymns and your music appropriately. Vidas: Probably the first thing that every organist needs, to be a better church organist or a concert organist, in general is solid technique. Ausra: Yes, definitely. Vidas: And good sight-reading skills. So those two things will lead to better results while playing in public for church or in concerts. I would say that first of all, sight-reading is even more important than having virtuoso technique for church organists, because you have to constantly play a lot of unfamiliar hymns. Ausra: Yes, and the more you will sight-read, the easier you will prepare for your services. Because you have to play so much music, if your job in the church is regular. Vidas: Sometimes I ask my students at school if they like sight-reading on their instruments, and just a few of them say they do. But from those who say that they like sight-reading, only one or two actually do it regularly enough. So I think a lot of people underestimate the value of sight-reading over time; but still, it’s quite important to start, just start with a simple voice. I know the trickiest part of sight-reading is they cannot really play four parts in the hymns right away. So they make mistakes, they try to play maybe fast or slow, it doesn’t work, and they quit. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: What would you suggest for them, Ausra? Ausra: Well, just keep going. Just don’t stop practicing! Vidas: Do you think that reducing the texture would be a better solution than to simply go in with four parts? Ausra: Yes, that’s true, and the same works for church organists--if you are not in your best shape yet, or you have not reached a very high level of performance, just pick pieces that you can play and practice them. Maybe easier at the beginning, maybe with less pedal; and even when accompanying hymns you can play in octaves--just playing two voices. Solo melody in parallel octaves, with both your hands. Vidas: That’s a good technique, because then people will know exactly what the melody is, especially on an unfamiliar hymn; and both your hands will be active at the same time, and soon enough, let’s say, after a few weeks or months, you are ready to tackle the next challenge: basically two-part texture. Ausra: Yes and if you want to be a good church organist, the collaboration is so important. You must find out what your priest or pastor expects from you, what the congregation expects from you as an organist; if you have a music director, also you have to collaborate with the music director--that’s a crucial thing to do. If you have that good relationship, then everything should work just fine. Vidas: Do you think that keeping a steady tempo in playing hymns is good and important? Ausra: Yes, it’s very important, if you’re leading congregational singing. Vidas: And a lot of organists do, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So what’s the best way to keep the tempo steady? Can singing yourself help? Ausra: Yes, and that’s what I always do. That doesn’t mean I’m singing aloud; most of the time I just sing the hymn in my mind. But I always sing. That way, you will know, for example, how long it will take you to take a breath at the end of the phrase, and how to choose the right tempo. So that’s very important. And you have to read the text, too. And it will help you to register right. Vidas: Exactly. Ausra: Because not all verses of the hymn must be played with the same registration. Vidas: Exactly, Ausra. People can really sing and read the text and discover the different meanings of the stanzas. Maybe choose one stanza with reeds, another stanza with principal chorus; even softer, meditative hymns could be registered with some flutes, especially in Lent, right? But you have to know what people are singing about. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: So in general, we mentioned three steps, right? Sight-reading, technique, and then keeping a steady tempo while singing yourself. Three things to keep in mind. We haven’t talked a lot about technique, yet. Can you mention some of the things that would be helpful? Ausra: Well, you know, the technical things will be the same as for somebody who isn’t a church organist, but organist in general. Vidas: Hand and feet coordination, first of all. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So when you practice hymns, it’s very similar to sight-reading, actually, hymns; except, when you practice and perfect them and polish them, you have to repeatedly play them over and over. Maybe not even an entire hymn, but maybe one phrase of the hymn. So also don’t start with four-part texture right away. Maybe start with a single line, maybe then proceed to two-part textures, then three-part textures, and so on. What would you think about that, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that’s a good technique, and a good way to do it. Vidas: And then choose a few preludes and postludes for your church services, also working and practicing in a similar way. Treat your hymns as organ compositions, and treat your compositions as organ hymns singing each line; that would be the easiest way. Ausra: Yes; and if you will pick your music, try to find, for example, organ compositions based on those hymn tunes that you will be accompanying the congregation, that’s also a good thing to do. That way, your services will be more complete and more unified. Vidas: For example, if the opening hymn is based on a specific tune, so your prelude could be based on the same tune. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Or your postlude could be based on one of the hymns that is sung in the church service that day. Ausra: Because most people appreciate music that sounds familiar to them. So the more you will repeat the same hymn tune, the more people will like it. Vidas: What to do if I can’t find a piece of music written on a specific tune? Ausra: You could improvise. Vidas: I knew that would be the best solution, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So guys, please improvise more; it’s probably the easiest way to find the most suitable repertoire for your church services. You don’t have to start with advanced versions. You could simply harmonize some tunes, add a middle part, extend a little bit with interludes and recurring melodies, like ritornellos; or, for the postlude, you could add a toccata-like figuration in the hands, and let the feet play the melody with the 16’ registration--maybe Posaune in the pedals as well, with slow rhythms in the pedal. Would that be a nice start? Ausra: I think so! Vidas: Excellent. So, of course look at the example that every master wrote, that every piece that you’re playing on the organ could be a model for you to improvise. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: And we also try to incorporate improvisations in our practicing, and we also try to analyze pieces that we play; so our advice and suggestions are based on what we do exactly, too. We hope this will help you to grow as an organist. And please send us more of your questions; you can do that by subscribing to our blog at www.organduo.lt if you haven’t done so already, and reply to any of our messages that you will get. That’s the easiest way. Thank you so much for listening and applying our tips in your organ practice. This was Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra! Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 71 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Matt, and he writes that he wants to learn how to do proper registrations for standard pieces (Bach, Vierne, Franck. etc.) and good registration approaches in general.
That’s a very broad question, Ausra, right? Ausra: Well it is, yes; you could write several doctoral dissertations on this topic! Vidas: And in fact, a lot of books have been written concerning separate topics of the registration for Bach, separate for Franck, separate for Vierne, right? Quentin Faulkner wrote on Bach registration, Barbara Owen on Baroque music registration in general, Orpha Ochse and William J. Peterson wrote on French romantic music, Fenner Douglas on French Classical music, there is a classic text by George Audsley - about the organ stops and the registration in general. Ausra: Yes, these are different styles and must be registered differently. Vidas: But probably Matt doesn’t expect us to give everything in those few minutes that we’re answering questions today; but maybe we could start with some pointers, to start with. Ausra: Yes, let’s do that. Vidas: So when a person, let’s say, takes a piece of Bach, and is ready to start registering it, maybe he’s learned some notes with pedals and hands, and the time approaches when he or she wants to perform it in public. And it’s time to start registering it. What would you think about first, when you register the piece? Let’s say, a chorale-based piece, a chorale prelude. Ausra: Well, you have to think what you want for the piece sound and how that piece is put together, because, like, chorale preludes, they are very different. Let’s say in Orgelbüchlein you could have chorale with ornamented cantus firmus, and definitely then you would want to play those different parts on different manuals, and register them differently. Maybe to put a cornet stop for solo voice, and a couple of soft flutes for accompaniment (8’ and 4’); and a couple of soft flutes in the pedal (16’ and 8’). Vidas: Yes. Ausra: That’s one of the possible registrations. Or you could take not necessarily cornet, but a reed stop for a solo voice. Vidas: Yeah, usually you could play with cornet, reed, then maybe mutation combination, like flute 8’, 4’ and 1 ⅓’, or high-pitched third 1 ⅗’ or a fifth, like 1-⅓, to make it more colorful. Can you play the solo line in the principal, alone? Ausra: Well, in some cases you could do that… Vidas: If it’s very beautiful? Ausra: Yes, if it’s beautiful, but that’s not often the case. Vidas: Sometimes on modern organs, a better solution is to play the 4’ principal, but one octave lower. Usually they are better-scaled. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: But first, Ausra, you mentioned you have to discover if the piece is to be played on one manual or two manuals, right? Ausra: Yes, that’s the first step. Vidas: If the lines have a melody, a solo melody, or not, and then register appropriately. What if the chorale prelude has to be played on one manual? All parts together, but on one manual--with pedal, perhaps. Ausra: Well, such chorales often work well for organo pleno. Vidas: Yes. Ausra: And of course, it depends on the character. Sometimes you don’t want to add all the stops together; maybe just use a couple of principals. Vidas: Should you read the text of the chorale? Ausra: Definitely, yes. Vidas: That will explain to you if the chorale prelude has to be performed loudly or softly, in general. Ausra: Yes, and you need to find out also for what occasion you will play it. If it’s a church service, will it be for communion or will it be for a prelude? Or if you’re playing for a recital, you also see where in the program you will place it, according to the registration--do you need a soft or loud piece in that place? Vidas: Are you starting the recital, or ending the recital, or somewhere in the middle? Ausra: Well, but actually what you can know if you are playing preludes and fugues by Bach, that you can easily just play them with organo pleno. Vidas: And by organo pleno you probably mean full principal chorus. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: What’s that? Can you spell it out for everybody? Ausra: That’s principals 8’, 4’, 2’, sometimes even 16’ principal, if your organ has it; and then of course you have to add a mixture. And it depends on your taste and on the organ; you could add other stops to the pleno, too. Vidas: Maybe a fifth. Ausra: Yes, sometimes even a tierce. Vidas: Tierce works well if the mixture doesn’t have thirds. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Because in Bach’s area, in Bach’s time, the majority of organs had not only octaves, not only fifths in the composition of the mixture, but also thirds. So if you add the tierce stop, it’s not the same as having a third-sounding pipe in the composition of the mixture which would break every octave or so. It’s not the same, but the general feeling will be similar. It’s a little bit spicier than just the fifth and an octave. Ausra: What about pedals? Vidas: Pedals also need principal chorus--if they have principals. In Bach’s area, a lot of pedals had only Subbass and Posaune, and then a manual coupler. Ausra: So if you would add like, principals on a modern organ, would you supplement it with the posaune 16’, or not? Vidas: If the posaune is fitting for the chorus, for the chorus registration, then yes. Like in our organ at St. John’s church in Vilnius, I usually add a principal 16’. We don’t have, like, a proper principal 8’, but it’s called Fullbass. It’s a little bit similar. At least it’s an 8’ stop; a little bit darker than the principal, I would say. But then, I would add 16’ Posaune, and then a mixture, if you have one. Mixtures can be bright; don’t worry if the sound is very bright in the pedals, it’s okay! Then, 4’ principal is also good to have in the pedals. So...but you have to listen for the balance, in the manuals. Sometimes you can add the coupler, maybe to the Great sometimes not, depending on the acoustics, environment and location. Ausra: Yes. So what about French composers that Matt asked? Vidas: French composers used different organs, right? Cavaille-Coll organs for most of the time. And...it has a lot of differences with the Bach tradition. Probably you need to start with the knowledge of what are the foundation stops and Anches in French and what’s Fonds and Anches in French. Do you know what does Fonds mean in French? Ausra: That means the main stops; that’s principals and flutes, actually. Vidas: They’re positioned in Cavaille-Coll organ, I think on the left-hand side of that manual, right? So in Cavaille-Coll’s organs they had horizontal layout of the stops, stop knobs; and on the left-hand side they had, probably, the foundations: 16’, 8’, 4’, all those principals and flutes together--and strings as well, in that order. What was on the right-hand side? Ausra: I think that was reeds. Vidas: What’s left, right? Mixtures, mutations... Ausra: Yes, mixtures and reeds, and imitations. That’s right. Vidas: So every manual had this layout, and the Positif, Récit, and Grand Orgue also had the same principals, but maybe different kind of reeds, right? Maybe positif had what they call Clarinet, maybe Récit had Hautbois, and Trompette Harmonique; but also the Grand Orgue--had trumpets 16’, 8’, and 4’, right? And I think Positiv and Récit also had those trumpets. So in every manual, you could have 16’, 8’, and 4’ basically, a reed chorus on the big Cavaille-Coll organ in general. Ausra: Yes, and I think it’s easier to register French music, probably, than Bach, let’s say; because the French composers were quite good at notating, adding in the score what they want. So nowadays, you have so many editions where you simply just have to follow directions and register accordingly. But of course, sometimes it’s hard if you have to adjust from let’s say, a French style organ to a German style organ. That might be a tricky part. Vidas: Probably a German style organ doesn’t have a lot of foundations, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Maybe they have 8’ principal and 8’ flute, and that’s it. You have to have more. Ausra: The German mixtures, they are sort of...screamier than French mixtures. Vidas: What would you do in this case, if you have a Neo-Baroque organ in the German tradition, but you had to play in let’s say, Franck or Vierne. Ausra: That’s a hard choice! Vidas: But you don’t necessarily have to play French music Ausra: Yes. Vidas: On that instrument. Ausra: That’s what I’d do, probably. I wouldn’t choose to play French music on such an instrument, but if I would have to do it, I probably would avoid mixtures at all. Vidas: Why? Ausra: Because they sound very bad, in French music on a German organ. Vidas: Or, avoid 16’ stop in the manual, but play everything one octave lower. Ausra: If that’s possible, yes; that’s a very good solution. Vidas: You see, the LH part has to go not lower than the tenor C because when you transfer everything one octave lower, then the bass C becomes your lowest note. So if anything goes lower than C, then it’s a little bit too low. So guys, I hope this was useful. Do you think, Ausra, people can start practicing and registering pieces according to our suggestions, now? Ausra: I hope so. Vidas: And if you have more questions, please send the to us when you subscribe to our blog at www.organduo.lt, if you haven’t done so already, and simply reply to our messages that you receive from us. All right! We love helping you grow as an organist. And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen. Robert Morehead on coordination, fingering, hymn of the week, and challenging your listeners9/17/2017 Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #112! Today's guest is an American organist Robert L. Morehead, CAGO. He is a native of Pittsburgh and is the Director of Music Ministries at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna, Virginia. Robert began his organ studies at the age of twelve in Germany under the instruction of Tassilo Schlenther. For twenty-five years, Robert has held Director of Music positions in German Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Evangelical Lutheran churches. Robert holds a Bachelor's of Music degree in Organ Performance from Malone University in Canton, Ohio. While at Malone, Robert received instruction from W. Robert Morrison, FAGO and also earned a piano teaching certificate. Over the years, Robert has earned three organ certifications: the D-Schein from the Lutheran Church in Germany, the Service Playing certificate from the American Guild of Organists, and the Colleague certification from the American Guild of Organists. Robert is an eighteen-year member of the American Guild of Organists, and has served on the Executive Committee for the Lehigh Valley chapter. He continued his organ studies in Allentown, PA with Stephen C. Williams. Robert has served as Director of Music at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Red Hill, PA, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kreidersville, PA, and as Contemporary Worship Coordinator at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Pennsburg, PA. In addition to managing his own piano studio in the Lehigh and Perkiomen valleys, he was the choral director of the Lehigh Valley Saengerbund in Allentown, PA. In 2007, Robert received his Master's degree in Music History from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned a research award from the university for his work on the topics of Ralph Vaughan Williams' agnosticism. Robert's thesis was based on the jazz organ music of Dr. Joe Utterback of Rowayton, Connecticut. He also has played harpsichord and sung for the Renaissance and Early Music ensemble, Collegium Musicum, at West Chester. He also toured Germany performing organ concerts in Nochern, Wiesbaden-Bleidenstadt and Taunustein-Hahn. In July 2009, Robert returned to the Pittsburgh area. Until May 2011, he was the Director of Worship and Music at Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA. Robert served as Director of Worship and Music at Beulah Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA from 2011-2016 leading a comprehensive music ministry that included nine music ensembles. On August 1, 2016 Robert began his ministry at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna, VA where he is the Director of Music Ministry /Organist and directs the Sanctuary Choir and Cross Generational Choir and plays with the Revelation Band. He also records and publishes on You Tube a “Hymn of the Week” series which includes history of a hymn from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship each week. Robert also is the coordinator of his family’s Christmas Praise series: A Christmas benefit concert now in its 28th year of works from chant to modern which is performed at a different location every year during Christmas week. Robert has also recorded four compact discs: The complete organ works of Antonin Dvořàk, from Mendelssohn to Morehead (various selections from Baroque to modern), Faith Musings (a recording of Christian songs) and Christmas Piano Improvisations (improvisations for Christmas performed on the piano). In his free time, Robert is a free-lance recitalist (recently performing a recital series of organ works based on the book “Rediscovering Jesus” ) and composer performing throughout the United States and Germany. On October 8, 2009 (Robert's birthday), Robert's wife, Miranda, gave birth to their son, Kieren Micah. Just recently, Miranda gave birth to a daughter Lauryn Elora on July 8, 2016. In this conversation, Robert shares his ideas about his organ practice, coordination between hands and feet, fingering, hymn of the week and challenging your listeners in his work as a church musician. I was very glad to hear Robert has found my Organ Sight-Reading Master Course challenging but helpful and he talks about his experiences with this course at the end of the conversation. 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 Links: https://www.rmorehead.com http://elcvienna.org Robert's channel on YouTube with the hymns of the week: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIPoozArfbZNmNqXC4Xuqmw
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 70 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Matt, and he writes that his challenge is with registration flow and marking: “How to use pistons and stops to flow through pieces and mark them well in the score.” So as I understand, Ausra, this is a question about practicing registration changes and basically how you mark registration changes! Oh! That’s very simple.
Ausra: Yes, that’s how I think about it. Vidas: Okay. What’s the system you learned in Lithuania? Ausra: Well, in Lithuania, we would just mark stops by numbers. Vidas: Numbers? Ausra: Never stop names, but only numbers. Vidas: And what’s the system you learned in America? Ausra: Well, we would write the stop names down. Or just numbers of combinations, because if you would have the piston system. Vidas: At the exact place in music, you write an abbreviation of the stop: let’s say Principal 8’ would be P8, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Or flute would be F4. Of that manual. You have to indicate the number of the manual, either with abbreviated letters, like Great would be GT, or Swell, SW; or Choir would be CH, right? Or simply by writing what number of the manual: 1, 2, or 3. Ausra: Yes. And if you have to change it in a particular spot, you just write it in that particular spot. If you have time to change stops or to omit some stops, you just indicate that it’s a free action. Vidas: Yeah. Ausra: And to make it clearer, some people in their score add colored stickers--to grab your attention, that you would not miss it. Vidas: Maybe if the stop changes happen on one side--on the left side, let’s say--you could use one color stickers.... Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And on the right side, you could use another color. Ausra: Yes, that’s an excellent idea. Vidas: It would be more helpful for your assistant. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: What else? We have seen people do registration indications on a separate sheet of paper, right? Ausra: Yes, that’s also useful sometimes. Vidas: That’s how we do our beginning registration, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: In order to keep our scores relatively clean, we write beginning registrations for each piece in our performance-- Ausra: Or each movement of a piece, if you have a few movements. Vidas: True. So that means that by the end of the movement or the piece, you have to press either “cancel” on the combination system organ, or mechanically, basically, disengage all those stops, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: There is another system which works interestingly--I found it interesting to use on a relatively small instrument or medium-size instrument. I’ve seen European organists do that, especially when they have little time to prepare, and their assistant is not used to the layout of the stops: so on a separate sheet of paper, they would write numbers--from 1 to, let’s say, 10--how many stops are on one side of one manual. Let’s say--at St. John’s Church, let’s say, on the left hand side, for the Great, there are twelve stops; so you could write 1-2-3-4-5-6-7...up until 12. Twelve is a rather large number to notice on the layout of the organ; but maybe up to 6 works well, especially if it’s a horizontal layout, not vertical. What do you think, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that might work. [If you have a small organist and it’s a large organ, I don’t think it would work. Vidas: So then, let’s say if you have to add something for the pedals, and your pedals are only 6 on the left side, you would write “+3,” right? And your assistant would count 1-2-3, and draw that number 3. It doesn’t have to be the exact number 3 marked on the stop knob, yes? The number could be quite different--it could be even 23!--but the position in the pedal ranks would be 3. And that’s how they will easily find the right stop knob. But that only works for relatively small instruments. So...abbreviation of stops like P8 or F4 would be good for occasions when you have to literally know what kind of stop you are using--for your assistant, right Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that’s true. Vidas: What’s the problem with numbers? Ausra: Well, for example for me, if I’m using numbers, I never know what kind of stop I’m adding; so I just prefer writing stop names. That will be easier for me. Vidas: If you write or “+14,” or “+17” or “+24,” your assistant will not know exactly what kind of stop you would prefer, what you meant. Maybe you made a mistake--maybe you wrote 12 instead of 13; maybe you meant 23 instead of 13. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: You don’t know. And they don’t know. But when you write P8, it’s very obvious you need Principal 8 for that manual. Ausra: Definitely. So I prefer this system. Vidas: Yeah. It basically forces your assistant, also, to think a little bit, what stops they are drawing. Ausra: I know, but in most cases assistants simply don’t care so much what to add, and it might be easier for them just to look at the numbers. Vidas: Especially if they’re used to that system. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So you have to probably decide for yourself, what to use. Ausra: Yes, maybe try one system, and then another system, and see which one works better for you! Vidas: Or sometimes, we don’t use anything--we don’t write stops at all, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: When does that happen? Ausra: Well, it happens sometimes, especially when you have to try a new organ, and you don’t have time at all. Then you just improvise a registration on the spot. Vidas: That’s a good exercise, right? Improvise your registration. Ausra: Yes, that’s a good practice of organ registration. Vidas: That’s how, actually, organists back in the day did, when they improvised a lot in public. People down in the church would hear it like it’s a real composition. Like it’s a written-down composition: a very specific, detailed composition. But organists would improvise a very detailed plan for this piece, and registration changes would be quite extensive, too. Ausra: Yeah. Vidas: And that means you would simplify things. You will draw the stop that you could do, yourself--not necessarily everything at once, but just a few things. So, guys, thank you so much for listening! Please send us more of your questions. We hope to help you grow as organists. This was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 69 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast now. And today’s question was sent by Matt, and Matt has a problem with pedal accuracy, especially across different pedalboards--flat or curved. So, adjusting to different pedalboards, Ausra--was that ever a problem for you?
Ausra: Yes, it was a problem. Vidas: So I guess this is a problem for a majority of organists, I would say. Ausra: I guess so, yes. Vidas: For me, too, I think, when I was a student...whenever I discovered a new organ, pedal playing would suffer. At first, right? I would require maybe a few days, at least, to adjust to a different pedalboard. How about you, Ausra? How many days did you have to have, at the beginning, to feel comfortable with the pedals? Ausra: Well...many days! Vidas: Three, four, five? Ausra: Yes, something like that. Vidas: Mhmm. So of course, when you’re a beginner, it’s very natural to suffer with pedal playing and adjusting to different pedals. But, what can we suggest to facilitate this progress? Obviously, Ausra, play more instruments, right? Ausra: Yes. And do more of coordination exercises. Vidas: What do you mean, coordination? Ausra: Well, play trio sonatas! Vidas: Trio sonatas. What if a person has a very weak pedal technique? Maybe not well-developed. Do you think trio sonatas will be too difficult? Ausra: Well, yes, if it’s just a beginner; but still at some point you will have to play trio sonatas. Vidas: Maybe you could say trio texture, not sonata. Ausra: Yes, that’s true. Vidas: Maybe three voices--take three voices in your piece. Or how about hymns? Would that be helpful to develop hands and feet coordination, at first? Ausra: Yes! Vidas: At the basic level. Ausra: Yes, definitely! It’s very hard, for example, to play pedal part in the pedals- bass line--and to play in left hand only the tenor voice. It always gives trouble for people, because it’s so hard to coordinate. If you can play it, then definitely you can play trio texture too. Vidas: A simple trio. Because what happens in hymns is that most of the time, voices move in quarter notes, or in general, equal note values. In trio sonatas, you have all kinds of note values, so that’s like the top level of advancement with hands and feet coordination. But you start, as Ausra says, simply. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Simply, with a simple technique. Like a hymn. Ausra: Yes. And while adjusting to the pedal, it would be very nice that you would not exercise always on the same instrument. If you have a possibility, switch between them. Practice one day on a flat pedalboard, and another day on a curved pedalboard, if it’s possible. That way it will be easier for you to adjust to a new organ and to a new pedalboard. Vidas: Organists are different. Organist profession (and organ playing) is different from piano playing, right? Because pianos are quite similar everywhere. Ausra: Well, if you would ask a pianist, he or she would definitely not agree with you! Vidas: Of course. But they haven’t seen the huge variety of organs! So pianos are relatively similar, right? Ausra: Well, yes...in our eyes, yes! Vidas: Yes, in our eyes. But every organ is unique. Every organ...Maybe there are two identical organs, but they are positioned in a different space, and that’s already different, right? A different feeling. For example--Ausra, let’s take this 1776 Casparini organ inside the Holy Ghost Church here in Vilnius-- Ausra: Yes. Vidas: ...and recently, in Rochester, New York, they built a replica of this instrument in Christ Church. Which means they have a complete, functioning, new instrument built in the style of Casparini--like exact or a very similar instrument to that of Holy Ghost. Do you think, Ausra, that it’s exactly the same as Holy Ghost? Ausra: Definitely not-- Vidas: No? Ausra: --because the space is so different. Vidas: Because the organ is new, as well. Ausra: Yes. Holy Ghost Church in Vilnius has much larger acoustics. Vidas: And the organ is newly built, so all the parts are, sort of, functioning differently from the original Baroque period that we have in Vilnius. Ausra: And I think it has different tuning, too. Vidas: So far, yes, because the temperament problem has not been solved yet, here in Vilnius. So yes, it’s different, although the two instruments are supposed to be almost the same. So don’t despair when you encounter different organs and you feel like you make a lot of mistakes with your feet, right? It’s just a matter of getting as many organs under your belt as possible. Ausra: Yes, it will get easier, in time. Vidas: How many instruments do you have to visit and try, Ausra, first, to break to the next level--to get to the next stage? Ausra: Probably ten. Vidas: And every tenth instrument will feel like a small breakthrough, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: I think that’s a very valid approach for people. Okay, we hope this was useful to you guys. Please send us more of your questions. And you can do that by subscribing to our blog at www.organduo.lt if you haven’t done so already, and replying to our messages. That would be the easiest way to send us your questions. We love helping you grow as an organist. Okay guys, this was Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra! Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start now Episode 68 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Peter, and he says that his main challenge is old age and lack of practice. To be more specific, he writes:
“I would be interested in any techniques to promote a more flexible heel - the kind of thing you need when playing trills (even slow ones) with one foot. Also can you explain why, after 40 years or more, I can still hit the wrong pedal note? (This must mean that, after all this time, I am still not sure of where each pedal is on the pedalboard. I don't have this trouble with fingers on keys. If I make mistakes there, it is nearly always because I mis-read the note, or failed to read the note at all, because I was looking somewhere else on the score.)” Old age and lack of practice--but also, Peter struggles with playing wrong notes in the pedals, right, Ausra? Ausra: That’s probably because he does not use the pedal preparation technique. That’s my guess. Vidas: Obviously. We can guarantee. We can guarantee it, because otherwise he would write about this. If he would apply pedal preparation technique himself, he would say, “I’m using pedal preparation, but still making mistakes in the pedals.” So that would be a different sort of question, different angle. Ausra: I know. And about playing trills in the pedal with one foot, using heel and toe? Vidas: Do you know this specific example? I know just from my memory, “B. A. C. H.” by Liszt: at the end of that piece, there is a passage with one foot--or even octaves, heels with octaves, both feet should be playing trills, I think, there. Ausra: Well, yes, but there are very few pieces that require you to do it; but if you have a piece like this, I would say the only suggestion would be to get different shoes, because your heel must be higher, for places like this. Then you won’t have so much trouble moving your ankle. Vidas: Flexibility of the ankle. How do you develop flexibility of the ankle? It’s very simple: you play pedal scales and arpeggios. Ausra: That’s true. Vidas: That’s how Marcel Dupré in the early 20th century developed his perfect pedal technique over, I think one summer when he was a boy; and he had injured his wrist, so he couldn’t play with his hands for some time. But he didn’t stop practicing! He himself wrote: he “played the pedals with vengeance!” So that’s how he became a virtuoso on the pedals. So guys, we have exactly such a training, right? Organ Pedal Virtuoso Master Course. And people who finish it--it’s exactly, I think, twelve weeks long--people who finish it say that after that, their technique advances not to the next level, but to the level after the next! Like a jump--it’s just like jump starting your pedal technique, and making a huge leap over time. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: It’s not easy, right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, it takes time. Vidas: It’s not easy to play pedal scales. Ausra: No, it’s not easy. Vidas: Do you like those scales and arpeggio yourself? Ausra: No. I don’t like them! Vidas: I don’t, too. But I know that they’re like your...healthy food, like carrots or BROCCOLI. Do you like broccoli? Ausra: I like, actually, broccoli. Vidas: Oh, so you are different than me...But people who don’t like broccoli, but still understand the benefit of eating broccoli, they have to force themselves, a little bit, over a number of weeks, to get used to the taste of broccoli. So, the same with pedal scales. And if Peter would practice pedal scales and arpeggios--especially from our course, because they’re all with complete pedaling, with exact pedaling that would allow a perfect legato technique to develop. And that’s absolutely different than if you would play Baroque pieces, with alternate toes. We use this course specifically for Romantic and modern pedal technique, not for early pedal technique. And especially it would be helpful to develop ankle flexibility. That’s the key and secret to perfect pedal technique, right Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that’s true. Vidas: How else could we help Peter? He says old age… Ausra: Well, he cannot, definitely, become younger, but he could make himself feel younger by exercising regularly. Vidas: Um, let’s start with walking, right? A lot of people who haven’t exercised up until now, I think, would be hesitant to start it, right? To develop a new habit is very difficult, especially at this age, when you are over 60, right? But...everybody walks. For some time, for some minutes during the day, they walk. So the easiest form of exercise we’ve found--and very enjoyable--you could take a walk! In the park, in the woods, or along the river, right? Ausra: Yes, and if you are too lazy to do that, so just get a dog. And then you will have to walk with your dog every day at least twice. Vidas: Exactly. That’s required. How many steps do you need to take in one day, to stay in good shape? Ausra: Ten thousand. Vidas: Ten thousand steps daily. And how long does it take for you to do that, Ausra? Have you measured? Ausra: Well, I haven’t, but I think you had… Vidas: They have apps like that on the smartphone now, so you can measure your steps and be calculating time. And to me, it’s like 100 minutes. Of simply walking. Ausra: So, almost and hour and a half. Vidas: That’s one side. How can you stay active and in good shape besides walking? Can you do some form of stretching? Ausra: Yes, you can do yoga, Pilates...and other kinds of exercises. Vidas: We found that Pilates is especially good for organists because it develops your inner muscles--your core, basically, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Especially helpful for when you have to sit for many hours at the bench. And for people who are struggling with back problems--there are a lot of them, among organists--the system that Joseph Pilates developed in the early 20th century is especially beneficial to them. And then Peter will not feel so old, right? Ausra: Yes. You can sort of stop your age. Vidas: Exactly. And drink plenty of water, guys, this could be extremely important. You have to drink maybe 8 cups of water a day....But not in one sitting, right? Ausra: Haha, yes, definitely not! Now we sound like medical doctors, not like musicians...hahaha! Vidas: No! You always have to consult your physician, right, when we talk about those physical things! Maybe there is a person who cannot really drink too much water-- Ausra: I know, yes. Vidas: Who maybe has kidney problems... Ausra: Or heart problems, too. Vidas: Or with physical exercise. Maybe walking is not good for somebody who has, maybe, knee problems, right? Maybe swimming… Ausra: Yes, swimming is excellent, if you have joint problems. Vidas: But only you know your own condition, and your doctor would prescribe a specific form of exercise, an activity you could enjoy. Ausra: We just simply suggest to you the things that we are doing ourselves, that work for us. Vidas: Exactly. So please consult your physician--that’s imperative. But in general, being more active, taking frequent breaks between practice sessions, like every 25 minutes or so, is extremely helpful; and doing some kind of stretching never hurts, in my mind. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Good, guys. Please send us more of your questions. This is fun, and we should do it more often! So, you could subscribe to our blog at www.organduo.lt if you haven’t done so already, and simply reply to our messages that you will get to your email inbox with advice and tips about organ playing, and send us more questions this way. And we would love helping you grow as an organist. Okay, this was Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen. She has received touring artist grants from the Arkansas Arts Council, California Arts Council, the American Embassies in Prague and Vienna, and the Czech Embassy in St. Petersburg. Dr. Scheide regularly performs chamber music with Le Meslange des Plaisirs and Voix seraphique on historic string keyboard instruments; and as Due Solisti (flute/organ) with Czech flutist Zofie Volalkova.
Scheide earned degrees in early music (with honors) and organ performance (organ department prize) at New England Conservatory and the University of Southern California. Her teachers have included John Gibbons and Cherry Rhodes. She teaches harpsichord at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Princeton, and teaches online and sometimes traditional classes for Rowan College at Burlington. She lives in a 17th-century stone house Wiggan, and plays organ in the 1740 stone barn at Church of the Loving Shepherd, Bournelyf, West Chester. A Founding Member of various early keyboard societies, Dr. Scheide was recently elected to a second term on the Executive Committee of the Philadelphia Philadelphia Chapter., American Guild of Organists. She is also a Past Dean of the San Diego Chapter. Dr. Scheide is also a published composer with a significant discography. Her compositions have been made available through Darcey Press, E.C. Schirmer, Piano Press, Time Warner, Wayne Leupold and World Library. Current commissions include a piece for the 10th Anniversary of the Kimmel Center Organ. Her recordings are available on Dutch HLM, Organ Historical Society, Palatine and Raven labels. In this conversation, Dr. Scheide shares her insights about her fascination with the Nasard stop, Olivier Messiaen's cycle "L'Ascencion", "Labyrinth" by the Czeck composer Petr Eben, and her collaboration initiatives with chamber music. At the end she gives her 3 steps in becoming a better organist so make sure you listen to the very end. 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: http://kathleenscheide.com
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 66 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And this question was sent by William. And he writes, “My question is I started working on the first sonata of Mendelssohn. How is it to be articulated. Detached or legato? The fast passages are very difficult to keep smooth at tempo. Also who has ideas on how to register this opening movement. I am working from score from 1920's. I think there has to be some thought on playing these great works of Mendelssohn!"
Hmm, interesting question! Have you played a few pieces by Mendelssohn, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, I definitely have. Vidas: Me too. So, I think we can talk about articulation first, and then about registration: general ideas about articulation, about registering Mendelssohn’s pieces; because remember, he wrote that preface. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Great. So, articulation: Do you think that in the mid-19th century, when Mendelssohn created these pieces, articulate legato was already out of fashion, or…? Ausra: I think it was getting definitely out of fashion, and I think that legato was the main way to articulate music--to play music. Vidas: So, yeah, of course, in different places, you would discover some remnants of Baroque articulation, for sure, even in those places; because in even village organs, instruments would have mechanical action and Baroque specification--they would still be tuned in meantone sometimes, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Meantone temperament. Remember, we recently heard Professor Pieter van Dijk from the Netherlands, play a piece by Romantic Dutch composer Jan Alber van Eycken--who was actually a student of Mendelssohn-- Ausra: Yes. Vidas: --And sometimes he articulated this piece with articulate legato. Ausra: Yes, that’s true, but still, you know, the main way to play it is legato. You use that “articulate legato” or you know, non legato only to emphasize the structure of a piece, when the score advises it. Vidas: So...all the notes should be slurred, except in certain places, right? Ausra: Yes, like repeated notes, of course you have to shorten them. Vidas: And staccato notes? Ausra: Yes. And ends of phrases, and the beginning of a new phrase, you have to take a break, to show the structure. Vidas: Or unison voices, when one voice overlaps with another and makes a unison interval, like C in one voice and C in another voice; you have to shorten the previous note also, so that it would be possible to hear that two voices sounding and not one. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And there is an exact amount of rest you have to make, right? In these cases? Ausra: Yes. Usually you have to shorten it by half of its value. Vidas: So if the note is an 8th note value, so you make it a 16th note, and 16th note rests. Ausra: Yes. And it’s fairly hard, especially if you have, for example, more than one voice in one hand; and you have to keep one voice smoothly legato, and another voice detached; so that’s a challenge. You have to make sure you play with the right finger; and, of course, you have to use a lot of finger substitution. That’s the way to do it. It takes time. It’s a really hard thing to do. Vidas: And then, if you have, for example, triple meter, when the notes don’t divide exactly in half--so then it’s kind of tricky, right? You have to calculate what’s the unit value--what’s the most common, fastest rhythmical value in this piece, right? Maybe 16th note, maybe 8th note if it’s a slower piece. So then, it means that you should make a rest between repeated notes, between staccato notes, with the exact rest that unit value has. In this case, 16th note, or 8th note. So that would be very precise articulation. And your playing would be much, much clearer, this way. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So Ausra, now let’s talk about registration. Mendelssohn himself wrote the preface for the six sonatas, and he wrote registration suggestions, right? First of all, do you remember, those pieces should be played with 16’ in the pedal, or not? Ausra: Yes, they have to have 16’... Vidas: Always, except when composers notate differently, right? Ausra: Yes, so always use 16’, except when, you know, it’s written in the score not to do it. Vidas: Then, Mendelssohn gradually explains the dynamic signs: pianissimo, piano, mezzoforte, forte, and fortissimo, I believe. Ausra: So basically five levels. Vidas: Five levels, yes. You can add a couple more, like mezzopiano, if you want; but the general feeling would be the same. So, what is pianissimo? In Mendelssohn’s terms, it would be very very simple, right? Just the softest stop on the organ. Ausra: Yes. Probably 8’ flute. Vidas: Or a string. Ausra: Or a string, yes. Strings became, I think, more and more common in those days. Vidas: Then piano would be a couple of those soft stops, combined. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Then he goes to mezzoforte, right? So...But we could talk about mezzopiano. Mezzopiano probably would mean, maybe, combined few soft stops but not only at the 8’ level but… Ausra: At the 4’ level. Vidas: At the 4’ level, too. What else? In mezzoforte, can you engage already some of the louder stops? Maybe principals... Ausra: I think yes, you could try; it depends on your organ, but yes, you could definitely try. Vidas: Forte for Mendelssohn means full organ without some of the loudest stops. Basically, this means without reeds? Ausra: I would say so, yes. Vidas: Without strong reeds. Ausra: Because you already have to use mixtures, I guess, for forte; but not reeds. Vidas: And fortissimo means simply, full organ with reeds. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And with couplers, if you want to. So that’s the basic idea, how to register Mendelssohn; but not only Mendelssohn, right? Ausra: Yes, you can do, I think, the same in Liszt pieces. Schumann probably. Vidas: To some extent, Brahms. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Maybe even Reger, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Maybe even Reger. Although, Reger requires a special pedal, Walze they call it, like Rollschweller. It’s like a crescendo pedal, basically. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: You gradually add stops by moving this pedal. That’s a later idea than mechanical action organs that Mendelssohn and Liszt played, right? We talk about, basically, Ladegast organs which were built in the mid-19th century; and maybe, to some extent, the earliest Walker organs, too. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Excellent. So guys, please try to adapt those ideas into your situation. Maybe your organ that you have available, it will be different, you have to make compromises; but the general idea will be the same. Thanks guys, we hope this was useful to you. And please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow as an organist. And...this was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 65 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Patti, and she writes, “Dear Vidas and Ausra, here is a question that you might be interested in addressing in your podcast. It is about learning to cope with differences in resonance and delay when you play the organ.
The church where I normally play has a very “flat” acoustic -- no resonance -- and the organ sounds immediately, with no delay. So when I play a note, I immediately hear that note, and that’s what I’m used to. If I try to play somewhere that has a quite noticeable delay, or a lot of echo, I can manage simple or medium-difficult pieces, but if I try to play something that requires difficult coordination (a Bach fugue with a very active pedal part, for example) the delayed feedback is confusing and I can’t keep myself in sync. How do you manage this? Do you play more slowly, or more detached? Is there a way to learn not to listen to yourself, for example by practicing silently? Thanks for any tips on this, and thanks for all your advice and encouragement to us organ students, best wishes, Patti.” So Ausra, this is a question about, basically, adjusting to different acoustics. Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: Do you remember the time when we were students at the Lithuanian Academy of Music--we were just starting playing the organ--and of course, all the practice organs and even the studio organ were in rooms with dead acoustics? Ausra: Sure, yes. Vidas: So we were used to that setting. And then, it happened that somebody took us to a church. With lively acoustics. Do you remember the first church organ that you played? Ausra: Well, yes, and actually it’s interesting because it was the Casparini organ from 1776 at the Holy Ghost church here in Vilnius, and I played the C minor Prelude and Fugue, BWV 546 by J. S. Bach. I was just so fascinated with that organ; but, you know, at that time I didn’t even think about acoustics and all those sort of things, because it was so fascinating. But I could tell you about the time when I played in the northern part of Lithuania in Biržai when I was still a student; and that organ was a pneumatic organ, sort of Romantic style, like late 19th century, early 20th century organ; and simply, I could not manage playing it, because the sound was so delayed no matter what I did. And instead of just letting organ sound, to let it go, I was pushing harder and harder; and the more I was trying to control that organ, the more delayed it sounded! It was so frustrating! But when I came back to the same instrument many years later, I found no difficulty to play it. So to make a long story short, the more you try different instruments in various settings, the easier it will get. What do you think about it? Vidas: Good story, I believe I played in Biržai too--I think maybe not on that occasion--but yes, if you listen to what you basically hear in the room, your playing starts to be slower and slower and slower. But if you try to mechanically play with your fingers and your feet, just like it would be in a normal setting, and disconnect your ears a little bit from the echos --then it’s normal. But of course, as a beginner it’s extremely difficult to do this. Ausra: But as Patti mentioned in her question, it’s very true what she mentioned: that if you’re playing in large acoustics, then definitely you have to articulate more. Especially when playing Bach, or any kind of polyphonic music. Because that will give you better sound; and of course, you might want to slow down just a little bit, in large acoustics. Vidas: Yeah, we usually slow down and articulate more. Make larger spaces between the notes when you play in large settings with huge reverberations. For example, at our church, St. John’s Church, at night when I play the full organ, then it is very very quiet in the church, and outside the church too; so the reverberation increases up to maybe 5, 6, or even 7 seconds, especially when the room is empty. So it’s a lot of difference, very different feeling, playing during the day--or playing during a concert, when the room is packed! Ausra: Sure, then the acoustics just disappear--not entirely, but a little bit, yes. Vidas: So we always listen to what is happening downstairs with our sound. We listen to the echo: not what we are playing right here, but what the listener is actually hearing. Ausra: Yes, and when you are playing in large acoustics, you always have to keep in mind phrasing: the end of sentences; never jump on to the next one, because it will sound bad. Just listen to the end of the sound. Vidas: You mean those places where the musical idea ends, and another musical idea begins-- Ausra: Yes, definitely! Vidas: You have to breathe, take a rest, and wait for the reverberation--wait for an echo a little bit. A little bit. Not too much, probably, if it’s just a mid-piece section. Ausra: Yes. But still you have to take a breath. And when playing on a mechanical organ, it works nicely if you register it yourself, and you change stops during performance, yourself; because it also gives you correct timing. And it works well, because if you have to move your hand and to add or delete a stop, it will give quite a good amount of time, and it works nicely, acoustically. Vidas: And even on electropneumatical organ with combinations, you can pretend that you are pushing the stops yourself by hand; imagine that you are not pressing the pistons, but you are moving the stop knobs yourself; and that way, you will make larger breaks between sections. Ausra: And you need to think about these things in advance, not just when you will go to an actual instrument. For example, if you have settings, when you are learning a piece on the classroom organ with dead acoustics (or at your home church with no acoustics), but you know that you will have to perform it, on a different kind of instrument with larger acoustics. You need to pretend that you have that acoustic already. You need to think about things in advance. Because, it will not be so easy, especially for a beginner to change, for example, articulation; so maybe just practice with a shorter touch before going to that actual instrument. Vidas: Good idea. Prepare in advance in your practice room. And of course, don’t despair if you don’t get it right the first time, second time, fifth time, or even the tenth time. When, Ausra, did you discover, yourself, that it’s easier for you on a big acoustics? Ausra: Well, it took quite a while. I think it took a few years, at least. Vidas: A few years of many performances! Ausra: Yes, many performances. Vidas: Maybe think this way: every tenth performance you will discover something new about that acoustic, about this instrument, about yourself. And it will be like a small breakthrough for you. Ausra: Yes, but I guarantee, when you will play many times with large acoustics, it will be much harder for you to play with dead acoustics. When you can actually hear every little thing, that you even would not have noticed on the large organ and big acoustics. Vidas: Yeah, it’s very slippery to play in dead acoustics! Everything is visible, and you’re sort of naked! Ausra: I know, if now I would have to play at the Academy of Music in that room where we played all our exams...I would probably just die! Vidas: Okay, guys, we hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions, we love helping you grow as an organist. And you can do this by subscribing to our blog at www.organduo.lt if you haven’t done so already, and simply replying to any of our messages that you get. Thanks guys, 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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