Secrets Of Organ Playing Podcast

Today, we’d like to talk about how to teach in an organ studio where one student is playing with one finger only, and another rather well.

Today, I would like to talk about what to do when you come to practice and there is a funeral in the church. It has happened to us many times before. We had our Unda Maris Studio rehearsal planned, but before that, we were going to record some organ music on our church organ. But before entering the church, we noticed widely opened doors which means something is going on. And sure enough, in one of the chapels, there was a funeral being prepared.

Today, we’d like to talk a little bit about how and why Total Organist Community has migrated from Basecamp to Discord.

This question was sent by Ed, he is one of our Total Organist students and he writes: You asked me to get back to you about what I’m practicing, and I had to wait a few days to figure out how to explain this. As I mentioned in my prior email I have a masters degree in organ performance from many years ago, and then let it lapse for several decades. Now that I’m retired I’m trying to make the magic happen again, and it’s been challenging to figure out how to put the pieces back together. My technique has really slipped a good bit, most of my repertoire is rusty, and if I’m not careful I can get pretty discouraged. One thing that has helped me is that I put together the attached spreadsheet. I took several days to go through all the music in the boxes to try to remember what I had learned already. I even found pieces that clearly I had played because my handwriting is all over the paper, yet I could not remember anything about the piece. I put all this information into a spreadsheet to help me understand my pri

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #693! Today's guest is harpsichordist Alina Rotaru. Alina studied piano and choral conducting at the music academy in her hometown of Bucharest. After moving to Germany, she studied harpsichord with Siegbert Rampe and Wolfgang Kostujak at the Folkwang University of the Arts Essen, with Bob van Asperen at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and with Carsten Lohff and Detlef Bratschke at the University of the Arts Bremen. She is an active soloist and ensemble player, and also in charge of various orchestral, opera, and sacred music projects of the German Early and Late Baroque as an artistic director. As a soloist, she has performed across most of Europe, as well as in Japan, South America and USA. She teaches at the University of the Arts in Bremen. Her solo recordings of harpsichord works by JP Sweelinck, JJ Froberger, and English virginalists have earned excellent reviews in the music press and among their peers. Together with viol

This question was sent by Martin, and his response is to the question, “What are his goals in organ playing in the next 3-6 months?” So he writes: “Improving my pedaling technique, independence of hands and feet”. 

This question was sent by Steven, and he writes: “Vidas, Here are my responses to your questions. 1. What is your dream for organ playing? My dream is to improve my playing with the most effective way to practice and get the most out of my practice time. 2. What are 3 most important things that are holding you back from realising your dream? A. Effective practice and getting the most out of practice time. B. Better registrations for the music C. Being more confident in my playing Currently practicing Widor’s Toccata from his 5th organ symphony and Vierne’s Finale from 1st symphony and Carillon de Westminster. And these works of J.S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in d minor BWV 565 Fugue in D BWV 532a Praeludium and Fugue in d minor BWV 549a The Gigue Fugue, BWV 577. Thank you for all you two do in assisting others to improve their playing skills at the organ. Steven”

This question was sent by Andrew, and he writes Dear Vidas, My answers to your recent questions: 1. My dream is to be able to play the organ confidently in the liturgy and perhaps in recitals occasionally. 2. The 3 most important things holding me back from this are: - Poor sense of timing and rhythm - Lack of focus and concentration in practicing - My legs are both slightly twisted outwards, which makes some pedaling uncomfortable (especially around the middle of the pedalboard; I cannot place my knees close together without great effort) Nonetheless, I am finding Total Organist a very useful resource and community. I find your daily emails especially helpful. My best wishes to you and Ausra from England,  Andrew

This question was sent by Rita, and she writes: I am learning a lot from your episodes. I am a trained pianist but also play organ. The main problem with being an organist is that you usually can't practice at home because most people don't own organs and even so...probably not a pipe organ! There are many true organists that utilize all the stops and use both feet seamlessly. Because I now play on 4 different organs… I want to give the listeners/participants the best experience. My suggestion is to focus on the easiest registrations… easiest way of just knowing how to prepare for playing the quickest and easiest way. Practice makes perfect so my goal is to gain access to my 4 churches and devote practice time to each organ. Thank you again for your helpful lessons! Find out more at organduo.lt!

This question was sent by Odubiyi, and he writes: “My dreams for the Organ is to be a master on the Organ. Things holding me back: light, faulty pedal notes, spending too much time without getting much progress. Art of performance” Find out more at https://organduo.lt

This question was sent by Robin, and she writes:  Hello, I am a singer first and a pianist second. . . and an organist very much third! I was asked last September to serve as a short-term substitute pianist for a church whose organist had fallen and injured herself.  The piano playing was easily accomplished with my existing skills.  After a short time, the organist decided that it was time to retire, and the organist job became available permanently, and it was offered to me.  I made it clear that I did not play the organ but that I was willing to learn, and the church was willing to accept me on that basis.  The church's choir had not sung for 22 months because of COVID, and so they had lost their choir director as well.  I offered to cover both positions, as is done in many churches.  So as of January, I became the Director of Music, a position I had never expected to hold.  I'm taking organ lessons as fast as I can with the best organist in town, and I am playing

This question was sent by Gena, and she is our Total Organist community member. She has sent me her answer to the question what is her dream in organ playing for the next three months and also what are some of her challenges. So she writes: “Thank you! 1. Full public organ recital on fine instrument here in FL. Program pieces have been gradually prepared over several years. 2. Currently putting all keyboard efforts into the next full piano recital Shall We Dance. Have a professional teacher/coach weekly. Can’t do both goals at once due to poor health, lack of time and organ teacher/coach. Still singing in multiple choirs. Gena Florida and Colorado USA”

This question was sent by Dimi, and he writes about his dreams and the challenges that he is facing. So: “1. I dream to play at my future organ romantic and baroque pieces, but not only that. 2. I plan to buy a used electronic organ (Ahlborn DS series, 2 manual+pedal) and I haven't found the owner manual and the service manual online, I looked on some forums and sent emails to Ahlborn website, but so far no answer. The price is €250. I can (barely) afford it, it is about 39% of my total net income, despite that I am optimistic. I will use my Edirol FA-66 interface and GrandOrgue to test it.”

This question was sent by Scott, and he writes My dream is to be able to play well enough that what I'm playing is recognizable. You see, I was once a church organist for 20+ years, until I had my first stroke on January 1, 1999. Two more strokes followed in 2013, so I have had 2 strokes paralyzing my dominant right side and 1 stroke weakening my left side and making it greatly uncoordinated. Now I play for physical therapy, but I can't find any easy music for my left hand and left foot alone! So he writes further: 1. Finding music 2. Adapting existing music 3. Maintaining correct technique while I learn how to play in a new way, and being able to recognize that a given piece is not meant for me to play but to be satisfied with just listening to it being played by another.

This question was sent by Martin, and he writes Dear Vidas, I really enjoy receiving your emails and watching your Youtube channel.  From early childhood, I always admired organ music and organists. In church, I would always go up to watch how the organ was played. I grew up in Bratislava, Slovakia, and listening to the organ in the big Lutheran church was quite an experience (4 manual, 62 stops). It was always my dream to play it. Alas, my life took a different path and I now live in Canada. Last year, being stuck at home due to the COVID pandemic, I discovered the Hauptwerk virtual pipe organ. I built myself a 3-manual console + 25 pedal and started to learn. Your Youtube channel and those of other expert organists are an enormous help and inspiration, and I try to follow your tutorial steps as much as possible. One thing I might like your advice on is the following: since organ playing is my hobby, I can only devote maybe an hour a day to practice (sometimes even less). What would be the best way to

This question was sent by Rolf, and he writes his answer to my question, What is his dream in organ playing right now, and also what are some obstacles in reaching this dream?  So, 1. Playing Buxtehude and Bach reasonably well and being able to improvise simple but beautiful melodies for the church service. 2. Earlier there were three things: time, money and lack of knowledge. Since I am retired two things: money and lack of knowledge. I can study well on my own and there are plenty beautiful instruments in my house and churches around me. Greetings Rolf

This question was sent by Rolf, and he writes: “Hi Vidas Very good wishes for you both! I want to tell you that I am studying this wonderful Praeludium in C from JS Bach, using your tips. Especially the tip cutting the piece in 4 bars and not making any mistake by playing slower, it’s working! In fact it goes faster and it’s giving me a lot of pleasure, thank you very much!! I will support your beautiful work of course. Greetings from Groningen Rolf”

This question was sent by Miguel, and he is in our Total Organist community plus he takes private lessons with me, and one time he wrote this message: “My back was quite painful, but now I'm fully recovered and practicing again. Part of the problem was sitting for too long, apart from the 8 hours a day I sit for my computer work at the bank. I sit an hour or two on a bench with no back support. The physio also told me that the movements of the legs on the pedals have a toll on the spine. ​So, I've been reintroducing walking that I haven't done for quite a while and also using my height adjustable desk for standing as well as sitting, at least during working hours. Did you have problems with your back due to organ playing, or do you know other people that had the same problem?”

This question was sent by Hubertus, and he writes, Hello Ausra, Heard your demo of the Alessandria organ with interest. Thank you for hearing you play on that. However, I am 75 and do not yet have enough experience to distinguish what those sounds for registrations entail, because I only started playing about 13 years ago, the total overview is missing. I also bought that organ this year, but I don't know what registrations you played the music with. Is it possible to use the "Simple" screen for a next demonstration instead of the Console, so that it is possible to follow your choice of registrations, in order to be able to try them out by myself, because it sounded very nice, but my knowledge falls short. Hope you can/will comply with my request. Thanks for listening to me. Best regards. Hubertus

This question was sent by Stephen, and he writes: “I love the Zipoli Pastorale...!!! Thank you... Zipoli is one of my favorite early Baroque composers!” Vidas: I wrote to him, “Thanks Stephen! What other composers do you like?” And Stephen writes: “In a more contemporary "vein"  I am fond of Dale Wood's music.  There are passages in his work that require a legato technique especially with chords...Sometimes I am at a loss as to how best to play them...finger substitution..but which is best..that sort of challenge. In answer to your question, what composers do I like ....Of course BACH, esp some of the Chorale Preludes.  and I intensely care for the Eight Short Preludes and Fugues attributed to Bach but maybe not ?? I think his pupil Krebs may have had a hand in composing these???  I cannot prove that of course. but I love these pieces and I have always played them from the Wayne Leupold Edition...Sandra Soderland, editor.  I prefer to follow her revelations as to style and reg