Toccata for organ from the 5th symphony by Charles-Marie Widor is one of the most popular organ works, second only to Bach's D minor toccata. Rapid tempo, perpetual toccata figuration and splendid harmonies make it a perfect piece for recital, postlude, or wedding recessional. It is a dream for many organists to be able to play this piece. In this article, I will give you tips on playing Widor's toccata on the organ.
Practice on the piano. Since this toccata requires a fairly well-developed piano technique, I suggest you practice this piece on the piano. If you play it on the piano, you will soon notice any uneven notes. Try to work on making all notes sound even and precise. The more you practice this piece on the piano, the more comfortable it will be to play it on the organ.
Do not rush. Practice this piece in a slow tempo because it is easy to play it too fast. If you play it in a fast tempo, chances are that the notes will sound sloppy and your playing will lack precision and clarity. Even after you master this toccata and perform it in public, take a rather moderate tempo. By playing too fast, it is a high risk of missing important structural and harmonic elements. In fact, Widor himself criticized organists, who play this piece too fast.
Observe precise staccato articulation. When playing the sixteenth-note figuration, try to achieve the precise staccato. Many organists miss this important point and slur the notes which in a rapid tempo and vast acoustical space will lack clarity. The eighth notes in the other hand should also be played staccato. The best way to perform staccato in a French tradition is by shortening the notes by a half, e.g. by playing sixteenth notes and making sixteenth note rests.
Option: play one octave lower. If you perform this piece on the organ which has screamy and high-pitched mixtures and very few 8' foundation stops in the manuals, you can play it one octave lower without the 16' stops. Playing this way will give your organ more gravity and the mixture sound will not be as screamy. This toccata is especially suited for such a trick because the left hand never goes below tenor C.
Play scales in double thirds and sixths on the piano. As you probably are aware, this toccata requires to have a fairly advanced piano technique. This means, that your fingers must have the necessary dexterity, evenness, and independence. One of the best ways to achieve such a skill is by regularly practicing scales in double thirds and sixths on the piano. In order to successfully master such scales in all major and minor keys, you will have to use finger substitution technique to achieve a perfect legato. An excellent resource for daily piano exercises including scales in double thirds and sixths is Virtuoso Pianist by Charles-Louis Hanon.
If you follow my suggestions and practice this toccata in a slow tempo, observing a precise staccato on the piano, and develop your technique by playing scales in double thirds and sixths, you can successfully master this wonderful composition. Just be patient, have your goal in mind, stick to your plan and your performance level of this toccata will become much higher.You can use the Dover edition of this Toccata which is very reliable and inexpensive.
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.
The Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 553 is included in the collection of 8 Short Preludes and Fugues formely attributed to J.S.Bach. Although the author of this piece remains unknown it is generally reffered as a composition of the Bach circle, possibly by Johann Ludwig Krebs.
This popular work can be played on the organ in these 8 easy steps.
1. Analyze the form and tonal plan of the piece. Play this composition a couple of times so that you could understand the structure of the prelude and fugue. The prelude is in a binary form, which means that it consists of two parts, each of them repeated. The first part ends with the cadence in the key of G major, which is the Dominant of C major. The second part also has a cadence in A minor, and ends in C major. When analyzing the fugue, count the appearances of the subject or the theme. Note the keys that the theme is in.
2. Write in fingering and pedaling. Playing with correct fingering and pedaling has many advantages, it gives you much precision and clarity. Therefore, when you discover some trouble spots in the music, it is best to write in the correct fingering so that you will never have to think about it again. I recommend writing in the pedaling on every note. Use alternate toe technique and avoid using heels.
3. Make sure the articulation is precise. Once you have fingering and pedaling in place, you have to decide on the correct manner of articulation. In the Baroque period, the normal way of articulating notes was so-called ordinary touch or articulate legato. This means that the notes in the piece must be somewhat detached. However, they should be played in a singing or cantabile manner.
4. Decide on ornamentation. The trills in this piece should be played from the upper note. Although there are only one trill noted in the prelude and three in the fugue, you should feel free to add similar ornaments in every structurally inportant place of the piece. In other words, the trills can be played in every cadence.
5. Decide on tempo. The normal tempo in this piece should be somewhere around 80 in the metronome. However, for practicing purpose use much slower tempo. Always try to feel the strong and week beats of the measure.
6. Decide on registration. The registration for this prelude and fugue should be Organo pleno, or principal chorus with or without 16‘ in the manuals. On some modern organs with very screamy mixtures, this registration works best if you add 8‘ and 4‘ flutes.
7. Practice the piece. When practicing this prelude and fugue, you can work in fragments of 4 measures or even shorter. When these fragments become easy, combine the fragments and practice longer episodes. However, whenever you make any mistake, go back a measure or two, correct it and play this fragment a few times.
8. Memorize the piece (optional). Although memorization is not required, you will play with greater confidence if you know the piece from memory.
I use the Peters Edition of 8 short preludes and fugues, which is quite reliable.
These are the steps necessary to play and learn this composition. If you follow them precisely, you will be rewarded by the wonderful impact the music can have on the organist.
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.
Cesar Franck (1822 - 1890) was the composer, organist, and pedagogue of Belgian and German descent who lived in France. He is considered as one of the most influential figures of the late Romantic period in the second half of the 19th century. In 1858, he became the organist of the famous Basilica of Saint Clotilde where he worked until his death.
The first compositions of this composer were published only in 1868 when he was 46 years old. From 1872 until his death Franck was professor of organ at the Paris Conservatoire. Among the most famous of his students are Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, Louis Vierne and Henri Duparc.
As an organist, Franck was mostly appreciated because of his notorious improvisational talent. Although he wrote only 12 major organ works, Franck is considered by many as the most important organ composer after J.S.Bach. His compositions layed the foundation of the French symphonic organ style. Among his organ compositions perhaps the most influential was Grande Piece Symphonique, which paved the way to the organ symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor, Louis Vierne, and Marcel Dupré.
Piece heroique, M. 37 was composed for the organ of the concert hall of Trocadero. For this reason it is not a religious composition. It continues the tradition of Beethoven, Berlioz, and other Romantic composers. Two major thematically contrasting ideas dominate the piece: the first is written in minor (the heroic theme) and the other is in major (lyrical theme).
At the beginning of the work, these two themes are presented one after the other. In the middle of the piece, these two different ideas have a musical fight. Franck develops the themes and reveals their true melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic potential. At the last major episode, or Recapitulation, both themes are brought back, only this time the second theme becomes a triumphant and is performed with a Tutti registration.
Because of the clash of the two themes, this composition has many similarities with the Sonata form. However, in a classical sonata concept, at the exposition the second theme is presented in a secondary key, usually in the Dominant (or in the relative major). It is important to point out that both themes here first appear in the Tonic key of B minor.
Nevertheless, Piece heroique fascinates listeners and organists because of its chromatic harmonic language, sudden modulations which explore the range of major-minor scale, and very balanced form.
I use the most reliable scholarly Wayne Leupold edition of Franck's organ works which also includes a sixty-seven page preface including essays on Franck, the Organs, Touch, Rhythmic Alteration, Tempo, and Ornaments; twenty-nine pages of Interpretive and Critical Notes etc.
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.
Although the most popular of all organ toccatas by Johann Sebastian Bach is the legendary Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, perhaps even more masterful is the splendid and brilliant Toccata and Fugue in F Major, BWV 540.
This composition might have been created in Weimar when the true compositional style of a master composer was formed. Virtuosic Toccata and Fugue in F Major usually is a true technical and mental challenge for many skilled organists. If performed well, it is a real treat for every organ music lover and listener. Otherwise, it has the potential to create a sense boredom.
The Toccata leaves the impression of a chase between voices and begins with a prolonged and playful two voice canon over a long tonic pedal point (Idea A). After this canon Bach writes another virtuosic episode - a pedal solo in the tonic key which leads to a cadence in the Dominant - C major.
Now the voice parts switch places and the canon begins all over again, only this time in the Dominant key (C major). These two sections serve to establish both the Tonic and the Dominant keys and have a function, similar to the North German Passaggio in a Praeludium.
After this episode, the chase stops but all voices begin a long and tiring journey (for the performer, that is) through various related keys in descending and ascending sequences (Idea B based on arpeggio figure). Through the course of this Toccata, canonic idea A and sequential idea B alternate and create an intriguing structural balance.
In developing the idea A, Bach evidently shows his mastery of a double and sometimes even triple invertible counterpoint at the interval of an octave. This basically is a technique allowing voice switching. It only works if the composer uses the suitable intervals (most of the time thirds and sixths, avoiding fifths which in inversion become a forbidden fourth). Suspensions of a second and seventh are welcomed in this technique, too.
Because of repeating two musical ideas, this Toccata shows the influence of the Italian Ritornello form. Bach learned to use this form in Weimar from transcribing for keyboard the concertos of Vivaldi and his contemporaries.
The fugue, on the other hand, provides a welcomed relaxation for the organist from the technical point of view. However, Bach provides another challenge, e.g. old-fashioned "Palestrina" style fugue with alla breve meter (cut-time) in Style antico (the old style).
This is a double fugue, which means that a composer has to develop two musical themes. Both of the themes must work in invertible counterpoint with each other. In the exposition and counter-exposition of the first theme, Bach develops the solemn, slow, and vocal musical idea in all four voices.
The second theme appears to be playful, dance-like, which reminds of a Baroque dance Gavotte. During this section, the pedal part remains silent and waits its entrance until the powerful combination of both themes towards the close of a fugue. While listening of the fugue in this wonderful video, feel free to count the number of appearances of the first theme.
I recommend using the New Bach Edition for playing this piece. It is reliable and solid.
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" here: http://www.organduo.lt/organ-tutorial.html
Olivier Messiaen (1908 - 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. He entered the famous Paris conservatory being 11 years old, and his teachers were such influential personalities as Paul Dukas, Charles-Marie Widor and Marcel Dupre. In 1931, Messiaen became an organist at the church of La Trinite in Paris where he worked until his death.
Messiaen's compositional style was very complex - he used Greek and Hindu rhythms, and specially designed modes of limited transposition. In addition, some of his other significant influences include his profound Catholic faith, music of exotic cultures (Japan, Indonesia, and Gamelan). He also had a curious ability to see his modes and harmonies in different colours which he also used in his works.
However, perhaps the most important influence on Messiaen's style was bird songs. He travelled widely, recorded, transcribed songs of birds of various regions of the Earth, and used them extensively in his compositions. Because of all these influences Messiaen's style is very unique, and it is almost impossible to mistake him with somebody else.
"Le Banquet Celeste" (Heavenly Feast) is one of his earliest compositions. In this incredible slow-tempo work, his truly original conception of time is apparent. Although the piece is only 2 pages long, it lasts about 7 minutes. This slow tempo is a symbol of the heavenly feast which lasts eternally.
In fact, it raises certain challenges to the performer which are quite different from fast compositions. Both performers and listeners have to employ all their mental powers, focus and treat this piece as real meditation. This way one can dive for 7 minutes into the depths of the limitless time. You can listen to the superb playing of Pierre Cochereau of this mysterious composition at the end of this article.
One of the most significant compositional technique that Messiaen uses in this piece is the Octatonic mode. This mode is built of succession of 8 notes which alternate in half steps and whole steps. For example, the Octatonic mode from the note C is formed from these 8 pitches: C D flat E flat E F sharp G A and B flat.
Messiaen composed "Le Banquet Celeste" using this mode almost exclusively. This mode provides many possibilities to built some very colorful chords: among others Major and Minor chords from C, E flat, F sharp, and A; Dominant seventh chords from C, E flat, F sharp, and A; fully diminished seventh chord from each note of the mode. All of these chords with some other additions are present in this composition.
In order to avoid tonal monotony in this piece, Messiaen transposes this mode every few measures. This means that the same mode with alternating half steps and whole steps can be built from not only from C, but also from C sharp, and D. The Octatonic mode can be transposed only twice.
Because of regular succession of half steps and whole steps, the transposition from E flat would inevitably sound the same as from C. Therefore, this mode belongs to modes of limited transposition that Messiaen either invented himself or borrowed from already known modes.
If you want to get Alphonse Leduc edition of Le Banquet celeste just click on this link.
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" here: http://www.organduo.lt/organ-tutorial.html
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) was a legendary Dutch Master organist, composer, and pedagogue of the 17th century. He is most renown for not only for his great polyphonic choral writing but also for being a founder of the North German Organ School.
He is also frequently called "Maker of German organists" because of his influential teaching activities that helped propel and flourish the renown North German Organ School. His most famous students include Samuel Scheidt, Heinrich Scheidemann, Melchior Schildt, Jacob Praetorius II, and Anders Duben among many others.
Sweelinck's keyboard style was influenced mostly by two major trends: Italian vocal polyphony and English virginal composers. From Italians the composer inherited beautiful linear counterpoint writing with mostly constant number of parts in the composition.
From the English virginalists, he took over their virtuosic figurational writing which consisted of frequent passages, runs, arpeggios, flourishes, diminutions and various other types of figuration.
Ballo del Granduca is one of today's favorites pieces by Sweelinck. Its authenticity is doubtful as it might have been composed by Samuel Scheidt. The title of the piece refers to the Balleto (or little dance of joyful character of the Renaissance) of the Great Duke.
It is a set of theme on a dance tune and 4 variations, although the opening section is called variation 1. Variation 1 consists of many colourful and joyfully sounding chords with a characteristic long-short-short rhythms.
It contains 5 sections each one with a duration of 4 measures and ends with strong closed cadences at the end of each phrase. The cadences are in G major (the tonic key of the piece), C major, A minor, G major, and G major. The first and the fifth phrases are repeated.
The second variation features many passages and runs in the right hand part with eighth or sixteenth notes rhythms while the left hand plays chordal accompaniment in two or three voices. In variation 3, the hands switch: eight note diminutions are transfered to the left hand part and the accompanimental role is given to the right hand part.
The 4th variation contains most of the virtuosic sixteenth note passages and diminutions in the right hand part which are so characteristic of Sweelinck's style. The variation cycle ends (variation 5) with eight note motion in the right hand part (in double thirds and sixths). Technically speaking, this is the most challenging variation and therefore a culmination of the entire set of variations.
I use the Barenreiter edition of Sweelinck's works, which is quite reliable.
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.
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