Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys! This is Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 680 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. 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 V: We know that Rolf is from the Groningen province in the Netherlands. This is a beautiful region for organs, right? A: Oh yes. A dream country, actually. Dreamland. V: And he’s retired, right? A: It means he has time, more time to practice. V: But when you have time, you don’t have a lot of money, right? (laughs) A: Yes, true. We have a very famous comedian, he passed a few years ago. But he would say actually that you cannot have both time and money. You can either have time or you can have money, but not both at the same time. V: Yeah. Unless you are a royalty or inherit some kind of wealth from your ancestors. But for normal people, exactly. You are either use your time available to make more money, or if you are making enough money, you cannot make up time, because you have used it already. A: Sure, so sometimes it’s hard to stay somewhere in the middle. Maybe to have less money but more time, and to have more time to practice, but… V: And for musicians, actually that’s even not always true. You can A: (laughs) Usually you just work and you don’t have no time and no money. V: Yes, not enough money and not enough time. Which means you are simply being exploited. A: That’s right, as we saw one t-shirt back during our studies in the United States. And the t-shirt said that an employed musician will work for food. V: Yeah, it’s very very true for a lot of cases. And today, church musicians for example, they’re very often underpaid. Organists in general are always underpaid. A: Because it’s often, especially I think that’s true about Catholic churches. That we think that being an organist in a church it’s some sort of, not a job, not a position, but it’s V: Looked at like a service, no, a vocation, right? A: Yes, like a vocation, basically. But as we know, for example, priests have some social security from the church itself. And we know if something happens to them, the church will take care of them, but organists, not. So anyway. V: Obviously it’s because church officials rarely understand what kind of education and hard work has to go into preparing for quality music service. And often they don’t care and you can just provide background music and that’s it. Often even they have automatic music from CD players in some cases, right? A: True. But I think for Rolf, he can just be really happy to be living in Groningen and enjoying these beautiful instruments all around him. I think even this one reason should be enough for him in order to be motivated, to stay motivated and to practice and improve, and to enjoy what he is doing. V: And he wants to play Buxtehude and Bach reasonably well. And those are difficult composers. In some cases, Buxtehude is less complex than Bach. A: Sure. V: But not always. A: But most of the time, yes, I would say. V: Mm hm. A: Even if we would compare for example just the chorale preludes or free works. They are quite different in the difficulty level. V: Right, and they would sound beautiful on the instruments around Groningen area. A: And in Bach’s music too, you could find some easier compositions, more accessible compositions for let’s say beginner or the medium level organist. V: Right. So in Rolf’s case for example, if he was lacking knowledge, for example if somebody like Rolf would like to study but doesn’t know what to do, they need guidance. So what people often do, they hire a private teacher, like professional, and that costs a lot of money. And he says he doesn’t have a lot of money, right? So what we have created over the years is this resource platform for studying basically in every area of organ playing, either technical things, organ practice, sight reading, pedal playing, hymn playing, improvisation, harmony, music theory - this is called Total Organist program. We basically believe that an organist has to be total - well rounded musician, not just in one area but in many many areas. A: True, because if you are a church musician, you need to have other skills as well. Not just be able to play the organ, but be able to choose the right music for the right liturgical time and the appropriate place in the service, and you have to know how to work with other people, because you usually have choirs or cantors. You probably have to sing yourself, which is very required skill at least in Lithuania and Poland where organist also has to sing, too, and sometimes we have to lead choirs. And it would be really nice if the organist could improvise at least a little bit or to compose compositions. V: But we don’t see a lot of organists composing in Lithuania. A: Oh no. V: Somehow people are not either interested or not able, or both. A: Could be. V: So for Rolf and others who are thinking about things like lack of knowledge and lack of money, so they could take a look at our Total Organist program. It’s much more affordable than hiring a private teacher, but it’s a well-rounded approach and very comprehensive. I would say the most comprehensive organ training platform online. A: Yes, so far yes. V: It has been for a number of years now. And I don’t think anybody has succeeded creating something similar like we did, right Ausra? A: Yes. And another suggestion I have for Rolf, because he’s surrounded by these beautiful Dutch instruments, try to take advantage of playing those instruments as much as you can, and listen to what they are telling you to do. Because actually instruments are the best teachers, because if you will use the wrong approach, you will hear it on the instrument. V: It wouldn’t sound nicely right? A: Yes. V: For example, if articulation is not nice, pipes would not speak. If you are not listening to the echo in the church, then the piece would sound rushed and chaotic a little bit, right? So the instrument itself will teach you a lot if you just listen. A: Yes. Because usually when you are learning about things in the classroom or the practice organ and you learn all these things about articulation and right historical fingering and all that stuff, it often might not make any sense. But then you sit at the historical instrument, then you realize that, “Oh, now I know why it should be like this.” V: Why you don’t play usually with the thumb on the sharp keys on historical instruments, right? Because it’s very inconvenient. A: Or why you don’t use heels on the pedalboard on Baroque instruments. V: Yes. Theoretically you might know, but it wouldn’t necessarily be so self-evident. But when you go sit on those benches of historical instruments, you will know. A: Yes, and another suggestion for Rolf who is practicing by himself, record what you are playing and what you are doing. V: Exactly. It’s one thing to say to yourself, “I’m doing this and this,” but it’s completely different thing to listen to the recording and discover that even though you though you did something it sounded much different in the room. A: Yes. V: You have to adjust to that recording. Afterwards, make another recording, maybe five recordings. And studying from your own recording is also a practice. A: It is, it’s a very good practice. V: Yes. And you can share the best recordings online, too. A: Sure. V: Thank you so much, guys. We appreciate your questions. We love helping you grow. This was Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Comments
This is a bestselling piece of Vidas on SMP. I like it for its simplicity and effectiveness so I decided to record it today. Hope you will enjoy the sound of Hauptwerk Nancy sample set! Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22259369 Score: https://secrets-of-organ-playing.myshopify.com/products/easy-fanfare-op-94-organ-solo-by-vidas-pinkevicius-2022 We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pXxZgiFPMKiqBRYi9rSLT?si=Xe1nTroTSmOGPtv8bP8MSw This meditation is written to spread awareness about the terrible war in Ukraine. Organists of all countries who are at a loss for words but cannot keep silent will find their voice in this piece. In Ukrainian it is known as "Рідна мати моя ти ночей не доспала" (Ridna maty moya ty nochey ne dospala). This composition will work very well for meditative music during liturgy and/or concert setting. I dedicated it to Carson Cooman and played it on Hauptwerk Nancy sample set. Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22268715 Score: https://secrets-of-organ-playing.myshopify.com/products/meditation-on-ukrainian-folk-song-my-dear-mother-op-106-organ-solo-by-vidas-pinkevicius-2022 Here's Carson's rendition of this piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqyX0SxltTc We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/VPinkevicius My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ckKPIvTWucoN3CZwGodCO?si=YWy7_0HqRvaZwBcovL-RKg Blessed Easter! In this optimistic postlude on the hymn tune "Gelobt Sei Gott" ("Christ Is Alive With Joy We Sing" or "Good Christians All, Rejoice And Sing!") joyful refrain alternates with the hymn tune harmonised with colourful harmony. This accessible yet very effective piece will supplement Easter services and organ recital programs very well. This piece is dedicated to our friend James Flores. I played it on Hauptwerk Alessandria sample set. Hope you will enjoy it! Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22266705 Score: https://secrets-of-organ-playing.myshopify.com/products/postlude-on-gelobt-sei-gott-op-104-organ-solo-by-vidas-pinkevicius-2022 We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pXxZgiFPMKiqBRYi9rSLT?si=Xe1nTroTSmOGPtv8bP8MSw Recently the most prolific living composer I know, James Michael Stevens sent me his Chronicles of Peace to check out. From my experience with his music, the more you play it in one sitting, the better it sounds. So yesterday I decided to record entire set of 5 movements. It's not sacred music but the peaceful and meditative nature of Stevens' work make it rather fitting for today. I used the amazing Hauptwerk Utrecht Dom sample set which helped me to create some very interesting registrations. Hope you will enjoy it! Score: www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/chronicles-of-peace-nos-1-5-solo-organ-book-digital-sheet-music/22260824?aff_id=454957 00:00 No. 1 in G Major 03:31 No. 2 in D Major 06:40 No. 3 in F Major 09:43 No. 4 in A Minor 12:55 No. 5 in C Major We support Ukraine: www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: PayPal.Me/VPinkevicius My Hauptwerk setup: www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/0ckKPIvTWucoN3CZwGodCO?si=YWy7_0HqRvaZwBcovL-RKg Aria: 'Erbarme dich, mein Gott' (Part II, No. 47) from Matthäuspassion, BWV 244 | J.S. Bach4/15/2022 For Good Friday Vidas and I would like to share our rendition for organ duet probably the saddest movement from St Matthew's Passion, BWV 244 by Johann Sebastian Bach, Aria: 'Erbarme dich, mein Gott' (Part II, No. 47). We played it on Hauptwerk Martinikerk Groningen sample set. Hope you will enjoy it! We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pXxZgiFPMKiqBRYi9rSLT?si=Xe1nTroTSmOGPtv8bP8MSw The other day our friend Phil Lehenbauer sent Vidas his latest score, this beautiful Aria in C Major which is dedicated to another friend James Flores. So I went to Vilnius University St John's church and was delighted to record it. I love Phil's style - his pieces fit the hands perfectly. Hope you will enjoy it! Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/aria-in-c-major-organ-work-by-phil-lehenbauer-digital-sheet-music/22265278?aff_id=454957 Here's Phil's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-04gMh6Ah98 Here's James' video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhvBoHT36nc We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pXxZgiFPMKiqBRYi9rSLT?si=Xe1nTroTSmOGPtv8bP8MSw
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys! This is Vidas. A: And Ausra. Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast! Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. Vidas: Let’s start episode 679 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. 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” Vidas: Do you remember our fan Rolf? Ausra: Yes! I think he is a subscriber of my YouTube channel, and he comments on my videos. Vidas: Yes. A regular commenter, and we appreciate his engagement very much, and he is supporting us through “Buy Me a Coffee,” too. Ausra: Very nice indeed. Vidas: Wonderful! So let’s congratulate him a little bit more! Ausra: Yes, I think it’s wonderful that he found your suggestion useful, how to work on the larger pieces, how to divide them in the smaller segments and that way to learn faster. Vidas: Do you like playing a piece in four-measure segments, or not? Ausra: Yes, I do! Because usually this is how most of the compositions divide. Vidas: In four-measure segments. Ausra: Yes. With some exceptions, of course, but generally that is the case. Vidas: True! If every piece would be possible to dissect into four-measure fragments, that would be very boring. But, inside of any piece, you could find four-measure fragments easily, I think. Ausra: Yes, true! Vidas: So in other words, composers use more ingenuity than just 4-4-4-4-4, but the four-measure fragment is a building block of any piece from any period, basically. That’s what I wanted to say. Ausra: Yes, that’s right! Vidas: Agree? Ausra: Yes, I agree. Vidas: Right now, I am actually working also on some pieces for Easter, based on Easter Hymn, and I am creating a recurring motif between chorale phrases. We call it “ritornello” and yes, it is divided into four phrases of four measures each, this general ritornello, but of course, I have to use a little bit more creativity to make it more interesting and not to repeat everything note by note throughout the piece. Ausra: That’s right! Of course you cannot repeat exactly the same things. Vidas: Yes, but those measures that aren’t divided into four-measure phrases, you could really dissect and learn them that way. Ausra: Yes! Actually, the only one thing that I’m thinking might be hard after learning a piece by four bars is how to put everything together afterwards, and how to connect those four-bar-long segments into one big structure. Vidas: Yeah. In observing other people’s playing sometimes, I can see that they’re working in smaller fragments like this, but then when it comes to make the piece flow, they’re struggling. Why do you think they are doing this? Ausra: Well, I think the main thing to keep in mind if you are practicing in four-measure segments, you need not to stop at the end of the last note of the fourth bar, but on the strong beat of the fifth bar. Vidas: In other words, not to end the fragment on the last note of the fragment, but to end the fragment on the first note of the next fragment. Yes? Ausra: Yes, that’s what I mean. That might help you to put the piece easier together and it will be played smoother. Vidas: And then gradually you would expand those fragments, practicing not four measures at a time but eight, or even sixteen, or… I mean, not necessarily mathematically like this, but maybe one line, two lines, one page, two pages… like this. Ausra: Yes, true. Vidas: Make it longer. Most people don’t practice small fragments, so they’re not making that kind of progress like Rolf is doing. Ausra: Well, yes, because most people just play every time from the beginning, every piece, and I think that’s a big mistake, because that way the beginning will always be easier for you than the end of the piece or the middle of the piece, because I notice that it’s very often the case with the Lutheran Chorales with that Gesang structure when you have A section, then A section repeated, then you have the B section which is a little bit longer than the A section and usually more difficult. And I notice because that A section is always repeated, you know it so well, but you struggle with the B section. So what I do, if I’m not learning in the segments of four measures, I play that A section once, and then I play the B section also once. And if I repeat the A section, I repeat the B section although it’s not written in the score. Vidas: So that you would be able to repeat both halves an equal amount of times. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: That’s good! That’s good! Ausra: Again, if you have the piece which is written in ABA form, then of course I do the same with the middle section. It needs more work then. Vidas: And this ternary structure is very common, too! Ausra: Sure! Of course. It’s probably more common in general music, I think, we as organists deal more with the binary structure, but I think in general the classical musician deals more with the ternary form. Vidas: True. Alright, we hope this was useful to you. This was Vidas, Ausra: and Ausra! Vidas: Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, Ausra: Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo Meditation on Ukrainian Folk Song "The Moon in the Sky", Op. 103 | Vidas Pinkevicius (2022)4/13/2022 Yesterday I had an opportunity to practice at Vilnius University St John's church so I recorded this sad but beautiful Meditation on Ukrainian Folk Song "The Moon in the Sky", Op. 103 by Vidas which he dedicated to me. Hope you will enjoy it! Score: www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22265349 Score: secrets-of-organ-playing.myshopify.com/products/meditation-on-ukrainian-folk-song-the-moon-in-the-sky-op-103-organ-solo-by-vidas-pinkevicius-2022?_pos=1&_sid=f6bd3d6da&_ss=r We support Ukraine: www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: PayPal.Me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/2pXxZgiFPMKiqBRYi9rSLT?si=Xe1nTroTSmOGPtv8bP8MSw A few days ago my YouTube organist friend Markus Dreja sent me the scores of his several works. The other day I decided to give Improvisation über "Herr bleib' bei mir" a try. I hope you will enjoy the sounds of Hauptwerk Begard sample set! Here's Markus' video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-kPSXwk_98 We support Ukraine: www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: PayPal.Me/VPinkevicius My Hauptwerk setup: www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/0ckKPIvTWucoN3CZwGodCO?si=YWy7_0HqRvaZwBcovL-RKg |
DON'T MISS A THING! FREE UPDATES BY EMAIL.Thank you!You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Authors
Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. Our Hauptwerk Setup:
Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|