Would you like to learn the famous Toccata by Theodore Dubois (1837-1924) from his 12 Pieces for Organ (1886)?
I have carefully prepared this PDF score (12 pages) with fingering and pedaling so that you don't have to worry about it. It would be a majestic ending of any public performance - recital, church service or organ demonstration. Let me know how your practice goes. 50 % discount is valid until November 15. This score is free for Total Organist students.
Comments
At the end of last summer the world-famous Dutch organist Pieter van Dijk came to Vilnius, Lithuania for a few days to give master-classes on early music. As part of this event he also played an hour-long recital at the Cathedral.
One of the pieces that really stood out was J.S. Bach's fugue in C minor on the theme of Legrenzi, BWV 574. Believe it or not I've never played nor heard this beautiful fugue before. Van Dijk's playing was so inspiring and so rhythmically strong that the pulse could be heard even in the most romantic compositions from that day's repertoire. It's a complex double fugue - the second theme enters in the middle of page 2. It also has fascinating canonic stretto entrances which will not be very easy to learn yet I'm sure lovers of fugue genre will find them amazing. The ending of the fugue is particularly worth mentioning. At the end of page 6 the piece sort of ends with a strong authentic cadence but Bach decided to compose one more page with an extended virtuoso plagal cadence - basically a long excursion into the subdominant key of F minor which is also extended by the authentic cadence. Contrary to basic logic, please make sure you hold the last chord extremely short. This will help you make a strong impact on your listeners (just like Pieter van Dijk made on me). Ever since this recital, the fugue on the theme of Legrenzi haunted me wherever I went so that I decided to create a PDF practice score for you. I hope you'll enjoy playing from my score (7 pages) with complete fingering and pedaling which will save you many hours and set you on the efficient path of mastering it. Let me know how your practice goes. 50 % discount is valid until November 15. This score is free for Total Organist students. A few days ago I have received a request from Christian-Angel to provide a score of BWV 579 with fingering and pedaling. That's Johann Sebastian Bach's Fugue in B minor on the Theme by Corelli.
Today I finally finished this project which any of our students can now take advantage of. It will save you many hours of struggle and help you to master this beautiful fugue easier and quicker. It's a PDF score with 5 pages. A few tips on learning this piece: For Christian-Angel the most difficult part is the final Stretto - the last 3 systems. This is not surprising because in any Stretto composer develops the theme canonically. This means that a few voices have the same melody played but not at the same time - the parts enter before the previous one has finished. In this fugue it's so important to practice ALL 15 combinations separately: S, A, T, B, SA, ST, SB, AT, AB, TB, SAT, SAB, STB, ATB and SATB. Make sure you don't skip any of the steps and try not to rush - extremely slow tempo works best for practice purposes. Don't forget that you don't have to work on the fugue on its entirety, practice of small episodes of about 1 line works best. Start and finish each episode on the downbeat. This helps to connect the fragments between themselves. In my experience, I had to repeat each step at least 3 times without mistakes in a row before I was ready to go on to the next combination. And if you apply my fingering, you will achieve articulate legato naturally, almost without thinking. 50 % discount is valid until November 15. Enjoy and let me know how your practice goes. This score is free for Total Organist students. Ausra and I are preparing for a recital together which will be in 10 days were we will be performing solo and duet works by Sweelinck, Bach, Mozart and Mendelssohn.
Ausra is playing the famous Fantasia Chromatica by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621), "Orpheus of Amsterdam" and "the Maker of German Organists" as he was called back in the day to point out his artistic and pedagogical significance. The piece is called "Chromatic" because of the theme which is presented in the beginning. It is formed of descending chromatic tetrachord and later developed in all kinds of ways - canons, augmentation, diminution, double augmentation and double diminution. Interestingly, Sweelinck worked out not only the main subject but also the counter-subject so this piece is a pinnacle of polyphonic mastery before Bach. Of course it's so difficult to pick one Sweelinck's piece over the others because most of them are masterpieces. Fantasia Chromatica is so fantastic that I thought our students who love early music would want to play it too. Therefore I've prepared a PDF score with complete early fingering (5 pages) for efficient practice and instant articulated legato touch. It will save you many hours and give you the tools for historically informed performance practice. 50 % discount is valid until November 15. Enjoy and let us know how your practice of this piece goes. This score is free for Total Organist students. Vidas: Let’s start Episode 106 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And this question was sent by Collins, and he writes that he needs the Hallelujah Chorus by Handel, with sheet music and fingering... for piano. Ausra, do we have something for him?
Ausra: Well, actually, we have the organ version of the Hallelujah Chorus, with fingering. Vidas: That’s right. Some time ago, I edited the old edition from the John Ebenezer West (from the 19th century, beginning of the 20th century) arrangement from the Messiah Hallelujah Chorus, and it is for organ with pedals. Can Collins play something from this collection on the piano, too? Vidas: Definitely. I think he can do it perfectly on the piano; he just has to omit the pedal part. Ausra: But basically, as I’m looking at the score, the pedal part sort of doubles the LH’s part. Vidas: That’s right. Ausra: Or at least some of it. Vidas: Sometimes it doubles, and sometimes it plays one octave lower. Ausra: Yes. So basically, you could play that on the piano easily, I think. Vidas: And it has my fingerings written in, right? Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: Is it a good help for people, do you think? Ausra: I think it is, especially because in this chorus, the texture is so thick; so fingering really helps. Vidas: Mhm. So, if you were at the beginning stages, maybe early intermediate stages, and you wanted to play something for your church, let’s say on Christmas, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Or on Easter, whatever the case is--would you be able to learn it by yourself? This piece? Ausra: Well, it’s not an easy piece to play, for a beginner. You have to have some sort of technique. Vidas: It’s like an early intermediate level piece. Ausra: Yes; yes, yes. But I know that this chorus is so popular that you might find various arrangements, even for beginners, where maybe some voices are just omitted to make it playable. Vidas: What are the 2 most important voices in any choir piece, let’s say? Ausra: I think the soprano and the bass. Vidas: And the bass. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So guys, if you want to play something from the choir repertoire, and you are only able to play just one voice in each hand, you can do this by simply playing soprano and bass. It’s like playing hymns, right? Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Sometimes it’s enough to just have soprano and bass; and later, when your technique will improve, you will add other voices. Vidas: Have you heard anybody playing hymns like this? Ausra: Yes, I have heard it. Vidas: Did you like it? Ausra: Well, I wouldn’t like it if they played like that forever, all the time; but sometimes, yes, it’s very nice. Vidas: Some verses, right? Not every verse. Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: Some verses. And of course, you can play the tune in the soprano, but you can also play the tune in the bass. Ausra: That’s right, yes. Vidas: Reverse the order of voices--use the changeable counterpoint. Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: We’re looking at the score now, of Hallelujah Chorus. What would be the first step for you, Ausra, when you would try to learn this piece? Would you play RH only? Or both hands together? Ausra: If I were a beginner? Vidas: Intermediate--early intermediate. Ausra: Okay. I would learn RH first and then LH. Vidas: We have experience with children, right? With children at the National Čiurlionis School of Art. And a lot of children also play a similar type of texture, right? Do you think--omitting the pedals, now, let’s just take a look at this as if it’s a piano piece--what kind of level, what kind of grade would it be,for pianists? 7th grade? Ausra: Well, you know, if you would take piano majors… Vidas: They could easily play it earlier, right? Ausra: Yes, definitely. Vidas: But let’s say choir conductors, who have just a couple of lessons a week. Ausra: I would say maybe 6th grade. Vidas: 6th grade, yeah. So...they have been playing piano for 6 years. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Every week. Right. And let’s say, you were a 6th grader, and you would play at first, just RH, right? Ausra: Yes, if I were an intelligent 6th grader. Because usually kids just want to play both hands together. Vidas: Right away? Ausra: Right away, yes. Vidas: Mhm. Alright, so would you learn this piece from the beginning until the end, or just, let’s say, one line at a time? Ausra: It would depend on how much time I would have; but I would not suggest to play the entire piece from beginning to end. Vidas: It seems like in every line, there are 3 or 4 measures, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So it’s a nice fragment to work on without stopping. Ausra: Yes, it is, yes. Maybe at the beginning I would sight-read it with both hands from the beginning to the end, and then I would just learn it in tinier pieces. Vidas: Why is it important at the beginning to sight-read the piece? Ausra: In order to get the feeling of it. Vidas: You have to get familiar with how it sounds… Ausra: Yes, yes, that’s right, yes. Vidas: Both hands, even if it’s an organ piece with pedals--play everything at once, right? With pedals as well. And see how far you have to go. Ausra: Yes, because usually after sight-reading the piece, you might get an idea of how long it will take for you to learn it, and if you are able to learn it yet. Vidas: Mhm. Because a lot of people like difficult music, but they’re not ready for it yet. Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: If people like Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, but they’re not ready for it yet, what would you recommend they do? Maybe choose a different piece or play just soprano and the bass? Ausra: Maybe just play those 2 voices. Vidas: I’m looking at the first page now, and it sounds like it would work, right? Because the bass is active… Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Foundational harmony; and the soprano is the melody. Ausra: That’s right. I think it would work just fine. Vidas: Mhm. Ausra: And later on, you could add other voices, too. Vidas: Exactly. Ausra: And pedals. Vidas: For that, you would need a very loud registration, in order to feel complete and solemn. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: With Principal Chorus? Ausra: That’s right, yes. Vidas: Okay. Do you think people could memorize this piece, or not? Ausra: I think so yes. Because I think the melody--everybody knows it by heart already, so it wouldn’t be so hard to memorize it. Vidas: Is it helpful to memorize a piece if you are going to play it in public? Ausra: I think it’s a big help. Vidas: Especially if you don’t have much experience playing in public. Ausra: Sure. Anyway, you will feel much safer, you know, if you have it memorized in your head. Vidas: Because playing in public--it’s sort of like an emergency. Ausra: Yes, it is. Vidas: Everybody is looking at you, and thinking some weird things about what you are doing… Ausra: Well, don’t scare people! Vidas: You know, only the best survives, though! Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: You see, maybe not everyone is able to play in public; but I think that everyone should try to play in public. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Do you think that people should get scared of playing in public after they make a mistake or two? Ausra: Oh, no. But usually that’s what happens. Vidas: Uh-huh. Ausra: But, you know, nobody cares so much about those mistakes except you, who are playing at that moment. Vidas: Exactly. So don’t say, “Oh, I will NEVER play in public again!” after you played badly. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Learn from your mistakes, and move on. Ausra: That’s right. You know, mistakes are always scary; but if you will survive them, the next performance will better. Vidas: Yes. Anything that doesn’t kill me makes me stronger! Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: Excellent. So guys, 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.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 105 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast.
Ausra: And today’s question was sent by Dan. He writes: “Hi Vidas, I’m curious as to what the piece is that you have at the opening and ending of every SOP podcast? It sounds quite interesting. Is it something which you’d improvised? If so, that’s very cool. Take care. Dan.” So Vidas, could you explain more about this piece? Vidas: When we started doing these organ training posts and podcasts, at first I didn’t know what kind of introduction and ending to include with the interviews that our guests provide. But I thought it would be cool to do an excerpt of my own piece. So basically, this is an excerpt, beginning and ending, of my Communion from the Mass for the Fourth Sunday in Lent. This is called Laetare Sunday. And...do you remember the story of how it came into existence, this piece? Have I told you? Ausra: I remember that maybe our friend asked you to for some music, to compose...or not? Vidas: Yeah, our colleague and friend Paulius Grigonis at one time--this was, I think, back in 2011--was going to go and play for a mass for the fourth Sunday in Lent, at one monastery in a small village of Lithuania. And they have just a 1-manual and pedal organ with a few stops. And he asked me what kind of music he should choose. So it’s always tricky to find some music for a small organ, right, Ausra? Vidas: Yes, it might be tricky. Ausra: So what I did--I’m always eager to suggest ideas, and one idea was, “Maybe I could compose something for him! And then maybe I could expand this composition into a Mass!” So I started doing this, and of course he was intrigued; and I created a few movements, and I will be linking this to this piece into the description of this conversation so that people can click and check out the score and the video on YouTube. So basically, yes, this is an excerpt from the Communion. It is composed in a modal style. Do you know how I choose some of the modes, Ausra? Ausra: No. I wondered how. Is the entire cycle of this mass based on one particular mode, or on different modes? Vidas: Basically, I took a Gregorian chant collection--I think it’s called Graduale--and then I found the chants for that Sunday, the collection of chants: Introit, Offertory, and Communion, that I knew people would be using in that monastery. So I used the melodies for the pieces that I created. And therefore, I used the modes of the pieces, you see. Ausra: Okay. So, how many movements does this Mass consist of? Vidas: It has four movements, because at the end it also has a postlude: Introit, Offertory, Communion, and Postlude. It’s like an organ mass; you could perform it on any Sunday, I guess, when you don’t have a choir, for example, and want to play more organ music. But since Gregorian chants melodies don’t usually have like, postlude themes for that (they usually have Introit, Offertory, Communion, and some other parts which were sung in the past, like Alleluia and Gradual), but I had to come up with some melodies for the postlude, too. So what I did is: I used, I think, all of the melodies which were present in this collection--Introit, Communion, and Offertory--and combined them in the Postlude; I think that’s what I did. But I only have 3 pieces: Communion, Offertory, and Postlude, available for the public, because the Postlude is in handwriting, in autograph. Ausra: So you have to work on it, to make it available for the public! Vidas: Yeah. I was kind of hesitant to complete the Postlude, because when Paulius was checking out my previous compositions (Introit, Offertory, and Communion), he found this music rather complex; and he had to practice a lot. And of course, postludes usually have to be longer and maybe sometimes more virtuosic; so he had a lot of trouble. So I don’t think he played my Postlude at that mass. But he played, I think, those 3 opening movements. Ausra: And another thing that I’m curious about is: this Mass is based on Gregorian chant, yes? And it’s composed for Lent time. Vidas: Yes. Ausra: So what about the Catholic church, in Lent--because you’re not supposed to play solo organ music during that period...? Vidas: That’s a tricky question, because this particular Sunday...There are 2 Sundays in Lent and Advent in which you can play on the organ. In Lent, it is Laetare Sunday, which is the fourth Sunday; and in Advent, it is the third Sunday in which it is allowed to play. So I kind of was lucky, that of course Paulius was invited on this occasion, for Laetare Sunday, right, for the fourth Sunday; and basically, those monks were willing to listen to solo organ music, as well. Ausra: That’s nice. I know about Advent--that you know, Catholics are much more free about Advent in general, about music during Advent; but I thought they are very strict about Lent, and I didn’t know about this particular fourth Sunday. Vidas: Mhm. Laetare Sunday is very joyful Sunday, apparently, because of the text; and it has some joyful texts, and therefore it is allowed to play on instruments, you see--not only sing Gregorian chants of choral polyphony. So...but I’m not sure if everywhere around the globe the Catholic Church has the same rule. You see, local churches, local dioceses, have their own regulations, probably; and it doesn’t necessarily apply to global Roman Catholic Church. We traditionally have had those strict regulations, and organists didn’t play during Lent and Advent; but I think now this is changing, right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, the world is changing. Vidas: And in our church, we have one stop which is called Timpani, right? Ausra: Yes, yes! Vidas: Have you tried it? Ausra: Yes, I’ve tried it. I like it very much. Vidas: Which is apparently suited for processions during Lent and Advent, when the organ sound was not allowed. It’s like a drum. Ausra: Yes. When I had the last organ demonstration, I demonstrated that particular stop, and told this story. Vidas: So people are very curious… Ausra: Yes. Vidas: “What are those two pipes doing outside the instrument?” Ausra: I know, I know! And it’s quite difficult to explain! Vidas: And it’s really interesting why they are outside the case. Why do you think it’s so? Ausra: I think that in this case, they add more sound. Vidas: Because they are outside the organ case, right? Ausra: Yes, yes. You can hear them better. Vidas: And they are, I think, 2 bass wooden pipes, tuned on D and D♯. But not 16’ D, but maybe 8’ D, right? Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: Not very low pipes. So, how could people adapt this timpani sound to their organ if they don’t have such a stop? Can they play something with their feet? Ausra: Yes, you could hit like 2 notes in the pedal at the same time, and do a sort of tremolo. Vidas: Uh-huh. Because what happens, if you hit 2 adjacent notes in the bass in the very low register, like C and C sharp, or D and D♯, depending on your key of the piece, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: It has to fit the key--it could be F, G, E, any kind of low-sounding pitches. If you do those 2 notes that are a half step away, what kind of vibrations can you hear? Ausra: A sort of undulating sound--it’s truly a little bit like timpani, maybe! Vidas: Like a drum. Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: Because they’re not in tune, and they produce vibrations. Isn’t that the same principle that Unda Maris stop and Vox Celeste stops use? Ausra: Yes, I think it’s quite similar. Vidasa: Only, those Unda Maris and Vox Celeste stops are primarily used in the treble range, right? Ausra: Yes, and this is a low range. Vidas: Exactly. So guys, experiment with those stops that are available to you, and you can expand a lot of your organ possibilities this way, imitating instruments that are not present in your church. And if you would like to check out this Communion, here's is the link where you could listen to the video and see the score as well. Ausra: Yes, it’s a lovely piece. Vidas: Thank you. I will try to continue a few more of them. I kind of feel that this modal style fits well with chant themes, and they fit in the liturgy as well. All right… Ausra: Excellent. Vidas: This was Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen. Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #119!
Today's guest is Nicholas Papadimitriou, an organist, pianist and composer originally from Greece but currently studying and working in the Netherlands. Born in June of the year 1993, he started studying the piano at the age of six with his first teacher Domenica Mikaits. Two years later he joined an orchestra for young children, in which he participated for six years. At the age of thirteen, he joined the Philippos Nakas Conservatory in Athens where he studied the piano with Athanasios Grozas. At the age of fifteen, he started studying the Organ privately with Zafeiria Vassiliou in the Megaron Concert Hall and in the Anglican Church in Athens. In 2009 he enrolled in the Conservatory's Department of Music Theory where he studied with Michalis Rousselakis. During this time, he also participated in Choir Direction classes with Valeri Oreskin and has been a member of the Conservatory's choir. In 2012 he received his degree in Music Theory with a Distinction. In 2011 he was accepted in the Music Department of the Ionian University in Corfu, but he interrupted his studies there as he decided to pursue his goals abroad instead. After extensively exploring the possibilities offered by various music institutions around Europe, he decided to turn his attention to the Netherlands. In 2013 he was admitted to the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he has since been studying the organ with Jacques van Oormerssen, Pieter van Dijk, and Matthias Havinga. In this time he also studied piano with Peter Besseling, Improvisation and Basso Continuo with Miklós Spányi and followed conducting lessons with Lucas Vis and Jos Vermunt. In the period of 2013-2017, he participated in various concerts and has performed in venues such as the ‘Orgelpark’, the Waalse Kerk, the Oosterkerk and the Moses en Aaronkerk in Amsterdam. During this time he also participated numerous times in Masterclasses by Louis Robilliard. In September 2015 he was appointed Organist/Conductor in the Pastoor van Arskerk in Haarlem. In September 2016 he was appointed student assistant in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam for certain theory subjects. In October 2016 he started working as an Organist in the Pelgrimskerk in Badhoevedorp. In June 2017 he graduated from the Bachelor's and was admitted to the Master's Program, where he is currently focusing on Improvisation & Innovative Music Pedagogy. In the meantime, he also published his first book, 'The Misleading Tone', an innovative teaching method about keyboard improvisation. In this conversation Nicholas shares his insights about his misical experiments, storytelling and translating the message of the composer to the listener. Make sure you listen to the very end of this interview because I ask him about what are the 3 steps in becoming a better organist. I ask this question nearly every guest on the show and all of them give a different answer. Nicholas is not an exception. Listen to the conversation Relevant link: https://www.nicholaspapadimitriou.com
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 104 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by David, and he writes:
“To answer your question, the most important thing for me, in playing organ, is to learn how to read music well. I handle up to 4 flats, and up to 3 sharps with little effort. Beyond that I have never learned to read music well at all. The second most important thing for me is to learn how to count well and consistently. I know what you will say: when you practice, miracles happen. And here is what I say: You are right! I want to take this opportunity to thank you for this wonderful online resource for those of us who are learning -- or in my case, re=learning -- to play the organ. I am about to settle a lawsuit and with my money award, I intend to purchase the Total Organist training.” Interesting idea! Ausra: Yes. Vidas: To win a lawsuit, and then to invest this money into organ training! Ausra: Yes, that’s a nice idea. I would never have thought about it! Vidas: Excellent, guys. So maybe first of all, our advice would be to sue somebody, and then get more money out of this lawsuit, and then invest in your organ training! Ausra: Well, I would not suggest you to do that. Vidas: Hahahahaha! Ausra: Anyway, it would cost you a lot of trouble. Vidas: Excellent! But if we’re serious, let’s talk a little bit about how to help David and other people who want to learn how to read music well. And the second part is, of course, related--how to count well and consistently. Because if you’re reading well but not counting, you’re still not playing well; and the other way around is also true: if you’re counting well, but you don’t read music well in treble clef and bass clef, what’s the use of that? Ausra: Yes, that’s right. So basically you have to do a lot of sight-reading, I would say. That’s the key to learn how to read music well. Vidas: It’s so difficult to stick to the good regimen of regular sight-reading every day... Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Like 1 piece a day for 30 days. For 60 days. For 6 months. For 1 year. Without interruption, you see? It’s so difficult. Whenever we advise our students in the school to do that, when we explain the benefits that they will reap very very soon, they sort of nod in agreement; but after 2 or 3 days, they quit. So what we’re proposing here is, of course, very difficult. First of all, you have to have a lot of passion for this: if you’re just mildly interested in getting better, it will not work. Right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes. Yes, and because David said that he has trouble while playing music with many accidentals; so what I could suggest for him to do is try to play some of the sequences that I put on YouTube. Because playing sequences will help you to get familiar and get more comfortable with various keys. Vidas: And you here touched upon a very important subject which also relates to organ playing and helps to enhance your organ playing and sight-reading abilities, which is: theoretical knowledge of harmony. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Without that, if you just sight-read, and you don’t think about what you are sight-reading--what this note or another note or this measure means, in terms of theoretical concepts--you are doing something incompletely. It’s like learning to read a difficult language like Japanese--to read, right, without understanding the words. Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: It’s possible to learn how to pronounce those characters, right? And you can even learn to memorize a poem or two in Japanese, and surprise your friend you meet from Japan, and they will be very very pleased, right? When you say things in Japanese for them. But what’s the use of that, if you don’t understand the meaning of your saying, of your poem? It’s the same with sight-reading, right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: You have to understand what you are playing. If you don’t understand what each measure means--how the composer created this measure--you’re not connecting your brain with your fingers. Ausra: That’s right. And actually, it’s the same with counting and keeping a consistent tempo. Vidas: Why? Ausra: Why? Well, it means...if you cannot count well, it means that you’re still having some technical difficulties, issues with the piece that you’re working on; and you know, those technical difficulties (maybe looking at the accidentals) keeps you from counting, from feeling comfortable with the right tempo. So all these problems, they’re interconnected among themselves. Vidas: What you’re saying, Ausra, is probably to choose pieces that are not too difficult. Ausra: Yes, that’s right. You know, I looked at the hymnal a few days ago, because I wanted to prepare for my harmonization seminars for Lithuanian organists; and I realized that there are very few different keys that are used in, for example, the Lutheran hymnal. And basically, the key that would win the competition for popularity in that hymnal was probably F Major. Vidas: Mhm. Ausra: So you could not learn well other keys from just playing hymns. So what I would suggest for organists to do, if they, for example, would like to sight-read hymns--you can do that, but maybe you can transpose it. Vidas: Excellent, excellent idea. Ausra: Play in the home key, and then transpose it to a different key. Vidas: Major and minor second, up and down. Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: For starters. And then, when you get better at this, a major and minor third, up and down. Ausra: Because for example, as David wrote, that he has trouble playing from many--more than 3 or 4 flats and sharps. Let’s imagine you’re playing a hymn in F Major, and then you are transposing a half-step up--so it would be F♯ Major, or G♭ Major, with 6 sharps or 6 flats. That’s a very good training. Vidas: Right away, after 1 accidental, you have 6 accidentals. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: Yeah. That’s a great idea. Not too many people bother with transposing hymns, I think. Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: Because it’s a complicated process; and that’s why we have created a course on transposition. Ausra: Yes, it’s a very important skill. It will really help you to be more comfortable with every key. Vidas: And it will help you with sight-reading, too. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: Definitely. Thanks, guys! We hope that you will apply our tips in your practice--right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, we hope so. Vidas: And please send us more of your questions by replying to our messages that you are getting as a subscriber to our blog at www.organduo.lt. And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 103 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Victoria, and she wants to know if fingering is important in improvisation. That’s a question that she sent me after hearing my livestreaming on Facebook, when I improvised for 2 parts (I think note-against-note) some of the Genevan Psalm settings, like a counterpoint exercise. Sometimes the tune was in the soprano and sometimes it was in the bass. So she probably thought she might try it at home, this kind of approach; but first, of course, she wanted to figure out if she has to choose the fingering wisely. What would you say, Ausra?
Ausra: Well, yes, you always have to choose the fingering wisely; but it’s sort of...not as easy when you are improvising things. But you could write fingering for an original Psalm. Vidas: For a chant? Ausra: Yes, for a chant, yes, a Psalm tune. Vidas: Exactly. It’s like a theme. The theme is given to you; you can notate the fingering ahead of time, and add one additional voice (or two, three, four voices) in addition to the chant for yourself at the time you’re playing in improvisation, spontaneously. And as Ausra says, it’s difficult to do this with perfect fingering if you don’t have experience. Ausra: That’s true. Vidas: But in my case, for example, it wasn’t difficult, because I use some basic principles: I avoided using thumbs on the sharp keys, I avoided finger substitution and finger glissandos...and that’s about it, I think. Those 3 principles allowed me to create a nice, articulate legato, because the style, of course, was early style. Ausra: Did you have to think about fingering while improvising these Psalms, or not? Vidas: Uh...That’s a great question, because I had to think about other things! If you have to think about fingering when you improvise, of course, you are doing something wrong. Because in improvisation, fingering has to come naturally. It’s a byproduct, right? You play your music, and you figure out how the music will go--the flow of the music--ahead of time, when you’re playing; but your fingering principles should be set, basically, in your mind, well ahead of time, with your practice. So Victoria has, of course, a long way to go in this; and she needs to work on many many pieces of organ repertoire first, to get familiar with this foundation of fingering--and even pedaling, too, if she wants to play with pedals. Ausra: Yes, I couldn’t agree more--you build up your technique while you are learning organ repertoire, and then later on you can apply the same things, the same rules, to your improvisations. Vidas: Some people also like exercises, like scales and arpeggios with hands and feet and chords; that’s also part of any musical composition, and they basically isolated specific technical ideas into one exercise. And some people like to practice that, too, and it gives good results. Some people don’t, because they are bored with mechanical stuff, so they jump into music right away; but there’s a danger of straining your hands, because your hands will be cold at first--you have to warm up. So what I like to do is to warm up with improvisation. Slowly at first, gently, maybe, for a few minutes; maybe for 10, 15 minutes, whatever I like to do; and then I continue practicing repertoire--with, of course, correct fingering. Ausra: Yes. So correct fingering is definitely important, but don’t try to learn the correct fingering while improvising. You have to do it with your repertoire. Vidas: Maybe just keep the basic principles in mind, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: If you know the style that you will be improvising in--let’s say, Baroque style, right-- the basic principles which help you to achieve the desired articulate legato, and the 3 principles we adhere here to, are simply: avoid using the thumb on the sharp keys, avoid using finger substitution, and avoid using finger glissandos (because that leads to legato articulation). If you are improvising in Romantic style or modern style, what kind of fingering could you use, Ausra? Ausra: Then, of course, you would have to do all the things that you would be avoiding in the Baroque music: glissandos, finger substitutions...play as much legato as possible, especially if it’s Romantic style. Vidas: So first of all, you are free to use the thumb on the sharp keys. Ausra: Yes, definitely Vidas: But it’s not that convenient--it’s not that comfortable. Ausra: But you cannot avoid that. Vidas: If your key or the mode has many sharps or flats, then you are stuck with sort of modern fingering. Can you avoid finger substitutions and glissandos in modern music, too? Sometimes? Ausra: Well, very rarely. Usually you have to substitute. Vidas: Because...why? Because of course, the texture is thicker. Ausra: Yes, yes. Vidas: But if you are improvising in 2 parts--I’m not sure if there are a lot of Romantic pieces for 2 parts. That’s a little bit different style, right? Ausra: Yes. Usually you have thicker texture and more chords. Vidas: At least 3 parts-- Ausra: Yes, that you have to play legato. Vidas: So whenever 1 hand plays 2 voices, or even more voices, you have to almost always use finger substitutions and glissandos. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: But in 3-part texture, if your RH, let’s say, plays just 1 solo line, you could get away without finger substitutions and glissandos, right? Basically, don’t use finger substitutions and glissandos as a crutch instead of right fingering. Because sometimes people don’t even bother to think about fingering, and they use all kinds of basically incorrect versions--accidental fingerings. Right? This is not healthy, don’t you think? Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: Why? Ausra: Well, I think I mentioned this thing before--that if you’re playing with accidental fingering, it means that you’re playing the same thing over and over again with different fingering, so you will never get comfortable with that piece, or your process of learning will be very slow. Vidas: True. So figure out your fingering ahead of time. Write it down, especially the difficult spots. And that’s why we also like to help you practice with correct fingering, by providing you our choices of fingered and pedaled scores. That’s why they are so helpful for people. So basically, in modern music, you can get away without finger substitutions and glissandos only when the texture is rather thin. So in 2-part texture in modern music, there are some biciniums, right? You can do well with simple fingering, right? But then if you have chords and progressions when 2 voices are playing with 1 hand--it’s another story; you have to do all kinds of things. But prepared things in advance, right, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: So, for example, next time we will be playing a recital only of Baroque music, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: So we will not use any of those finger substitutions and glissandos in the November recital. Ausra: Well, I’m playing Mendelssohn… Vidas: Oh, you’re playing Mendelssohn. Are you using finger substitutions there? Ausra: All the time! Vidas: Right. It’s too thick. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: It’s a different story. So yes, we are also applying our own tips in our practice, you see guys. And whenever we play Baroque music (which of course we do regularly), we avoid finger substitutions and glissandos. And when improvising, also, keep the same fingering principles in mind. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Thanks, guys! Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. This was Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen.
Before we go to the podcast for today, I'd like to announce the news that our 5th e-book is finally ready.
"I'M A SLOW LEARNER" (And Other Answers From #AskVidasAndAusra Podcast) People who find our podcast helpful, will also enjoy having all these transcripts in one place for future reference. This e-book is available here for a low introductory pricing of 2.99 USD until November 8. All our other e-books in one collection are located here. Here’s what you’ll learn in this e-book (you'll receive PDF, MOBI or EPUB files to read it on any device): 1. I‘M A SLOW LEARNER 2. I SEEM TO BE SOMEWHAT DYSLEXIC BETWEEN MY FEET AND MY LEFT HAND 3. CONVENIENCE RUBATO - SLOWING DOWN, WHEN IT GETS DIFFICULT? 4. DO YOU HAVE SOME TIPS FOR MEMORIZING EASY PIECES? 5. IS BWV 565 TOO ADCANCED FOR MY LEVEL? 6. I WOULD LIKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOME BACH PIECES WITH INTERESTING PEDAL PARTS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR PIANISTS 7. MY COORDINATION IS BEGINNING TO FAIL, SO I JUST STICK TO EASY, SLOWER, LESS COMPLEX PIECES 8. CAN I DOWNLOAD YOUR SCORES AT A LATER DATE? 9. THEIR WAY OF PLAYING HYMNS SOUND TIRED AND FUNERAL-LIKE 10. I'VE RECENTLY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AN ULNAR COMPRESSION WHICH IS AFFECTING THE SENSATION AND DEXTERITY OF MY RING FINGER AND LITTLE FINGER ON MY LEFT HAND 11. WHAT TYPE OF SHOES YOU SHOULD WEAR WHILE PLAYING ORGAN PEDALS 12. HOW TO READ BASSO CONTINUO 13. HOW TO CREATE ALTERNATE HARMONIZATIONS AND DESCANTS FOR THE LAST VERSE OF THE HYMN 14. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR BUILDING UP SPEED, AND EXPECTATIONS FOR HOW LONG THIS SHOULD TAKE – WEEKS, MONTHS? 15. GIVING PRESENTS TO YOUR ORGANIST FRIEND 16. I LACK PATIENCE 17. I STRUGGLE WITH LACK OF MEMORY 18. I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY REASONABLY DIFFICULT SCORES AT FIRST GLANCE 19. I STRUGGLE WITH HIGHLY SYSTEMATIC AND LABORIOUS PRACTICE 20. LEARN TO SAY “NO” Please let us know what will be #1 thing from our advice you will apply in your organ practice this week. This training is free for Total Organist students. And now let's go to the podcast for today.
Vidas: Let’s start Episode 102 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. Today’s question was sent by Paul, and he writes:
“Dear Vidas Pinkevicius, thank you first for your good and precise advices. I spend 2 weeks in Italy, so it was not possible for me to answer immediately to your question. My dream: playing in such a manner, that people who listen to it would like to hear this kind of music in the future.” So, Ausra, it’s a very broad dream, I would say, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Basically, it means, probably, to play organ in a way that people would feel compelled to come to your concert or recital or church service where you play in the future--right? Ausra: Yes, that’s right. But it’s sort of hard to please everybody. Maybe some of your audience would fall in love with your playing; but probably not all of them. Vidas: Definitely, because everyone has different tastes. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And we both also have a little bit different tastes, right? Because you like some things that I like less, for example, right? Or vice versa. So that’s a perfectly normal and natural thing. Do you think, Ausra, that it’s wise to keep hoping that everybody would like your playing? Every listener? Ausra: I would be glad if at least some of the people who came to my recital would love it. Vidas: So when you play, for example, a recital--solo or together with me--do you think about your audience at that time, or no? Ausra: During my exact performance? Vidas: No. Ausra: No, but I think about my audience before a recital, while I’m selecting pieces for my recital. Then I think about them a lot. Vidas: And what’s your ideal listener? Do you have, so to speak, an avatar, or a character or persona in mind, for whom you would like to play? Or is it a general, symbolic person? Or maybe very specific: your friend or colleague, or a relative? Ausra: Well, no, I don’t have that particular imagination about an exact, concrete person. But what I keep in mind: I know I’m creating in my head, a sort of image of that person who might come to my recital. Vidas: And what is he like, in general? What kind of music does he or she like? Ausra: Various, actually; various styles, and so I’m trying to not play just one style of music, but to add various genres from different styles. What about you? Vidas: My opinion changed over the years. At first I felt compelled to play for a listener, an imaginary listener who would like to hear things that I like. Sort of similar to me. And because my taste also changes, this perspective also changed with the years. There was a time when I liked to play only early music, and there was a time when I liked to play only modern music; and there was a time when I liked to improvise long recitals. I’m not saying I don’t like these things anymore. I do, but not one or the other exclusively. Because if you do that, your audience is very limited, right? Ausra: That’s true. Vidas: You’ll maybe have an audience of one... Ausra: Mhm… Vidas: ...Yourself! Ausra: Yourself, yes, haha! That’s a possibility, too! Vidas: Maybe your family members, one or two, will come. But still I doubt it… Ausra: Right. Vidas: Because everyone is busy, and keeping their own things in mind; and you have to think something different, right, for everyone. Ausra: Yes, because you never know what people will expect from you. Because I have heard a few times, for example, people talking: “Oh wow, he’s playing without music score--he has such a good memory!” But then on the other hand, I also have heard such talk as, for example, with a person playing from sheet music--people went, “Wow, he can sight-read music! That’s amazing!” So you never know what people will like. Vidas: This is a good point, because it’s pointless to try to please everybody. We can’t even begin to please, because everyone is so in their own world; and I think the best we can do is provide something of quality. Quality is very important. Quality, but to have maybe a general direction where we would like to go with our public performance. And of course, it has to have an arc: like in any story, you will have to have a beginning, middle, and an end, and nice contrast and variety. Right? So your recital also should look something like that. It should not be in one mood or one tempo or one registration, don’t you think, Ausra? Ausra: Yes; and of course, first of all, you have to have a high standard, as you mentioned before, and you have to try to please yourself, to be happy with what you are doing. Vidas: And also, when you play a recital, I think it’s wise to select pieces that add value to the listener, right? I think the general direction should be a mix of things from a variety, maybe, of organ schools and historical periods; because then, a person will find something that he or she will like. We have so many pieces in the repertoire, right? From seven centuries ago. And it would be nice to include something from many centuries--not all, but many. Ausra: Yes, that’s true. And you need to play various repertoire. And that way, somebody can connect with some of the pieces that you’re playing, and another person will connect with another piece that you’re playing in your repertoire. But this rule does not apply if you’re playing on a historically oriented organ--for example, a replica of some historical instrument, or on a real historical instrument. Then you have to choose repertoire appropriate for that instrument. Vidas: This is true for the organ, right? Because if you listen to piano recitals, every piano is more or less similar, right? It doesn’t have such variety as organ. And pianists can play basically everything on every piano, because every piano has about 88 keys. With organ it’s different. Some organs have 1 manual, some 2, some 4, some 5, or even more; and the range of the keyboard is different: 4 octaves, even 5 octaves. And the pedalboard is different: some organs have short octaves in the bass. Some even have split semitones, where D♯ is not the same as E♭, for example. So all those things have to be taken into consideration when you think about repertoire for your public performance; and also thinking about your audience, so that strangers who will come to your recital would not be bored. Ausra: Yes. It’s very important. Vidas: Because it’s nice to imagine you’re playing for friends who know you, who trust you, who like you. And of course, this might happen from time to time, when you are, for example, contacted to play a personal recital, a private recital for a group of friends (for a birthday party, let’s say). Then they will listen to almost anything you play. But in the majority of cases, you have another situation, right? That people will come to your recital, some of whom will never have heard about you before. And then, they have this preconceived notion about organ music: what they have heard about it in the past, what they like, sort of their preferences. And since everybody’s sort of different, it’s very difficult to please everybody this way. So Ausra, for example, our next recital when we play together in a couple of weeks, right? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: In about 2½ weeks. How do we plan this program, and what principles did we have in mind? Ausra: Well, we played some pieces solo--just played some solo pieces and some duets. Vidas: What we thought about it, I think, is that we’ll begin with the most pleasing musical piece that we’ve found on this program, right? Ausra: Yes, that’s true. Vidas: Definitely, because it’s an aria or duet from Bach’s Cantata No. 80, and we liked it so much; and we thought it would be nice to add it at the beginning. Because at the end, what did we choose? Ausra: Sonata by Mozart. Vidas: For 4 hands. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: And it’s a different piece, sort of loud-soft-loud registration, 3 parts, 3 movements; and it fits for the end very nicely, because it has this character of ending, at the end. So we have the beginning and the end figured out. And then in the middle--what did we do? Can you elaborate a little bit? Ausra: Yes. We play some solo pieces--for example, I’m playing Sweelinck’s Fantasia Chromatica; and that’s a hard piece for listeners to listen to. Vidas: Mhm. Therefore it’s not the first one, right? Ausra: Yes. Because otherwise I’m afraid that everybody would leave, right at the beginning of our recital! Vidas: And then, after this difficult piece, right, we again play a pleasing piece by Bach: this second aria. Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Which we arranged from the cantata. And so on. We sort of alternate between mentally difficult pieces and pleasing music; and therefore, we can also hope that our listeners will also be interested and not be bored, and be compelled to come again to our recitals, because we have this variety and contrast. Right? Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: And whatever you do, don’t play too long. It’s better for your recital to be too short than too long. Ausra: Yes. It’s better that people would leave your recital longing for more music, than the other way. Vidas: Exactly. So--wonderful, guys! Please send us more of your questions, we love helping you grow. And this was Vidas! Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: And remember, when you practice… Ausra: Miracles happen. |
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
May 2024
|