Yesterday I had our Unda Maris studio rehearsal where one lady beginner organist came to try out her shoes for organ playing. Her name is Diana and she is playing a trio No. 1 by Lemmens.
These weren't regular organ shoes but the shoes from her collection that she sometimes uses for violin recitals on stage. They had pointed toes and high heels. I don't usually have a problem with high heels but this time they were narrow. We tried to put them against the pedals and it appeared it would be easy to slip between the keys. Also their pointed toes would mean that if she placed her toes on the edge of the sharps as we should do, the real end of the shoes would come somewhere in the middle of the sharp key. I told her to try out and see if this seems comfortable or not. I said that it would take maybe 5 times the energy to hit the right pedals with this kind of shoes. Of course, we all know the stories about female virtuoso organists who play with high heels but this is really advanced level. What do you think? Should she keep trying to adjust to the difficulty of playing with these high heels and pointed toes or should she just get a pair of real organ shoes?
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Would you like to master Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir, BWV 687 by J.S. Bach from Clavierubung III? I have created this score with the hope that it will help my students who love early music to recreate articulate legato style automatically, almost without thinking. Thanks to Annabel Brown for her meticulous transcription of fingering from the slow motion video. Basic level. PDF score. 2 pages. 50 % discount is valid until December 17. Check it out here This score is free for Total Organist students.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 345 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And this question was sent sent by Pauline. She writes: Hi, I have a question to ask here. I am a self learned electronic organist in church. I play hymns every Sunday together with another pianist. In order to create a more inspirational music for God & the congregation, who should be playing melody and who should be the accompanist? Thanks! V: Ausra, don’t you think that the organist and pianist both should be playing something more substantial, not only melody or accompaniment? What’s your opinion? A: Well, it depends on what kind of hymn it is, because some hymns actually work quite nicely on the piano, and some don’t work on the piano at all. So, you obviously need to look at the real of the hymn, and then decide what to do. V: But, I don’t think that, for example, a pianist could play the melody and the organist could only play the accompaniment in chords, or, for example, vice versa, that the organist could play the melody with the right hand, and the pianist would provide the accompaniment. This wouldn’t be... A: Of course I couldn’t agree more! I think in general, electronic organ and piano is a bad duet. I wouldn’t mix them both together. V: But, if you treat it like a Taizé music… remember, so, in Taizé, they have a basic chordal structure for a keyboard instrument, but then anything else that plays together, they play melodies and duets and trios and dialogues, and it sounds rather nice this way—polyphonic. A: Well, true, but I think if you would want to do something like Taizé, you would still have to have only one keyboard. And if you want to have some elaborations, you would need to add other instruments, such as flute, maybe...I think flute would work very nicely… and a violin, or any other solo instrument. V: Do you think that Pauline’s pianist could play two melodies—two separate and contrasting melodies in each hand as maybe two melodic instruments, a violinist and flutist, would do? A: Well, it’s possible. I’m not sure about how the final result would be. V: Or in the left hand, maybe he could imitate, maybe, cello, and in the right hand some kind of solo treble instrument, and create a nice dialogue. A: That’s a possibility although I don’t know how advanced they both are, and how well they could do that. Because, this kind of musicianship would take some improvisation skills. V: Right! This would be nice. I believe they could train themselves. What would be the first step? What would you do if, for example, you and I had to do this, or even in our house situation, I would play on the organ and you would play on the piano, and vice versa? That wouldn’t work, because our piano is not in tune with the organ. A: As is our organ, yes. V: But, in theory, maybe, I’m thinking…. Thinking in chords, this accompaniment, so to say, but melodic accompaniment could also think in chords that the organist is playing, or choir singing, and then play a lot of arpeggios and things like that. But not only arpeggios, make them melodic, make them meaningful. A: Somehow now, I’m thinking about that Geistliches Lied from Austria. Remember way back in the year of 2000, when we were in the church music courses in Salzburg. V: Yes, this is like a Christian popular music, but quality popular music, I think, because each instrument has its own part, and a very developed part. So, Pauline, maybe you could actually do something like this with your pianist. Maybe you could even write out the melody, or two melodies for your pianist, and maybe you could write out chords and things like that for yourself, right? Because to do this on your own on the spot would be too stressful. You need to either rehearse or write it out. A: Sure. And really, if you want to make everything very nice ask from the congregation. Maybe there is somebody who plays another instrument other than a keyboard instrument. That would really make things much nicer. V: And then, you could actually arrange any time of hymn for them, to add descants and treble solos, and maybe bass lines—alternate bass lines. A: Sure. Although, I don’t know how many and which stops this electronic organ has. But, if it has enough reeds, and other colorful stops, maybe the organ could then act as a solo instrument, and piano would provide accompaniment. V: Right. Then the organist needs to play maybe the treble part, and maybe the left hand could play the cello part. Right? A: Yes. That way, maybe the organ could be a solo instrument, and piano would accompany. V: Interesting. A: Although you need to check it on the spot, and I cannot guarantee that it will sound nice. V: And also, it depends on where the organ is located. In the back or in the front? A: How far is it from the piano? V: Mhm. How difficult it is to communicate and play together. So, it’s a lot of things to take in and to take into consideration in this situation. Do you think that organists usually have enough time to do such creative things in church? A: Well, I’m not sure. It depends on the situation. Usually, I think we all don’t have enough time for things. V: But usually, people are very appreciative, congregations are usually appreciative if you do a little more than is required from you. A: That’s true. V: Right? Her pianist could easily play the chords, and she could play on the organ what’s written in the hymnal, and that would be it. And nobody could complain, and actually nobody would have the right to complain, right? Because it’s quite enough if you play it nicely on both instruments. But if both of you do something extra, then people will notice, I hope. A: True. Do you think people always notice and appreciate new things? V: No, not always, but imagine if Pauline or her pianist, before the service, would come up and say, “My dear congregation, today, we have prepared for you something very special,” and the both of them would describe what they will be doing in, for example, the following hymn—the opening hymn. People would, I think, appreciate that. A: Well, yes, but it’s of course also a danger of elaborating too much, and adding too many things that the hymn might be unrecognizable, and people might not be able to sing it. V: And there’s always the danger of playing like in a concert setting. Right? Sometimes the clergy doesn’t like that. A: True, because, for example, for my case and my understanding of good hymn accompaniment, the most important thing for hymn accompaniment is to play in a right and steady tempo. This is actually what is the most required from the organists who are accompanists. Congregational singing. V: But, I mean, if it’s, let’s say, a special occasion, maybe a hymn festival, and they would like to do something more and more creative on a number of hymns during that festival, for example, then a few verse, not necessarily every hymn every verse should be done this way, but every once in a while to make it more colorful and more creative, that wouldn’t hurt. A: True, and I think it’s always easier if you have a choir at a church. It is a big help for singing congregational hymns, because they lead the congregation. V: Interesting. I would probably do such experiments. It’s all experiment… you don’t know what the result will be, but you don’t know until you try. And if you don’t try, you will always regret it afterwards, because you don’t know. Maybe it would have been worth it. Thank you guys, this was Vidas, A: And Ausra, V: Please send us more of your questions, we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. SOPP350: Two recent developments have made me feel ready for my first Bach Prelude and/or Fugue12/8/2018
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 350, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Leon. And he writes: Dear Vidas: Two recent developments have made me feel ready for my first Bach Prelude and/or Fugue. Last week I learned about the great but shunned French organist Charles Quef. I tried his little fugue and was able to do it slightly less than half speed with fewer than three mistakes per system. After that, I wrote to my contrebombarde friend who played a Quef/Fauré piece, which Bach pieces he'd suggest. He was very busy with Armistice 100th anniversary uploads, so I asked him to wait to answer. Got it today. And this week, I returned to trying the Dupré 79 Chorales, which I had not done since April. I was able to sight-read from where I'd been stuck for many months at #69, to #55 to find one that would require more than a little work. So, based on that, which of David E. Lamb's suggestions would you support, or offer others? Fugue in G Major, BWV 576 (might not be Bach) Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 537 Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535 Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 545 (NOBODY plays the pedal trills in the Prelude) He added that the G minor is seldom played; the C major a lot; the C minor being popular, but still not played that often. I know I have not been able to afford your course to deserve this kind of answer, but I'm hoping for your grace. Peace, Leon V: So, Ausra, I think BWV 535 in G minor is being played right now by Totile in our Unda Maris organ studio. And I’ve been hearing her play at least for couple of months now and she’s making good progress. It’s not an easy fugue. Prelude is virtuosic but rather straight forward. But fugue deserves more attention. What about C major BWV 545? I think any piece that is on this list could be suitable, right Ausra? A: Yes. But in general, speaking all of these pieces are already quite advanced. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Don’t you think so? V: Yes. A: And if I would, I don’t know what Leon played before by J.S. Bach… V: What kind of prelude and fugue. A: Yes V: But he says… A: For my first. V: Yes. A: So... V: This is his first. A: Mmm-hmm. If I would be his teacher, I would suggest for him to start with Eight Little Preludes and Fugues. V: And to play a fugue. A: Yes. To play a fugue, and then start working on somebody from this list. In general, out of this list, I think that maybe that when Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor would be probably a good start for… V: Mmm-hmm. This piece gives a solid impression, but it’s not very technically challenging. A: True. True. So if I would be Leon I would start with this Fantasia. V: If he absolutely protests of playing Eight Little Preludes and Fugues. A: Yes. Because from my eyes of educator… V: Mmm-hmm. A: I think that those Eight Preludes and Fugues, they are so good for us as a guide to develop the Baroque technique, modern(?) technique and to get ready to play Bach. V: Luckily we have some organ students who understand this. And remember Regina in our organ studio. She has a goal, this year, to play the missing two, I think, preludes and fugues, and then by the end of this year she will have played all eight. A: Because each of that cycle, each piece of that cycle, it works on some different Baroque issue—either figure in the manuals or in the bass and it’s really very useful. V: It has such a nice variety of techniques, right? A: True. V: Mmm-hmm. A: True. And actually those, some of those fugues, they are quite complex and not as easy as seem at first. V: For keyboard we could compare the two-part inventions and then later three part sinfonias, which every pianist should play. A: True. And it’s like, if you are a pianist, you will never start to play Bach from the Well Tempered Clavier. You will have to do some smaller works first—two-part inventions, then three parts, and just after that, you would go to the Well Tempered Clavier. V: Have you played any of the inventions and sinfonias before, Ausra? A: Of course. V: Everybody has. A: Of course. Of course, that’s a tradition. And even you will not start with inventions right away. Before playing inventions, you will have to do something like minuets, for example from Anna Magdalena or Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Clavier book. V: Or short preludes… A: Yes. V: They have little preludes too. A: Yes. V: In William Friedemann’s clavier bücklein. Mmm-hmm. So those two-part inventions and three part sinfonias are very helpful for organists too. A: That’s true. V: By the way, I’ve been spending a whole lot of time this week on the organ bench in our church, recording in a slow practice tempo, those two-part inventions. And as of time of this recording, there are only two left, or four, maybe two days left. Because I tried to record two of them every day. And then our team of transcribers can prepare the scores with fingering so that people who want to advance their technique faster, then, without help of guiding, guidance, could take advantage of them. A: True. It’s good to have these inventions ready because they quite are suited, quite well suited for organ too. Not much better suited than for example Well Tempered Clavier. V: Yes. After I finish two-part inventions, I think I will start playing three-part sinfonias too. A: Yes. V: That’s the next step. Excellent. So that’s what, maybe, Leon could play also, some inventions and sinfonias, also. I don’t know if he has played all of the them. It’s really basic foundation when you have played them all. You don’t have to memorize all of them, but spend at least a few weeks with each of them. Then you have the foundations to move on to the more difficult works of Bach. A: That’s right. V: And any other composer too. A: That’s right. V: Thank you guys for listening, and thank you guys for paying attention to what we are saying and applying our tips in your practice. This really helps. Sometimes our advice works on us, sometimes it works on others too. But you never know until you try it. A: So you just need to try it and see if it will work. V: And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 349 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And Francois is writing: “Dear Vidas, I would like to ask about an exotic Pedal form, in German Stummelpedal, impossible to find an adequate translation... Well this pedal form, coming from Halberstadt over Böhms e-organs, to mention a better form than the ones on spinet organs, has some advantages. One is that it is not so monstrous like a conventional pedal, in an house organ. I think of building one (long pedals, axis far behind. So my question, did you had to do with historical pedal of this form? Or students who could bring far their technique (at least till some romantic works) practicing on this kind of pedals? https://www.ebay.de/itm/Boehm-25-Tasten-Midi-Orgel-Basspedal-Stummelpedal-Jazz-Hammond-Clavia-Nord-PK-27-/122842973043?nma=true&si=%252FOVcECBhMJw0n%252FPnaT6fggIwn4E%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Thanks in advance, Nicer and nicer you daily email, Thank You. Francois” V: Oh this is really wonderful to hear that Francois is enjoying our daily conversations, Ausra. A: True. V: Can you say some nice words to Francois at first? A: I appreciate it. It’s nice that somebody finds us nice and useful. That’s why we are doing it. V: Exactly. If nobody would pay attention or find them valuable we would probably would be doing something else. And concerning Francois’s question, the picture that he is sharing is basically looks like a pedalboard with very short sharp keys and it’s flat and some electronic pedalboards have that. 25 keys, midi organ pedalboard, suitable for jazz and Hammond, Clavia-Nord, PK-27 model. It looks like similar to historical instrument, right Ausra? But it has some differences too. A: Well, for me it does not look like historical. V: The only similarity of course is its flat. A: Yes, that’s the only similarity as far as I can see. V: And plus 25 keys are really not enough I think for today’s practice, you need 30 keys at least or sometimes 32. A: And you know historical pedal board even is often as flat as this one is, it displayed sort of wider because the keys are wider too, and especially black keys, they are also wider in my experience. And on a keyboard like this you really have to play sort of like a ballerina. V: I’ve played such a similar disposition before on Allen digital organ. A: Me too. Some of Allen digital has this kind of pedalboard and it’s sort of pain in the …. V: Pain in the neck. A: Not only the neck but you know what I mean. I don’t want to swear. V: It’s very inconvenient to play actually. You have to constantly think about where you are hitting and if you play historical pedalboards they are as Ausra says, wider. A: And this kind of pedalboard, I don’t know what they are suited for. Neither for historical performance practice, nor really for modern music practice. It’s really not so comfortable. V: And we have pedalboards with 25 notes in our church chapels, right? They go up until C. And I guess a lot of organs in baroque times had the compass until C, treble C, but today sometimes even in baroque organs need D, right? A: Of course it’s better to have this kind of keyboard when don’t have any keyboard. V: You mean pedalboard. A: Pedalboard, yes. If you can manage such a pedalboard you will probably be able to manage any pedalboard. V: So Francois is thinking of building one and maybe if he likes historical pedalboards maybe he could look at pedal clavichord layout. A: But what I understood from his letter maybe he does not have so much space as a real pedalboard takes. V: Umm-hmm. A: So I guess what he liked about this one that it doesn’t take so much space. V: Yes, it’s smaller. A: So pedal clavichord pedalboard takes a lot of space. V: Probably the same space as a normal baroque organ pedalboard would take. A: At least, maybe even a little bit more. V: But in general he asks can you advance in organ playing not only playing early music this way but also romantic and modern. A: Of course you can. V: Using early type of pedalboard. A: Well to play the modern music on the baroque, well, that’s a tricky question. V: We heard this situation in Rochester, New York, remember in one conference when one student at Eastman School of Music, he practiced exclusively on the pedal clavichord, even sonata by Reubke and got really good with it, at least he said so. So people do all kinds of tricks I think. What do you think about that? A: Well you can do that but when you get to another organ you will have to re-adjust. V: Umm-hmm. A: But that’s the case for all organists with each different instrument. V: Imagine if Bach wanted to create romantic music on his area organs what he would do. A: I think it’s very unrealistic. He didn’t live in romantic era so he didn’t have to struggle with that and to solve that dilemma. V: And composers influenced organ builders and vice versa in their discussions and meetings about what kind of music to create and what kind of instruments to build. A: That’s right. V: OK. This is interesting question, right? The one that people sometimes have to think deeply in figuring out the solutions and solutions might not fit every one, right? If Francois likes this kind of pedalboard there is nobody stopping him, right? A: True, why not? V: And he can do that and after he has done that and midified his pedalboard maybe he can then after six or ten months he can tell us his experience if he likes it or not. A: True because it’s still better to have such a pedalboard than not having any. V: Than practicing on the floor. A: True. V: Umm-hmm. Yes. Thank you guys for sending these questions. We love helping you grow and remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 347, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by David. And he writes: Thank you for telling me about this "mini-life" concept. It helps me to know that there are other people who do this, and that it's not some crazy idea that only I do. I am trying to work on "On This Day, Earth Shall Ring" arranged by Gustav Holst (Personent Hodie). I wonder, since this is originally written before the Baroque era but arranged by Holst in the 1800s (modernist? Romantic period?), if you might have suggestions on registration, articulation, etc. I'm looking at doing this for congregational singing, choir accompaniment, or processional, depending upon what happens this season (if the pastor picks it to sing, it will be played as a congregational hymn. If the choir sings it, I will accompany them, and if neither occurs, I will pick it as a prelude or processional). At this time, I'm trying to play the right hand quite detached, the left hand is mostly mirroring the pedals an octave higher and I am playing it only with toes. But I'm not satisfied completely with the results. Is it better to register the pedals as 8' and 16? Should reeds be used in the pedals? Should I double the pedals? Should I use mixtures instead of reeds? Maybe couple the Great to pedal and add a 16' stop? Maybe play with 32' on the electronic instrument and 16' on the pipe organ (because it doesn't have 32')? What is the best thing to do with registration for the high descending notes starting at the end of the 3rd line? I almost thought about playing octaves in the pedals (2 pedals an octave apart), playing the lower two notes on the Great, and playing those descending notes on chimes on the solo manual on the pipe organ, but on the electronic 3 manual organ, I'm not sure what to do with those notes. I don't like them played on the same manual as the lower two because of clarity. (Here is a link to the score from which I am playing: https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/137356 And if that link doesn't work, here is a link to another score 1/2 step higher. http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/7/71/Ws-hols-per.pdf Thanks for your advice on this, David) V: And, David includes a link to this hymn, which we are looking at right now. And this is arrangement by Gustav Holst. Let me analyze it… And it starts with descending scales starting from E in octaves, in the left hand part. Do you know, Ausra? I don’t know this hymn. A: Neither do I. But I think as David has so many questions about this, and he’s not quite sure who will perform it—if congregation will sing it, or choir will sing it, or he will play it as a processional only, processional. V: Mmm-hmm. A: I think the final performance on it and registration of this hymn will depend on which of these versions will be done. Because if he will play it alone, he can use entire organ.... V: Mmm-hmm. A: And do whatever he wants. If he will sing it with congregation, accompany it with congregation, he can also probably use many of stops and reeds and other loud stops—if the congregation is bigger. But if only choir will sing it, then he of course will have to not play so loud. What do you think about it? V: I agree, and I also think that this arrangement that he sent the link to us, is for piano, not for the organ. A: True. V: And if you play double octaves with the pedals, it’s just too powerful. A: I wouldn’t do it. Then I would play the lower part, the lowest voice with the pedal, but maybe I even wouldn’t do the octaves on the organ. Because already, since we have, let’s say, in the pedals, 16 and 8’ stops, it’s already doubled. It already sounds in octaves. V: Maybe sometimes it’s 4, 4’. A: Yes, and even four, 4’. So I wouldn’t do that. V: And if it’s a loud registration, maybe you would have, maybe I would say, mixtures too, so it doubles in fifths too. What about playing the lower part as you say with the pedals, but I just think sometimes the range is below key. A: Definitely you have to arrange it. Of course. V: Mmm-hmm. And then the right hand is free to play the chords but maybe divide them between the hands. A: True. And for me, all this kind of arrangement, it looks a little bit dull. V: You need I think, space it out, I think, maybe open position chords. Especially when the melody goes upwards. A: That’s right. Because again, look at the accompaniment, that top voice of accompaniment. It doubles the melody that congregation or choir will sing. V: Mmm-hmm. Is this a good thing? A: Well, yes and no. It might be nice for one verse but then it will get boring. V: For congregation, yes, I think, good. A: Yes. It will be easier for them to follow. But if you are only doing it with choir, then choir knows already the melody very well, so, you could do something else maybe. V: Maybe invert the right parts and play in a different melody… A: Sure. V: Position. A: I think that might work. Definitely. V: Tenor in the soprano. A: Yes. V: We see the right hand chord at the beginning is G, B, E, but you could start, for example, as B, E, G, or even E, G, B, like that. A: Sure. V: But splitted between the hands, I think. That’s more work of course. A: That’s right. V: And one word about, Ausra, the pedaling and articulation? Do you think it’s a Baroque type of piece or not? A: Well, anyway if I would play it, I would articulate it. V: Would you use heels? A; Well, if I would decide to play those double octaves, then yes, I would probably use the heels too. V: Uh-huh. A: But if I would play only one melody, then maybe not. V: I’m just thinking about the style of the accompaniment—it’s modal. It begins and ends in E, but it has two sharps. What is it, what is this mode? E, with two sharps? A: You don’t know, that you are asking me. I know. V: Can you tell us? A: Yes I can. V: Don’t hesitate. A: If you pay me. V: In which currency? A: In Euros. V: I only have a Steam. A: Okay. I’m just making fun out of you and out of myself. If it’s E and it has two sharps, it means it’s a Dorian mode. V: Dorian! Okay. A: It’s type of minor mode, which has comparing to the minor mode, natural minor mode, it has the sixth scale degree raised. So like in E minor, scales you wouldn’t have C# but here, you have it. V: Uh-huh. Doesn’t it remind you of a little bit of 20th Century writing? A: True. A lot. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Because there was a time when it was very popular to sort of imitate early music like middle age music, Gregorian Chant. V: So should we play then this type of style in the early way, or the later way? Modern way? Legato or regulated way? I’m not sure sometimes. A: Well, it depends. It depends on the piece and it depends on the place. Well, if you want to imitate Gregorian Chant then you probably wouldn't articulate as in the Baroque type. But again, if you want to play this kind of thing with a large registration as David wrote, then if you wouldn’t articulate at all, it might get really messy. V: Mmm-hmm. You’re right! You always listen to what’s sounding—what the congregation is hearing, not what you are hearing, but down in the pews. A: But, anyway, I guess in this kind of a piece, you will be sort of forced to do some articulation, even if you will intend to play most of it legato, because it has so many repeated notes. And since the top voice of the accompaniment doubles the melody, hymn melodies, so, you will have to articulate too because it has repeated notes. V: Mmm-hmm. Okay. I hope this has been helpful to David who is also on the team of podcast conversation transcriptions. He helps us to provide you written text of the MP3 files. This is really helpful. And this is the only way we can produce so much material suitable for both listening and reading and in-depth conversations, right, because that’s a lot of words what we talking today, right, Ausra? A: True. V: A lot of transcribing. So we’re really grateful to David and others on the team. Okay! Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 346 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Danielle and she writes: “Dear Vidas, I purchased the Dauqin Noel score through PayPal but have not received a link to a pdf. Can you please help? I would love to learn part of it for Christmas! Thank you very much! -Danielle” V: Of course I have sent the score to her because sometimes those attachments get into the spam folder, sometimes people don’t notice them. So it’s all solved. I thought maybe we could talk a little bit about this wonderful piece and I have the score in front of me. Do you know this? Grand Jeu, et duo by Louis-Claude Daquin and I have prepared fingering and registration for three manual organ based on my performance in 2016 in our church. So let’s see how many variations does it have? A lot, five pages, right? And it starts, what do you think is happening in the first variation or the theme maybe Ausra? A: I think the theme is provided. It's an exposition. V: In how many voices? A: In two voices. V: Uh-huh. So the melody is then in soprano and bass is in the left hand but it’s in a high range. It’s like a duet of two solo treble instruments. A: Yes, that’s right. V: Umm-hmm. Interesting. A: And I remember as we talked a few days ago that French music if you would omit ornaments it would be probably boring. So I am looking at this melody and I am thinking that ornaments gives a lot to this melody. V: Exactly. And this Christmas feeling like birds, like chirping sound. A: Yes. V: OK the theme is clear, then after the theme comes Cornet de Recit and the theme was played by cromorne or clarinet and in the Cornet de Recit we have to play either with trompette or cornet, right Ausra? A: That’s right. V: And how many voices do you see here? A: Also two. V: Also two, right and what’s happening? Is it different from the theme or not necessarily? A: Well, it’s a little bit different but… V: Adding maybe more eighth notes. A: True. V: And those eighth notes are inegales. What is Notes Inegales? A: Well it’s a French tradition when it’s written even notes that are written are played uneven. V: A little bit… A: Dotted. You need to dot them a little bit. V: Maybe like triplets. Maybe like instead of two equal eighth notes sometimes you play as you say dotted notes but sometimes you make gentle swing like make the first note longer and the second note shorter. A: Yes but of course you need to do it differently because in French tradition if they would want you to play those eighth notes equally they would note it. V: Notate. A: Notate it, yes. V: It’s like in jazz, sometimes you have to swing in order to provide stylistically appropriate performance even though it’s written equally you play unequally. A: True. And if you would think about that famous Charpentier’s Te Deum that is used for Eurovision’s radio for example as a calling signal they play it so nicely with dotted rhythms but if you would take Lithuanian version of Charpentier interpretation they play it so equally it just sounds so boring. V: Right. A: I cannot listen to it. V: And I also sometimes play with one famous saxophone player who likes to play this piece with the organ and he always plays equally and you cannot teach these things. A: I just think you need to learn things to find how other cultures treats similar things and if you are playing French music then you need to play it accordingly. V: Umm-hmm. So after that, after this Cornet de Recit comes Grand Jeu. Oh, what’s Grand Jeu Ausra? A: The big sound of the organ because it would be played with the reeds. V: Reeds, cornets, and flutes probably. A: So it would be quite a big sound. V: You could even add optional pedal sometimes. A: That’s right. V: But I didn’t. I didn’t use the pedal at all. A: Well I think that most of these were not intended to be played on the pedalboard so you don’t have to add it if you don’t want. V: So these are big chords, three notes in the right hand and one note in the left hand, it’s just like keyboard harmony exercise. Nice. What comes next Ausra in Cornet de Recit second double? A: Oh this is what often happens in variation set, if we have like doublettes before, not we have triplets. V: Uh-huh. A: So this sort of variation adds more validity to set of variations because things seems faster now because you have three notes instead of two notes. V: More energetic. And those two voices that we see are played on separate manuals. Cornet is in right hand and cromorne is in the left hand. A: That is what is so fascinating about French music that you always have those dialogs between hands. V: Does it seem difficult for you this variation? A: Not so much yet. V: But then… A: But then yes, look at that long trill and then in the next variation the sixteenth notes comes. So we have now duplets, we went to triplets, and now we have sixteenth notes so the energy is building up. V: So you have to choose a tempo wisely at the beginning. A: Sure, this is the thing about that piece which is so made out of so many segments. You have to look at the most difficult spot where the smallest note values are and then you pick up the opening tempo according to the hardest variation. V: Umm-hmm. And I’m looking at this disposition of voices and figuration and it’s just like Johann Pachelbel would write. A: Yes, it’s similar. V: He also would start his chorale variations with chords, then with eighth notes, then with triplets, then with sixteenth notes. A: And I think it’s common not only for him only in this setting I think it’s in general how the things are made, even in Sweelinck’s music. V: Right. You start slow and speed up. And what’s at the end, Grand Jeu, we already had Grand Jeu, right? A: But here we have more voices than in that Grand Jeu I believe. V: And what’s happening in the last page of the third line here? A: The echoes? V: Yes, and even towards the end even more echoes. Between Grand Jeu, Recit, and Echo. Three manuals I believe are involved or two manuals. A: I think echoes is one of the nicest things in organ in general especially if it’s in a big church with large acoustics then it works extremely nice. V: Maybe I was wrong, actually it’s three manuals. Grand Jeu, then Cornet, and Cornet de Echo. You have to close the box or play cornet on a distant manual. Grand Jeu, Cornet, Echo you see. A: So if you have a three manual organ use all three of them in such a spot. If you have only two manuals but one has a swell box then for the softest manual you can play on the same swell manual with the box closed. V: Umm-hmm. So this is a very nice piece. A: Especially now when the season is getting close. V: And there is still time to practice and learn it. At least some parts of it. You don’t have to play entire setting if you are not advanced with your technique. A: And if you are willing to learn the whole set then start learning from the end probably because those three last variations are the hardest ones. V: And obviously check out our score with fingering and registration provided because this will save you many, many hours I think. A: True. V: Thank you guys, this was Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow and remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 344, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Glenn. And he writes: Hi Vidas and Ausra! I love your podcast, especially that I can read the transcript when I am in a place where I can't listen. I have a question about articulation. When you have a sustained note, like in the first partial measure of BWV 603 right hand, and an adjacent voice that sounds the same note, how do you articulate it? Do you just hold the sustained note—then it seems like the adjacent voice just goes away! Or do you break the sustained note, to sort of make room for the converging voice? Then it seems you don't hear the sustained note like you should. Similar problem in the fourth measure. Am I missing something? Thank you. -Glenn V: This is really common, I think, situation when two voices are very close together and then they form a unison at some point. And what you do, Ausra? A: True. Actually it’s a very complex issue. It should be a simple one but I don’t think I found a right answer to it. And sometimes it depends on situation. Sometimes I just leave that note for a short while, while another voice hits the same key again, and then I keep holding it, and sometimes not. V: Marcel Dupré once wrote, that in this situation, it’s better to repeat, right, to lift up the sustained note, and to make a rest with exact break of a unit value. I mean the shortest most common rhythmical value in the piece. Let’s say it’s eight note, right? A: I think it’s a very good advice. But sometimes when the texture is very thick… V: Mmm-mmm. A: I don’t follow it, because it takes too much pain to do it. V: And also sometimes, you don’t necessarily have the same situation or equal situation. Because sometimes this second voice is important and sometimes really not important. A: But the thing is that interests me the most was why, especially, it’s very often the case in Bach’s music, why he does that. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Why he composes like that. And I understood it thoroughly when I started to teach harmony. V: Understood. A: Yes. Because he is very particular about voice leading. And usually in places like this, if he would do something else then the voice leading would sort of suffer. V: Mmm-hmm. So if you are really particular about that, and want to be very precise, then probably lifting up and making a break in the sustained note is a good idea. Especially if you are playing in a[n] acoustical environment when the echo is great. A: Yes. V: Right? A: Yes. V: But then you need to be very meticulous about that. Are you very meticulous, Ausra? Are you perfectionist? A: Well, I would say yes. V: More than me? A: Especially now when I am teaching harmony for so many years. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Voice leading is very important for me. V: Mmm-hmm. A: That they always analyze how each voice goes and why it goes like that, and it’s important for me what I have to sustain and what I have to release and then to do it. V: Mmm-mmm. And in practice, this is one of the things that separates amateurs from professionals too. This professional attitude—attention to details. A: And I think when learning, especially Bach’s music, because it’s so complex, it’s very wise to start with the very slow tempo and you need to listen to what is happening. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Because if you will learn it in a wrong way, with the wrong voice leading, then you will have a real hard time to fixing it. Sometimes it’s much easier to learn a new piece than to fix something that you have learned incorrectly. V: Mmm-hmm. A: And sometimes it’s quite easy to miss things with thick polyphonic texture. V: Exactly. You know, when I’m playing modern pieces sometimes, I get carried away and forget to look at the middle voices and lift them at that precise time. Maybe not because of sloppiness but maybe lack of time. Remember last time I played this recital with organ works by Teisutis Makačinas, and there was a reason I didn’t play extremely precisely. You know what? Because composer didn’t write extremely precisely. Because every time something repeats, he writes something differently. And he likes that, so I thought to myself, maybe I should also play some, in a different way every time. A: Don’t remind me about it. When I remember that second part of that second sonata, I just feel really bad. V: You were my assistant. A: True. And everything just sounds the same, and the same, and the same. And then you have to add stops or to turn page, and if you just miss a few measures by accident, then you cannot find this spot you are on because everything looks and sounds the same. Or almost the same. V: What would you rather do, teach harmony or assist a piece like that? A: Well I better teach harmony. V: It’s so, I presume that, compensation, financial reward for you, has to be bigger, right, when you assist in registering this piece, than teaching harmony. A: Well, I never thought about it. But maybe you really have to pay me for all that work that I did for you. V: Okay. Let’s make a deal. I will pay you when they pay me, okay? A: (Laughs). Deal. V: Because it was actually surprise—I was going to play it for free, just because composer asked me and he was our former harmony professor and polyphonic professor at Academy of Music in Vilnius. But, when he came to the rehearsal, he said that Lithuanian Composers Union is going to pay me for this performance. So, is it fair to say, Ausra, that I should give you half of what I receive? A: Well, no I don’t think half would be a fair. I think you need to give me maybe like… V: More. A: Ten percent. V: Ten percent? A: Yes. V: Oh, you are being modest. Let me give you sixty percent. A: Okay. We will see. I think you will forget about it. V: No, no, no. Let me give you sixty percent, but then you will buy me coffee. A: Okay. I make for you coffee every morning, so… V: And take me to the movies as well. A: You asking too much. V: (Laughs). Thank you guys for listening. We hope this was entertaining to you, and remember that you have to actually think in details, right? It’s very good. Unless you are really, really short of time and then you choose what is better to play with less perfection but complete musical texture and rhythmical drive, or with great precision but stuck every ten measures or so. A: Well, don’t take me wrong—if you want playing with precision, it doesn’t mean that you play slowly… V: Mmm-hmm. A: And sloppy, and boringly. It’s not why I’m studying that voice leading in each piece that I am playing. Because now you put like fast and exciting and precise, slow and boring is not the right way I think to say things. You can do everything precisely but in a fast tempo too. V: I’m saying from my perspective, because I had to choose. A: But I’m not talking about your last recital. I’m talking more in general. V: In general. I was talking about me. I always talk about me. I’m very egoistic. A: Well I don’t think, or maybe if you would play, have played that recital very precisely, maybe it would be easier for me then to assist you. I don’t know. V: But it would last maybe half as long. (Laughs) A: Because honestly, at that recital, I thought maybe I just simply don’t have a pitch, and can’t hear and can’t see anything. V: Could not follow the score. A: Yes, in that particular one spot. Few pages in a row, yes. I felt lost and I’m almost certain that you didn’t play as it was written. V: Was it almost as good as written? A: I don’t know. Maybe it was even better. Who knows. You never know with contemporary music. V: Uh-huh. And composer asked me to improvise at the end, too. A: And I think that was the nicest part of your recital. V: Mmm. A: I’m always surprised how slow you can be at doing the domestic things that I’m asking you to do, let’s say to help me in the kitchen, or do something else, like cleaning, and how incredible you can be on your organ. V: We all have our own challenges and handicaps, I think. A: I know, because when I see you on the organ bench and hear your playing, oh, I’m thinking, this man can be be really fast, in doing things. V: But see, you are much better at both things—in the kitchen and playing organ, than me. A: Well, no. I couldn’t improvise like you. V: Maybe, maybe, you don’t know, Because you didn’t play that recital, you see, I did. So maybe next year, composer asks you to play, and then you say ‘okay, professor, I will improvise’. A: Thank you, thank you. No I have already my recitals planned for the next year, so... V: Mmm-hmm. You will go to Paris, right? Notre Dame? A: This will be in 2020, so… V: Oh. A: Not be next year. V: 2020, exactly. A: Alright. Thank you guys again. And please keep sending us your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 343 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And in this episode we’re going to discuss top 10 of Ausra’s organ videos. Would you like that Ausra? A: Not very much and you know it. V: That’s why I asked it. So how do you feel about your YouTube experiences so far? A: Well since I put those videos in I never watch them back. V: Umm-hmm. And you don’t know how many people watched it right? A: That’s right. V: But you sometimes have received comments. A: But I very rarely reply to the people. V: Mostly in your channel there are keyboard harmony exercises and a few of your organ videos like Tunder, Krebs, what else? I think mostly harmony, right? A: Well E flat major I think is also somewhere. V: E flat major Prelude and Fugue, BWV 552 by Bach, Oh, nice. A: That recording you made without informing me. V: In secret? A: Yes. V: But then it turned out OK. A: But I am still mad about it. V: You don’t seem mad right now. A: You shouldn’t do that to people, especially to your wife. V: I’m very sorry but let’s stick to the top 10 of your videos. E flat major is not on the list. A: It amazes me that someone can what cadence more than you know to listen to Bach. V: Exactly. A: But as Raymond Haggh said “The human mind is an endless abyss.” V: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. On the top 10 place is modulation from G minor to C minor. It is only 56 seconds long and it has 594 views and 6 likes, right? And one comment, you know. So interesting when you played it in your class I was holding probably a camera, right? From G to C minor what do you have to think about when you modulate like that? Tonic becomes dominant, right? Because G is the dominant key of the C minor key. A: Not exactly. G is not a dominant, it is a minor dominant. V: Minor dominant, right. A: So you still have to add one other chord in order to modulate. V: OK. A: And you could do it in various ways, I think. I know how minor dominant when major dominant is in the chord and so forth. V: That’s interesting. What do people say? The only reply was “Thanks. Excellent.” A: I see that people like modulation. V: On the place number 9 is descending upper tetrachord in B minor which has 605 views. What does it mean descending upper tetrachord? A: You don’t know what a tetrachord is? V: Maybe I do, maybe I don’t so remind me or remind us. A: Let’s see if we are in C major so descending upper tetrachord would by C, B, A, and G. V: When descending, C, B, A and G. A: If it would be ascending it would be G, A, B, C. V: This is in B minor so that would be what B, A, G… A: In B minor? Yes, it would be B, A, G, and F#. V: And F#. So you play those four top notes in the soprano and then you harmonize them, right? So 605 times people watched that. Nice. A: Amazing. V: Then on the place number 8 is modulation from G minor to D minor. What’s interesting is that now the tonic becomes the sub-dominant, right? A: That’s easier way than another one. V: That has 693 views. Excellent. And then in the place number 7 is modulation from B flat major to F major. I like major keys better. A: Yes, actually it’s almost the same as the previous one only in the major keys. V: Umm-hmm. Also tonic becomes … A: Sub-dominant. V: Exactly. And it has 792 views. A: I would never be able to compete with you. V: Or Lady Gaga. But… A: Shame on me. V: But if somebody who was listening to this conversation would loop and play indefinitely any of these videos you might become a star. A: (laughs.) Oh yeah. V: Would you love that? A: Why not? V: And you would get an angry call from Lady Gaga “What’s happening? Why not my video is on the top…” A: Stop joking about her. Actually I really liked her in that movie. V: “A Star is Born.” A: Yes. V: Place number 6 I believe is called Progression in F major. 1, 6, 4, 2 first inversion of the second scale degree chord, 1, 6, 4, 5 dominant seventh and tonic. It has 899 views. A: Wow, seems like people like modulations. V: It has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. F Major right? Let’s add 1 more view and it will have 900 views. A: You are silly, you know that? V: And then in place number 5 is modulation from D Major to G Major with 915 views and what’s interesting about this? Do you remember? Tonic becomes the dominant. A: True. But this time a real dominant because a major chord is the common chord. V: Why do you like major keys more? A: I don’t like major keys more. V: Why do I like major keys more? A: I don’t know. You tell us. V: Because you don’t have to think about seventh scale degree. A: But I think minor keys are more interesting. They have more colors. V: Umm-hmm. And now we have the first video which has 1000 views. Harmony Exercise in D Minor: Deceptive Cadence. A: That’s probably because of the title. V: Deceptive. What is deceptive. A: That it deceives you. V: Meaning that after the dominant seventh chord you don’t go to the tonic. A: That’s right. V: And where do you go? A: To the sixth scale degree chord. V: Mmm. How does it sound in your mind? A: Actually very nice. V: Do you like it? A: Yes. V: This progression, tonic, dominant, seventh chord, and the sixth scale degree. Is it common in music? A: Yes it’s very common but not necessarily tonic and then dominant seventh chord and sixth scale degree chord but dominant and sixth scale degree chord, yes, it’s very common. V: What organ piece comes to mind when you think about tonic, dominant, and sixth scale degree? A: Probably Schmücke Dich. V: By Bach? A: True. V: This is very nice piece, do you like it? A: Yes, I like it. V: We have home study course prepared with fingering and pedaling and analysis of this piece and audio I think. People who study from this course somehow save time because it’s like having teacher next to you. A: Yes, that’s right. Do you think many people who perform it think about chords? V: I do. I’m not in the majority though. A: True. V: Do you think about? A: Yes. V: So we have something in common then. A: Good. V: Good. Would you like to hear top 3 of your videos? Interesting. A: Oh yes, I’m very excited. V: Bronze medal. Number 3 Preludium No. 2 in G (Dorian) by Franz Tunder. It has 1180 views. A: Wow. V: Imagine that. A: I’m a star. V: What do you like about Tunder? A: I like the Dorian mode in this particular prelude. V: Umm-hmm. And look we have two comments on that video. Leon who’s actually our subscriber says “What power, so sad most of his music was lost.” A: Well still we have I think we a little bit more of pieces by Tunder than let’s say of Reincken. V: Right. And Arion wrote “Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this.” Wonderful. A: This particular prelude has a very strong opening line that sort of grabs your attention. V: That was probably common technique with Italian Passaggio, right? A: That’s where German’s took it I think from Italians. V: OK. Silver Medal second place. Keyboard Harmony Exercise in G Major. Tonic, Dominant sixth, Tonic Sub-dominant sixth, Tonic 6-4 Chord, Dominant and Tonic. It has 1355 views. A: It just amazes me that this video can be higher that Tunder. V: Uh-huh. A: Because these are so simple chords. V: And look what is Gold Medalist. Gold Winner. Chord Progression in F# Minor. Tonic, Tonic Seventh chord, Sub-dominant, Second scale degree 6-5 chord, Tonic 6-4 chord, Dominant seventh chord and tonic. It has 2083 views. A: Wow. V: You know you mention that you kind of envy me because my videos have tens of thousands of views, right? Sixty thousand of views has this pedal scale in C Major, but from what I read online the majority of YouTube videos don’t get more than guess how many views? A: One hundred? V: Yes, you are right, 100 views. So if you pass 100 you are in the minority. A: Excellent. But to tell the truth I actually don’t care how many people watch my videos. V: That’s true and can you tell us why. A: As your father once said remember about how the dogs bark but the caravan goes on. So I think what he meant by this saying that no matter what, you just have to do what you are doing. V: Maybe he meant about critics more. A: That’s true too. V: You don’t pay attention to the critics then. Excellent. So I hope people can watch these videos again from our Podcast conversation we will link the videos directly from our blog and maybe you will have more views now. A: Yes, and my cadence in F Minor become a number one on YouTube. V: You know what is more important is that people are using this you see, and getting value out of this and I believe they do because they see your hands and they can replicate that and understand and you’re talking about that on top of your playing, you’re actually teaching them. This is helpful. A: Yes, and I hope that those who watch them they try to play them too. V: That’s what I mean. It’s helpful to improve their harmony skills, practical skills on the keyboard and that’s especially nice for organists. A: True V: And Ausra, was it hard for you to record these videos? A: Well it wasn’t hard to play of course, but it was hard to talk at the same time not in my native language. V: Umm-hmm. Did it cost you a lot of energy? A: Yes, it cost some energy definitely. V: More than we are talking right now? A: Yes, more. V: Because you are alone there and somebody is filming you. A: That’s right. It’s easier to do just an audio recording. V: Out of 100 percent how many chances do you give that you could record one more video in the next year? A: I don’t know, I never thought about it. V: I mean if people asked about that, would you continue that? A: Well the trouble is that then I would have to go back to all my videos and see what I have recorded already because I never documented it. V: But I think the variety of courses is so great… A: I know, it is. V: Even if you repeat something still it’s not the same. A: I know it probably will be in a different key, something will be different, different position… V: Or disposition of voices, right? A: That’s right. V: I don’t think you have to worry about that, repeating yourself. So thank you guys for listening, for watching these videos. Ausra what’s your final advice from this conversation? A: Try practicing some keyboard harmony. V: Exactly. Let us know how it goes. And let Ausra know if you want more of her harmony videos. This was Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: And remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 342 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And today, we’re going to discuss the top 10 list of my YouTube videos, because in the previous podcast, we looked at some of the videos, and it was interesting to see how many views some of them have. So let’s start with #10 on the list, Ausra, which is my podcast conversation with Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin from Paris. Remember the time when the last Čiurlionis organ competition was in Vilnius? A: Well, yes. I remember that. V: So, a group of organists and organ experts were on the jury, and I interviewed two of them. One was Michael Bauer, from the University of Kansas, and another was Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin from Paris. We met at her hotel and talked about French improvisation practice. It was a wonderful experience, and this video, although it’s a podcast conversation, but I also released a video version, it’s 28 minutes long, and it has 7,578 views as of today. A: Yes, you already can compete with Lady Gaga! Ha ha! V: Alright, going upward on the list is #9, my video, “How to Master any Organ Composition.” And it’s 39 minutes long, and it has 8,009 views. And, the interesting thing is that it is not listed, actually! It’s not a public video! It’s just for our subscribers, you see! The first video that they receive is this video, “How to Master any Organ Composition,” and it’s based on the piece that you know well, “Ich Ruf zu Dir Herr Jesu Christ.” A: Oh yes, from Bach’s “Orgel Buchlein” collection. V: Right. So, it’s actually fascinating to me that our subscribers have watched a total of 8000 times! A: Good, that’s very nice. V: Not YouTube subscribers, just email subscribers. A: Sure. V: Okay, #8 on the list is, J. S. Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue in C Major” BWV 547, 9/8 meter. This is just the prelude. It’s 5m:44s long, and it has 8889 views. It’s interesting for me to point out that this is one of my first organ videos on YouTube, too, A: Excellent! V: because remember when came back from America, I played a concert in St. John’s Church, and it was recorded, not by me, and part of the concert, I played this Prelude and Fugue. A: Oh yes, I remember all sorts of comments after that performance. V: For example? A: For example: “You know I think earlier Vidas played more interesting. Now he plays like an American!” I just wonder that people can speak nonsense like this. V: And this video, this Prelude and Fugue was the first time I played in Lithuania the Organo Pleno sound—Organo Pleno with Principle Chorus with a Tierce sound in it in the Great manual. It sounded pretty sharp on my ears, like a spice, you know? And afterwards, I felt kind of ashamed, and I thought, “Oh, I should have omitted it. I don’t like it.” But now, I do it all the time with Bach. A: Well, you see how things have changed. V: So that was #8. #7 on the list is, “Prelude in C Major” BWV 846 by Bach. That’s C Major Prelude from Well Tempered Clavier, Part 1—the same one that Gounod arranged… A: Ave Maria. V: Exactly. And it has 10641 views on it. A: Interesting, because I think this piece is recorded so many times; you can find it on the YouTube. V: Yes. A: And you still have so many views! Nice! V: And it’s only 2 minutes long. Just over 2 minutes. Alright! What else? #6 on the list is my video in Lithuanian, actually, my tutorial how to learn to read or sight read music. How to learn to sight read music. It is 4m:9s long, and it has 11403 views as of today! A: It surprises me, because I thought that Lithuanians are not interested in any tutorials. V: Exactly! A: About music, especially. V: Right. A: But, I guess that many choir members from the University probably watched this video. V: Could be. A: And that’s why this number increased. V: Right. A: Because in those choirs, Vilnius University has a few choirs, and not all of them know how to read music, so, some of them might have used your video. V: Exactly. I’ve done a few tutorials about various aspects of music theory in Lithuanian, too, from the years that I’ve been teaching at Čiurlionis school of art, too. #5 on the list is “Aria in D Major” by Bach—the famous BWV 1068 from Orchestral Suite number 3. It’s just 4m:47s long, and it has 11389 views. A: Well, it’s very pretty. That’s why people are listening to it. V: And there are so many recordings, too. A: True. V: Lots of competition. Okay, another interesting piece, #4 on the list, very surprising, relatively new, from January 11, 2017, is “Gaudeamus Igitur, (Student’s Anthem),” Academic Anthem, actually, which is sung in all graduation ceremonies in Lithuania, at least, but also I think in parts of Europe, and other countries, too. A: True. V: It has 13843 views as of today, and it’s just 1 minute long. A: Excellent. V: I played it, not on the big organ, but in the Aula Parva hall at the university during one graduation ceremony, in the Winter semester of 2017. Alright, what’s next? #3 on the list is Demonstration of the Double Harmonic Scale. Do you know what it is, Ausra? A: Of course I know! V: What is it? Can you tell us? A: Well, you could have it major and you can have it in minor. If it’s major you have the 2nd scale degree and 6th scale degree lowered, and in a minor, you have the 4th and 7th scale degree raised! V: Okay, and if you wanted to get more detail about this scale, just watch this video: 4m:19s long, and it has 18379 views. A: That’s amazing! Who would watch it? V: Maybe Hungarians, A: I don’t know V: or people from Egypt, Turkey, some parts of India, where else….this double harmonic scale is popular in those parts of the world. A: But not in our country; it’s not needed for our folk music. V: Exactly. Alright, and then #2, silver medal, on the list is a 4m:12s long video, “Tips for Organists: Common Mistakes in Organ Pedal Playing.” Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody wants to avoid them, right? It was published in 2012, actually it’s an old video, but it has 40133 views as of today. A: Yes. V: I just talked into my camera at our music room, and behind me is our practice organ visible. In one hand, I took an HD camera, and held it with my left hand, I remember even today, and talked for 4 minutes. And now it has over 40000 views. A: I think it proves that playing pedals is still a challenge for many. V: Yes! Guess what’s on the top, first place, or gets gold medal! A: I don’t know, but I guess it will be something very funny. V: “How to play the C major scale with the pedals on the organ.” A: That’s funny! That’s truly funny! V: It’s 12m:35s long, and as of today, it has 67793 views, and it was published on October 7, 2012! Again, it was done on our practice organ, and on the screen, you can see my feet playing the C major scale in normal tempo and slow tempo with tips and advice for pedaling, too. A: Excellent! I wonder if you would record the, let’s say, scale in D major, how many views you would get. V: Oh, that’s easy! I think I did. D Major scale… pedal….Yes! October 12, 2015, I recorded this video on how to play D Major scale over one octave on the organ pedals… A: And how many views? V: And it has 4133 views. A: Well, it cannot compare to the C major scale. V: Every new sharp… A: I know… V: Is a challenge. Okay, so…. A: I just wonder if these big countries, you know…. V: Yes, it’s actually part of the training materials for pedal virtuoso master course. A: Okay. V: Thank you guys for listening. We hope this was fun for you to observe the popularity of some of my organ videos. A: And watch that scale in C major! It will increase the number of Vidas’ watchers! V: Yes! Loop it continuously, day and night! It will become more popular than Lady Gaga! A: Yes. V: And then, Ausra, I have a suggestion! Would you like to do a next podcast conversation about your harmony videos? A: Maybe not! V: Let’s find out how many million views you have. A: Yes, a lot, probably. V: Excellent. So, stay tuned guys, this was fun. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. |
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Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. Our Hauptwerk Setup:
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