Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist.

V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius...

A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene.

V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ

A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011.

V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today.

A: We hope you’ll enjoy it!

V:  Hi guys!  This is Vidas.

A:  And Ausra.

V:  Let’s start episode 690 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by Andrew, and he writes

Dear Vidas,

My answers to your recent questions:

1. My dream is to be able to play the organ confidently in the liturgy and perhaps in recitals occasionally.

2. The 3 most important things holding me back from this are:

- Poor sense of timing and rhythm
- Lack of focus and concentration in practicing
- My legs are both slightly twisted outwards, which makes some pedaling uncomfortable (especially around the middle of the pedalboard; I cannot place my knees close together without great effort)

Nonetheless, I am finding Total Organist a very useful resource and community. I find your daily emails especially helpful.

My best wishes to you and Ausra from England,  Andrew

V:  That’s very nice to have a Total Organist community member write a message like this.

A:  Yes, very nice indeed.  Thank you, Andrew.

V:  And I know this Andrew writes sometimes in his daily responses to these questions in our community on Basecamp, which is very good.

A:  Sure, that keeps community spirits up.

V:  Yeah, if nobody wrote, only we, or even if we were silent, so it would be like an empty house.

A:  That’s true.

V:  Now a few more people are participating.  Not everyone, though.  Some people are just, you know, reading perhaps.  Not actively participating and engaging.  But those who are participating, I think they are getting quadruple results, because they are thinking about their own practice deliberately, right?  The question, for example, ‘What did you do today in organ playing?’ right - sometimes if you don’t think about anything, you don’t have anything to write about if you don’t play.  And if you don’t have an answer for this day, and you get the same question tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, maybe you start thinking, “Oh, maybe I start practicing, have to start practicing,” right?  Because Vidas and Ausra are sending these questions for me.  So that’s really nice that Andrew is an active member of the community.  So Ausra, start with some recommendations, please.

A:  Well, as Andrew says, three important things that are holding him back - poor sense of timing and rhythm.  I think that’s the thing that you really need to work on, because if you are a church musician and accompanying congregational singing, then the sense of good timing and rhythm is crucial.  And I think in general for musicians, sometimes people think that the right notes are the most important thing.  And of course they are very important, but I think the rhythm comes above all.

V:  That’s because in any given piece in any piece from the Common Practice Period, rhythm gives probably, we would say, ‘flow’ of the melody.  And if you lose the sense of flow, you cannot understand the melody.  If you lose a little bit of notes but you keep the sense of flow, the melody, the sense of the piece is still intact, right?

A:  Yes.  And you know, from my experience of many years playing myself and teaching others and listening to others, I could say that there are very few people with a really poor sense of rhythm.  Usually, if you cannot keep good rhythm, it means that you don’t listen to what you are playing.

V:  And a way of listening to your playing is actually actively counting.  Counting the beats and subdividing the beats if the piece is difficult.

A:  And yes, actually you need to do it aloud at least at the beginning.  And later maybe you just use your tongue, subdivide with your tongue.  And by subdividing, what I mean is the smallest value, rhythmic value in the piece is sixteenth, you need to subdivide everything into sixteenths.  It might seem crazy for you at the beginning, but that’s a very good way not to lose the rhythm and be precise.

V:  And one example would be like this:  one ee and a, two ee and a, three ee and a, four ee and a, in 4/4 meter.

A:  Yes, and it doesn’t mean you have to do it for the rest of your life.  But for a while yes, until you get a good sense of the rhythm.  Another thing, if you are accompanying the hymns for congregation, you really need to sing them.  Because if you will sing with congregation, maybe not loud, but just for yourself in your head, then you will know where are the best spots to take breath, and naturally it will help you to be better while accompanying hymns.  And of course with your solo pieces too, you need to basically sing each line.  Remember with Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra, she pushed us to sing each line.  And occasionally she would ask for us to sing.  Not for example the melody, but tenor voice, let’s say.

V:  While playing or while not playing?

A:  Both ways.  So I guess this should help you to improve on the timing and rhythm.  Because some people will just say, ‘Oh, just put the metronome and practice with the metronome.’  I don’t think this is a good approach.  Maybe sometimes just h to check if your tempo is correct, then yes.  But not playing all the time with the metronome.  I don’t think that’s the right approach.

V:  Mm hm.  And his second challenge is lack of focus and concentration in practicing.

A:  Well…

V:  Which could be improved regularly, by regularly doing the same thing over and over.

A:  Yes, and I think if you start count and subdivide, and do all the things that we talked just before this, I think this will help on your focus and concentration.  Because this constant counting and subdividing keep you concentrated in your practice.

V:  I agree.  And of course the third problem about his legs twisted outward, there’s nothing he can do, obviously.

A:  I know, but you know, somehow people always complain about their legs, like they are looking inward or backward or whatever.  I had a student at UNL when I was a doctoral student.  He was majoring in piano performance, and he was also a doctoral student in piano performance.  And he was a very tall man with really long legs.  And he would keep complaining to me about his legs every single lesson.  It just drove me mad, because I’m a sort of short person with short legs, but I never complain, although it gives me physical difficulties too.  Remember the last recital on the Edskes organ, where you could not regulate the organ bench.  You could make it higher, but not lower.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  And remember me playing that Druckenmüller piece , Prelude and Chaconne in D Major.

V:  You had to literally, physically shift your body to the right.

A:  Yes, basically I was jumping on the organ bench sometimes in order to reach the pedal on the lower level or the higher level.  But I did it, and it was fine.  It was clean and clear and everything was just nice.  So you really have to adjust depending on what kind of body you have.  But please don’t feel that you have to hold both knees always together.  I think that’s such a wrong idea.  And before going to the states, I didn’t even know that such a rule exists.  But in America, everybody’s crazy about this idea, that you need to keep your knees together.  And for me physically, that’s just impossible.  Because basically my hips are too fat I would say.  And to holding knees always together would make my organ playing and pedaling simply impossible.  So basically I just don’t worry about it.  And in Baroque music, while playing Bach, I just don’t know how this could help you to make a good articulation in the pedal.

V:  The probably more important than keeping knees together is to try to play with the toes, the big toes of the feet in that portion of the feet.  Not sure if it’s possible for Andrew, because he says his legs are twisted slightly outwards.  But see what he can do, right?  How much he can shift his feet, how much he can play with the inner portion of the feet.

A:  Well, because you really need to adjust every rule to yourself and not to blindly follow it, but to see what works for you and what does not work.

V:  Yes.  It wouldn’t be placing knees together, but it would be in that direction a little bit.  Whatever is comfortable to you.

A:  Yes.  And maybe you need to adjust the height of the bench better, or to sit closer to the manuals.  You just need to experiment to find what works best for you.  And actually your body will tell you, because if you are keeping your knees together and it’s causing you pain or really you feel very uncomfortable, then don’t do that.  Don’t follow it blindly.

V:  Yes.  Always stop and rest before you’re tired.  And that would be the best way to practice also.  So thank you so much Andrew for your question and answer, and being an active member of the Total Organist Community.  This is really precious.

A:  Yes, thank you very much.

V:  And remember, when you practice,

A:  Miracles happen.

V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online.

A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online...

V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more…

A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime.

V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access:

​A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo

Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist.

V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius...

A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene.

V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ

A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011.

V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today.

A: We hope you’ll enjoy it!

V:  Hi guys!  This is Vidas.

A:  And Ausra.

V:  Let’s start episode 686 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by Robin, and she writes: 
Hello,

I am a singer first and a pianist second. . . and an organist very much third!

I was asked last September to serve as a short-term substitute pianist for a church whose organist had fallen and injured herself.  The piano playing was easily accomplished with my existing skills.  After a short time, the organist decided that it was time to retire, and the organist job became available permanently, and it was offered to me.  I made it clear that I did not play the organ but that I was willing to learn, and the church was willing to accept me on that basis.  The church's choir had not sung for 22 months because of COVID, and so they had lost their choir director as well.  I offered to cover both positions, as is done in many churches.  So as of January, I became the Director of Music, a position I had never expected to hold.  I'm taking organ lessons as fast as I can with the best organist in town, and I am playing the organ every Sunday and working hard to choose fine, liturgically appropriate music that is manageable at my novice level.

All of that is a long way of saying that there is way more to playing the organ than I, as a pianist, ever imagined.  I had thought it would mainly be a matter of learning about the stops and learning to play the pedals, and the manuals would be no problem.  I had no prior understanding of the very different fingering technique required for the organ.  So I am doing my best with my limited abilities to play music that contributes to the worship services, that interests and uplifts the congregation, and that is musically of a high quality.

The three main obstacles I am working to overcome in order to do that are 1) learning to play the pedals, 2) learning about registrations and 3) learning about proper fingering technique.  I realize that that pretty much covers most everything about playing the organ, but you asked for the three main things with which I need help!  I need more time and more practice and more instruction on all of these aspects in order to play at the level to which I aspire.

Thank you.  ~Robin

V:  Well, that’s a very very detailed question, right, Ausra?

A:  Yes, it is.  I think it’s wonderful that Robin received this opportunity in life.  I think many musicians would dream about it.  But of course, it’s a big challenge, too.

V:  It could be overwhelming to fall in a position like this immediately.  It’s one thing if you are observing a current organist or director of music from the side, and they let you try out the organ, play a prelude or postlude or interlude here and there, once every month or so, then more frequently, then one hymn, then two hymns, then maybe a psalm, then maybe some anthem, then gradually incorporating you into the service – very gradually.  But in this case, because of covid, that church lost both organist and director of music, right?  So Robin needs to be both at the same time, and there is no time to prepare.

A:  Yes, but I think everything is manageable.  Now I’m reading through those three things that she mentions at the end of her letter.  Learning to play the pedals, I think that’s the struggle that all the beginners have to overcome while starting to learn to play the organ.  And then of course learning about registrations, well yes, that’s two.  And learning about proper fingering technique – well, I would actually put this, the third remark, in other words.  Because fingering on the piano and on the organ are not so significantly different.  But I would say that probably the right touch and the right articulation is the more important issue than the fingering.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  And fingering and articulation in organ is also related.

V:  And behind the lines that she’s writing in number 3, learning about proper fingering technique, I can feel maybe that the way she played piano was more with sustain pedal, and therefore she wouldn’t need to play more legato with her fingers and she would lift whenever she wants because pedal, sustain pedal would do the work.

A:  Yes, and I think that many pianists actually take advantage of that pedal, sustain pedal, too much, and that’s why we cannot play without it.  Which is crucial for organists.  So you really need to think what you’re doing at the organ and to control not only your touch but also your release.

V:  Yes.

A:  That you don’t have to worry so much while playing the piano.  So I’m glad Robin discovered that organ and piano are actually like a different world.  It’s like apples and oranges.  They are both fruits, but totally different.

V:  Similarities between those two instruments end with the keys itself, but everything else is different.  Sound production is different.  Talking about sound production and registrations, yes it’s very complex and comprehensive topic, but for church musicians who are just starting out, it could be very, very simple to explain…

A:  Sure.

V:  …what you need…

A:  I think you need to choose for your organ, particular organ, let’s say five dynamic levels.

V:  Yes, yes.

A:  For a beginning.  I think it will be enough for church service, at least for a while.  You can do more combinations as the time passes.  But basically, that’s it.

V:  Exactly.  You don’t even want to play with solo registrations, one hand on a secondary manual, because it complicates things at the beginning.  Both hands on one manual, for starters, would be best.  And our suggestions in terms of registrations here are not so very different than Felix Mendelssohn wrote, or basically German romantic registration suggestions were written in the nineteenth century.  If you have an organ with pistons, you can program those pistons – five or six levels of dynamics, like pianissimo, piano, what else?

A:  Mezzo forte.

V:  Mezzo forte, forte…

A:  And fortissimo.

V:  And fortissimo.  If you need, you could add mezzo piano.  That would be six, but maybe five would be even enough.  So pianissimo is just 8 foot stop alone…

A:  Yes, that’s right.

V:  In the manual.

A:  And you know, because at church you have one instrument and you’re playing always the same instrument, you don’t have to worry about how to register the pieces on the other organ so far.  You may learn it with time, but it’s not necessary now with your church position.

V:  And probably at this level, don’t use reeds, and don’t even use strings.  I would stay with flutes and principals.

A:  Yes.

V:  At this level.  For church, congregational singing.  So one flute alone, 8 foot level, is pianissimo, perhaps on the swell.  Two flutes maybe would be piano.  Flutes 8 and 4 could be mezzo piano.  If you add a principal to that list, that will be mezzo forte, and more principals add more dynamic levels.  But basically, always use 8 foot stop as the foundation stop in the manuals.  And in the pedals, one octave lower, 16 foot stop.   So you would need 16 and 8 in the pedals.  But balance to the manuals, not too loud.

A:  And then for fortissimo, you just add mixtures to the principal chorus.

V:  Yeah.  Not full organ, not necessarily full organ.  Unless you are playing solo, then you could play with reeds.  But that’s a little more complex.

A:  And of course if you are leading congregation singing and if congregation sings really loud, then you might add reeds to the mixtures, too.

V:  Correct.  It depends on your situation.  So you see, yes, it’s complex, but not as complex as it could be.

A:  True.  I think it takes not so much time to make a registration comparing to all those other technical issues like pedaling, and articulation, and fingering.  That takes much more time.  And it’s easier to manage.

V:  And if you set up those pistons in advance, you don’t have to worry about them at all.  Or if you don’t have pistons, if let’s say it’s a mechanical action organ.

A:  Tracker…

V:  Tracker action organ - you will just remember those combinations for yourself.

A:  Sure.

V:  Generally, that wouldn’t be a big instrument.  That would be a modest instrument, and it’s quite easy to remember after awhile, after you use the organ for a few months.  So, you think this is helpful to Robin?

A:  Well, I hope so.  But anyway, I really, really envy her this possibility and this opportunity to find new challenges, to overcome new challenges and to have this wonderful position as being a music director.

V:  Yes.  And one more thing – don’t forget to record yourself, because church music position is like a built-in opportunity to play for others, right?  Like practice playing in front of others.  A lot of other musicians go out, need to go to find concerts, and you have built-in concert opportunity.  Not necessarily a full concert, but several pieces per service you could perform like in a concert setting – prelude, postlude, even at communion.  Don’t forget to record yourself and analyze your recordings in order to improve yourself.  And if you are satisfied, you could share those recordings with others.

A:  Yes, and about recording, what I wanted to mention too – if the organ is upstairs in the balcony, then record yourself from the downstairs.  Because you know the real balance of things might only be discovered by listening from downstairs.

V:  Yes.  If you record yourself from the close distance, then you don’t hear what your listeners will hear.  So place the audio recorder down in the church, or at the very very least, somewhere at the edge of the balcony – well, if there is enough room, if the church is big.  But better down in the pews somewhere.  And you could film yourself with a phone, video.  And position that phone let’s say, close to yourself so that your hands and even feet would be visible.  Okay!  Please send us more of your questions.  We love helping you grow.  And remember, when you practice,

A:  Miracles happen.

V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online.

A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online...

V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more…

A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime.

V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform:

​A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo

Last Sunday I went to St Joseph's church here in Vilnius to help my friend Paulius Grigonis at the Mass. The Polish choir sang the famous Jezusa ukrytego hymn during Communion and I added some improvisations in the accompaniment. I tested out Velesovo sample by Sonus Paradisi and Hauptwerk VPO software on Johannus Studio 150 organ. Let me know what do you think!

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
 
Ausra: And Ausra!
 
V: Let’s start episode 542 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Maureen, and she writes:
 
“Hello Vidas,
 
Please can you direct me to any suitable organ music useful for devotions and quiet hours in the Catholic Church? I would possibly enjoy playing something around intermediate level as this would need to be learned as good sight reading at this stage.
 
I am enjoying your expertise and that of Ausra.
 
Wonderful!
 
Thank you,
Maureen”
 
V: So, Ausra, do you know anything about Catholic liturgy?
 
A: Well, I know some things.
 
V: Probably, Maureen wants to know about music suitable for offertories and communions, and maybe some moments of adoration?
 
A: Yes, it could be, because where else would you play quiet music? I guess these two main spots.
 
V: Well, if I were summoned to play a Mass tomorrow, for example (we’re recording this on Saturday morning), I would obviously improvise.
 
A: Yes, that’s what I thought, that you never need any score, because you can improvise so well.
 
V: But, for people who don’t choose to improvise in public, yet, I recommend music like, maybe, how about Pachelbel Chorale Preludes.
 
A: Yes, those are nice! I’ve played most of them in the church. Not in a Catholic church, but in the Christian Scientist church as I was working back in Michigan.
 
V: Registration can be quite varied. You can play most of them in various dynamic levels. Right?
 
A: Yes! And I also had another collection of 80 Chorale Preludes by various, mostly I think, German composers. It was published by Edition Peters, and it was called “80 Choralvorspiele.” And these were also sort of almost sight-readable, not really too hard, and I played them on many occasions when I needed something easy but decent.
 
V: Well, probably César Franck’s “L’Organiste”
 
A: Yes, of course. That would definitely work.
 
V: We have fingerings prepared for that, too, if anybody wants to take advantage, and depending on your level, a lot of those pieces, too can be sight-readable..
 
A: Also, I think if you like Bach, then there is this “Neumeister” collection. This is very often forgotten by many organists and ignored by many organists, because it was discovered much later than other Bach pieces, and this collection survives from Bach’s teenage years, and it means that by studying this collection, you can get a better understanding of what stages Bach went through in order to become what he became! So look at that collection, as well. I think it’s published by Neue Bach-Ausgabe, yes?
 
V: Yes.
 
A: Which is a Bärenreiter edition. Another thing that might work is Frescobaldi’s “Fiori Musicali.” Not all of those piece, of course, are easy, but some of them are really well suited for quiet moments of the Mass.
 
V: Not all of them are suited for quiet music, right?
 
A: Yes. Yes, definitely.
 
V: “Toccata Per L’Elevazione” for example. Those type of slow and toccatas full of suspensions, and in Italian, it would be Durezze e Ligature style.
 
A: Yes. And another collection to look at would be probably the Georg Muffat and his “Apparatus Musico-Organisticus.” It has many, many toccatas, and these toccatas are sectional, so actually in just one piece of music, you can find a few different sections, and you might use some quiet spots for Elevation or for Communion and for Postlude and Prelude, other places. So, these are very suitable pieces for a Catholic church.
 
V: Good. I hope this was useful to you, but Ausra also has something else to add.
 
A: Yes, and I remember that time when I was working regularly as a church organist in a Catholic church, I also sang a lot myself, especially during communion. That way, you wouldn’t have to play so much solo music. So that’s what Maureen can do, too, because I think most Catholics really appreciate singing, they don’t appreciate so much solo organ music. Especially during Advent and Lent.
 
V: Do you think the singing tradition is more like a Lithuanian/Polish tradition, more or less, than let’s say in Western countries?
 
A: Well, but think about all this Gregorian Chant, all of this heritage of Catholic music and Catholic church.
 
V: Yes, perhaps you’re right.
 
A: So, I think it just probably is forgotten because maybe not so many organists can sing in general nowadays, but I think that the cantor was equally as important as an organist in the Catholic church, so…
 
V: Yes… and make sure you learn to improvise. That’s a very handy skill later on.
 
A: True.
 
V: Then you don’t have to search for new music. You can make up new music. And, when you  learn new pieces, even softer pieces for Catholic liturgy, you can, of course, record yourself and submit them to our Secrets of Organ Playing Contest. Okay, 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 479, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Ruth. And maybe this is not a question per se, but an observation. I asked Ruth, who is our TotalOrganist student, to write what she has been working on and she wrote:

Our church organist has been in the hospital with a very serious illness.  I am an ordained minister, with some experience in music. In this geographical area, it is difficult to find substitutes for organists.  So, for several Sundays now, I have played the piano for the hymn singing and have also led the worship service. For special music, I played the flute,  on which I have done a lot of solo work. So far, it is working out fine, but I do not know when the organist will be able to return. For now, I practice music and also prepare the worship service.  Preaching is a major part of the service. For me, it takes a huge part of the week to prepare the sermon, with an effort to study the Biblical texts in great detail, since those texts form the foundation for the sermon.  So, my days consist of practicing music and studying for the sermon and service preparation. I ultimately have to write the service for the bulletin. Fortunately, this church has someone to type and copy the bulletin.
 
V: What are your thoughts, Ausra, after hearing this?
 
A: Well, I think she is doing a tremendous job. Ruth is being like a woman orchestra, basically, conducting all this entire service. People need just to appreciate her so much for what she is doing, basically, leading whole service by herself…
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: as a minister and as a musician. I have never heard about anything like that before. I think it’s quite amazing.
 
V: Yes! Amazing in both respects, that a musician can write sermons and deliver them also. And also that a minister can perform music. This is quite extraordinary. But I suspect that we have some of our listeners who are in similar positions too. Maybe not doing this consistently, but have this skills, I think too. So I thought of including her feedback here on the podcast. And I asked her, actually, I’d like to find in our communication on Basecamp—I asked her how long is her sermon and she wrote that it’s about fifteen or ten minutes. So she has to write it every week, I think.
 
A: Yes. For each Sunday.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. Yes. She writes ‘they are usually about fifteen minutes. They have gotten a few minutes shorter since I started there. I noticed that the congregation listens better if the sermons are not too long’.
 
A: That’s I think a good way to understand that, because I have listened to a sermon that would last for almost forty minutes.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: And there the priest would start to talk about one thing and then would go and talk basically nonsense—it’s not related with the scripture at all.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: So I guess it’s probably, it’s ten to fifteen minutes is the optimum time that you can still grab the congregations attention.
 
V: It’s like a musical piece, also.
 
A: True.
 
V: If it’s a long piece, and it’s difficult to listen to it. If it’s a number of shorter pieces, it’s easier.
 
A: Yes. But envy sometimes people being protestants because usually in those reformed churches, sermons are much better than in Catholic churches.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: That’s my opinion from what I have heard.
 
V: And if she’s doing this week after week, year after year, she must have created a large body of work, of her sermons. So I asked her ‘what is she doing with the text after the service? Are they sitting in the drawer or is she publishing them?’
 
 A: She could publish them, definitely! (?)
 
V: She could publish them as a book, self-publish, or with publishing house or she could put them online and let her ideas spread. That would be I think the easiest thing to do.
 
A: And another thing that amazes me, how is she able to manage all the thing because I remember, used to, when I did my lecture recital for my Doctoral program, I played two chorale fantasies by Johann Adam Reincken and also talked about them. I was doing a comparative analysis of them, and I talked before one, then I went upstairs to the organ balcony and played it, and then I came downstairs again and talked about another one and then went and played the second one, which is probably the largest, the longest...
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: German organ fantasy. Well, and you know the hardest thing for me was to focus because of how after reading all the text, it was hard to focus and perform. So I really respect Ruth for doing it, when she has to leave the service and play it.
 
V: Would it be difficult for you today, to do this, after all those years?
 
A: Well, you know, it would still need to take an extra concentration.
 
V: It’s a different skill than…
 
A: Yes.
 
V: than just talking or just performing. You have to combine story–telling and performing which for some people is a challenge and this challenge of course might be overcome by developing this skill of story–telling. I just wanted to end this conversation with an advice for Ruth. If she hasn’t published her sermons, to check out Steem platform where we are publishing our work. They have [a] wonderful community and various interests in that community. You can find people who are interested in religion for example, and Christianity, and those communities or are as they call it, tribes, can be concentrated and people in that tribe can really support each other. And this is really great work to start your blog today. If I was doing the work from scratch I would start with Steem I think. Alright guys. 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 311 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by David, and he writes that he is dreaming to play organs for fundraising concerts and for worship accompaniment, but obstacles in the way of his dream is a busy life, and that means that he cannot practice as often as he’d like. Ausra, have you ever played at fundraising concerts?
 
A: I don’t remember, now, actually. I might have played some in the United States, but that was a long way back.
 
V: I remember playing for Casparini organ in the Holy Ghost Church in Vilnius for members of a local Rotary club, and they tried to gather funds for the restoration of this instrument, but that was, I think, a small sum of money, in comparison to what was needed at that time.
 
A: Do you think such a concert is a sufficient way to raise funds?
 
V: It seems that everybody is doing them, right, like it’s a socially appropriate way of gathering funds involving community, congregation, perhaps. Why not? It’s one of the ways. David has a good idea for that. Of course, it depends how much a congregation is involved in general in the cultural life of the parish, of the church, and how much they feel ownership of the project, right?
 
A: True.
 
V: If, for example, they are alienated by some politics going on inside of the congregation, people won’t bother joining in those fundraising efforts so much. I think the important thing is for them to feel welcomed and appreciated.
 
A: Yes, for example, in Lithuania, I don’t think you could raise money by playing an organ recital. Somehow, I doubt it.
 
V: In general, I think, in Lithuania, culturally acceptable ways to gather funds are somewhat different, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: We always see on TV…
 
A: Usually it’s through pop music.
 
V: Pop music concerts, which are broadcast on TV.
 
A: Yes, and advertised all over.
 
V: Yes, and then people can call in, and a fraction of their….
 
A: Call would go to…
 
V: ...amount of the money that they would make on that call would go to that project, but I think it’s a very tiny fraction.
 
A: I’m not sure about that.
 
V: I’ve read it, that in general, some of those telephone companies are taking the big chunk. What else can people do to gather funds involving organs? How can we maybe think creatively in today’s environment with technology going across the board globally even, right? When you play a fundraising concert, this is just a local event. How many people will come? That many people will hear, and even a smaller portion of them will react and engage and give donations. But, what if people went globally with this, like.. platforms like Patreon, or Kickstarter, or Indiegogo.
 
A: Well, I don’t know. That might work, and may not.
 
V: It works for many other projects, right, for technology oriented projects. Let’s say you are a startup, you have some nice invention in your mind, and you want to gather funds to complete this idea, so you first create a prototype, and then show the people like a demo version, and then people get excited about that, and what happens later, they start to donate because the demo version is incomplete, and that way it could be done. But with organs, I’ve seen people do it for organ restorations, for example, and I’m not sure if David is planning to do fundraising for organ restorations, or just to play organ in fund raising concerts, which is different.
 
A: Yes, it is! Because, for example, I don’t think you would fund-raise in Lithuania for building an organ or restoring an organ, because in our country, it’s more common to raise funds for poor, for sick people. For example, we have this huge food gathering thing. I think at least 5 each year. There are more than, I think, 100 grocery stores that are involved, and there are two or three days that you can buy long lasting products and donate them.
 
V: Why do you think this campaign is so successful?
 
A: Well, I think it’s because it’s so widely spread, and nobody wants to be hungry, so I guess that everybody thinks that, “today I have food but maybe tomorrow I will not have it, and I will need support.”
 
V: Like, they have compassion.
 
A: Sure, because truly, we have too many poor people, especially elderly and of course lonely mothers with children.
 
V: Right. You know what I think, also? Social media might be a good catalyst for inspiring people to donate, but now, social media is no longer that effective as it was before, because Facebook and Twitter and Instagram, they all changed their algorithms in favor of paid advertisement, or communication between friends. So, what you see in your Facebook feed or what I see in my Facebook feed basically reflects my friends to whom I’m connected more strongly, right? I’m not seeing all those pictures and posts from all my network, just a fraction of it. So, if a person has a fund raising event, they might not involve their entire network, just a small portion of it, unless they decide to go the paid advertising way, and pay to Facebook to show the ads. But, somehow it contradicts the idea of raising funds, right, because they don’t have funds first of all to begin with?
 
A: Sure.
 
V: What about those new platforms based on Blockchain? We’ve been using Steemit for a while now, and just recently, I think since October, we started posting on ONO network. O-n-o it is spelled, and the idea is that with every post, with every like, with every share and comment, you get back cryptocurrency called ONOT.
 
A: But it is worth nothing yet.
 
V: Yet… it’s worth nothing
 
A: So I think it’s like play for adults.
 
V: But wait until they allow people to trade on exchanges!
 
A: Well, let’s see. And I think you are judging false hopes.
 
V: Maybe. Could be. But imagine if I’m right, right? If people can really transfer those funds and convert them into real currencies somehow later on. That would change, a little bit, the landscape of fund-raising, too, because let’s say David wants to raise funds playing organs. All he has to do is just document his life, post in pictures and articles, and then people will like and share and engage, it could be with organ playing, of course, for organists, and he will start gathering cryptocurrency.
 
A: I don’t think he will get a sufficient amount.
 
V: We’ll see in the future, but that’s the idea, you see! The worth, of course, of that token “Onot” depends on the market itself—on demand—how many people will buy it.
 
A: So you see, this is optimistic, and I am pessimistic, or realistic.
 
V: So maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle, right?
 
A: I just believe that the world is full of social injustice in general, and some are very poor and the others are very rich—bloody rich.
 
V: The rich get richer with any system.
 
A: Yes. And I think we have more poor people with each year.
 
V: Right, but maybe that’s the reason they created such social Blockchain based networks, that people from poor countries could join in and become more financially independent.
 
A: Well, let’s talk about it maybe in two years.
 
V: In a few years. Yeah, we’ll see. Right. Every system has its own flaws, of course, it’s not perfect, and of course people, once they find out that it’s money involved, that you can gather money for your posts and likes, then they try to cheat the system, right, with spam comments, spam content, bots like software, posting instead of humans, and if the system itself cannot get rid of those fake accounts and abusers, then everybody suffers, you see?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: We’ll see in a few years, how it develops. But, I think it doesn’t hurt to try, right? What if I’m right in a few years, and people will wait for a few years to see the results. Of course, the early adopters like we are will benefit more than late comers.
 
A: But, you know, if you have needs today, you cannot wait for a few years. So, that’s the problem. If you are rich enough to be able to live well today, you can do experiments and wait for a few years.
 
V: I read that people in Venezuela, for example, a very corrupt government, and it’s politically unstable, and financially basically very struggling country. People get a monthly salary of about $10 per month. Not per day, but per month! So, with this scenario, earning cryptocurrency, like $10 per month, is pretty easy actually. And I’ve seen people do that from poor countries as well. We’re not talking about hundreds of dollars, but just tens of dollars. So, that could really change the game for those people. And they are changing the game! Maybe there is hope, you see!
 
A: Well, let’s hope for it.
 
V: Thanks, guys, for listening. We hope this discussion raised a few more questions, right? Maybe more questions than answers, right now, which is nice, because with this, the more we think about this, the more we can take action and not be a passive observers, but take initiative and maybe take advantage of those new tools. Whatever happens in the future, we don’t know, of course. The value of those cryptocurrencies can go to zero, right? Or they can go to the moon! We don’t know. But, that’s the world. Nobody can predict the future. But, of course, if we sit on the couch, the real result will be nothing. Right? Those who never try, they never lose, of course. And as a disclaimer we have to add we are not financial advisers so you have to do your own due diligence.
 
A: And now, let's go and practice.
 
V: Yes, because when you practice,
 
A: Miracles happen.

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 264, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by David. And he writes:
 
Dear Vidas and Ausra.

It seems to me that there are basically 5 types of music that the organist has to be ready to play in church other than accompanying hymns and choir anthems. They are: Preludes, Postludes, offertories, introits, and interludes. Perhaps interludes aren't so common in most churches now.

What are the important aspects to know about each of those in order for the organist to select or improvise an appropriate piece of music for each? Are Preludes usually longer, more meditative? Of course we know that Postludes must be played as loud as possible to prevent idle and rude chatter while the organ is playing (I'm joking, of course). But what makes a piece more suited for a Prelude, and another piece more suited for postlude. Do offertories have special characteristics? When a church uses them, what is appropriate for an introit? Are there any special guidelines that generally can be applied?

Obviously every church and denomination is different, and differing themes and seasons will affect this, but I'm looking for general principals for the average service or Mass.

Thank you,
David

V: What do you think, Ausra?
 
A: Well it’s a very broad question and as David said himself at the end of his question that everything is different in different church. Yes, different denomination, and different tradition, and depending on the season. But if we could give sort of general outline; I think what preludes differs from the postludes. I think preludes must be probably a little bit more solemn in character. And sort of not maybe as fast in tempo as postlude, because prelude is sort of preparation for the service itself. So it should not distract probably as much as postlude.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: What do you think about it?
 
V: I agree. And usually, we can take a look at introit and it’s text and it’s melodies. And David here mentions introits. But introits usually are sung, right? So,,,
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: So, if before the mass you sing an introit, it’s a good idea to play a prelude based on those ideas, and melodies and texts, and characters, too. So, sometimes if a Sunday is solemn and festive, introits will be also more festive and preludes therefore will be more festive with loud registration, that’s possible. And depending on occasion, it could be meditative character too.
 
A: What about length? Do you think that preludes should be shorter, or the same as postlude?
 
V: It could be as long as you want, but you have to end in time for the singers to sing. So you have to collaborate with whatever choir is singing at the church, or maybe you are leading your choir too, so you have to count those minutes, how many stanzas there are in your introit, or if you are in protestant denomination, then opening hymn, you have to count how many minutes do you need for opening hymn and then improvise or choose a prelude to fit that timing and end on time. What do you think, Ausra?
 
A: Yes, I think that’s a very good suggestion. Well, then let’s proceed further.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: What about offertory?
 
V: Offertory in Catholic Mass, has it’s own text and melodies, so if the choir is not present, you can improvise something based on those Gregorian Chant melodies, suited for that particular mass and liturgical calendar.
 
A: What if you are in protestant church?
 
V: In Protestant churches, I think it could be longer. Because the offerings are usually collected during that time, right?
 
A: But what about character? Should the offertory be loud or quiet or soft or meditative?
 
V: Remember in Baroque times, 18th Century, Cuperin and French classical composers created offertories very long…
 
A: Yes. I think the offering was the longest part of organ composition for the mass.
 
V: So that meant that at that time, before probably Vatican II, you were allowed to play almost non-stop during the mass, except perhaps for the Elevation, and then shortly picking up after that. So offertories could have been much longer and louder that way. Today, it’s different, right? I think today could be, depending on the length of the offering itself, you have to choose probably quieter character. What you think?
 
A: Yes, I think so. I don’t think it would be suited in church to play offering loud.
 
V: What about Ausra, communion?
 
A: Well, communion, well, could be I think a little bit maybe louder than offering but also quiet, not too loud.
 
V: I see what you mean. Because people are walking in the church, right?
 
A: Yes. So you need to sort of cover that noise.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: Step noise.
 
V: And usually they’re longer than offertories because it takes a while for everybody to take communion.
 
A: Well, and if choir sings during communion, that often happens. organist has to fill in after that.
 
V: Right. So choir could sing a hymn or two, and organist could gently continue in the same mood as the last hymn.
 
A: Yes, I think the selection of repertoire suited for service is nice if you play for your all the parts of the service something related to the hymns of that day. I think it’s very nice.
 
V: Right. Can you play Gregorian Chant melodies during the communion?
 
A: Of course you can do it. Why not?
 
V: Like Ubi Caritas.
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Or something suitable for that occasion. And every Gregorian Chant collection for the, from the Gradual of the mass, it has the place for communion too and you can choose the melodies and text for the service and liturgical calendar. And then, you could improvise, right? I always tend to look what Charles Tournemire did with his l'Orgue Mystique collection. He composed organ masses for every Sunday of the year, basically.
 
A: So you could just take his collection and use it.
 
V: You could. And Introit, Gradual, Offertory, Communion, four pieces are shorter and easier to play. And the last one, Postlude is long and elaborate, like fantasia.
 
A: Don’t you think it’s sort of pity that the postlude is place where organist can show himself, what he’s capable of, and not so many people will hear it because so many people after service just want to quit the church as fast as possible.
 
V: It is. And you have to sometimes get used to that congregation. Sometimes, make them, or help them trust you. Maybe talk to them afterwards in general, basically. Keep in touch with them. So then they will react to your playing more personally and don’t neglect it.
 
A: Yes. Hopefully. So let’s then conclude that preludes should be not as loud maybe and not as fast as the postlude. And if it’s occasion is solemn you could play a march too, solemn character. And then of course the all middle service might be played softer and slower.
 
V: And the postlude of course, has to be quite probably joyful, right Ausra?
 
A: Yes. Definitely! Of course if it’s Lent, maybe not as joyful, but anyway, it’s character must be more vivid than communion and offering.
 
V: Thank you guys. Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice...
 
A: Miracles happen!

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Welcome to episode 18 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

Today's guest is Dr. Michael Hammer, an American organist, pianist, composer, improviser, church musician, teacher, and a fellow blogger.
​
He is the creator of the blog "Pianonoise" and works as an organist at Faith United Methodist Church in Champaign, IL.

In today's conversation you will find out about Michael's experience of being a liturgical musician, creator of piano and organ music on the spot and in the written form, and also about what it takes to have a commitment to share stories on a blog about piano and organ music in a humorous and highly personal way.
​
Enjoy and share your comments below.
​
If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.

​Listen to the conversation

Relevant links:
Pianonoise.com