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

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

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

A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene.

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

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

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

A: We hope you’ll enjoy it!

V:  Hi guys!  This is Vidas.

A:  And Ausra.

Vidas: Let’s start episode 673 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Louise, and she answers my questions of what is her dream in organ playing, and what is holding her back from achieving that dream. So she writes:

“1) My dream is to be able to play well enough that people would enjoy and be blessed by my playing.
2) What is holding me back? A) my age. I am almost 72 yrs old and have not played for nearly 30 yrs; B) I do not have weekly lessons; only when my teacher has time. He is a college professor. I cannot afford tuition. C) brain fog due to a serious illness 6 yrs ago and COVID last year.

On the positive side: the Lord provided an organ for me to have at home. 2 manuals; full pedalboard; FREE!! I was a piano major in college and taught piano for 28 years; I love to practice.

Thank you so much for your online lessons. I have printed them out so I can better focus on correct practice habits.”

Vidas: Wonderful Ausra, right, this feedback!

Ausra: Yes! Really wonderful to read it.

Vidas: 72 years old, Louise strives to become better at organ playing so that people would enjoy it, and even has an organ at home!

Ausra: That’s wonderful! For me, it looks like she has all the…

Vidas: ...Tools

Ausra: ...Tools, yes, to achieve it.

Vidas: Even a college professor.

Ausra: Well, and since she cannot take the organ lessons regularly while having an instrument at home and being a piano teacher for herself for 28 years, it means she has a good strong background in music in general! I think she can learn many things by herself.

Vidas: Correct! She didn’t write what kind of music she would like to learn, though. What is your guess?

Ausra: Well, I guess that music that would fit the church, probably. That’s my guess.

Vidas: Yeah, it depends what she has in mind writing that her dream is to be able to play well enough that people would enjoy it.

Ausra: Well, and you know…

Vidas: And who might these people be?

Ausra: Yes, I thought about people in church in her congregation, but maybe I’m wrong. But in general, I think that the main goal for any musician is to please him- or herself first. I think that’s the most important thing, that whatever you are playing that you would enjoy what you are doing and what you are playing, that you would enjoy the process of learning and the result of it, and if you will be happy with your playing, I’m sure the audience will be happy, too.

Vidas: What is brain fog? She has a brain fog. Do you know?

Ausra: I’m not a doctor. Don’t ask me. But I’ve heard this term.

Vidas: ….brain fog meaning…

Ausra: It’s often people get it after a stroke…

Vidas: “Brain fog isn’t a medical condition, but it’s a term used for certain symptoms that can affect your ability to think. You may feel confused, right… oh… that makes sense… confused, hard to focus

Ausra: Dizzy probably.

Vidas: Mhmm. Okay, that can be improved, actually, with practice. Right? I’m sure with time it slowly gets better. Right? If you sit at the organ bench, every time you start to focus, and that focus at first is not as strong, but as time passes, naturally, your brain muscles will adapt.

Ausra: That’s right. The most important thing is that you will do it on a regular basis, like every day. Even spend a short period of time, but every day.

Vidas: Yeah, even 15 minutes a day over the course of a year or more will make a huge difference, actually.

Ausra: That’s right.

Vidas: And even if you can take a break after those 15 minutes for a few minutes or 5 or even 15 minutes, then come back to the organ bench and practice for 15 more minutes, that’s twice as beneficial.

Ausra: That’s right.

Vidas: With very little effort. Excellent. So I hope this is useful to Louise. What else can we add? Of course, she doesn’t have regular weekly lessons, so what we could recommend is, of course, joining our Total Organist community. We have a good group of people who are striving to quadruple their organ playing results, and we have those daily questions about what did people work on today, and some of them answering that can probably testify that this fact alone forces them to think about their progress and to actually not escape the practice on a regular basis. What do you think, Ausra?

Ausra: Yes, true! Plus many people struggle with the same things you are struggling with, so it’s good to know that you are not alone.

Vidas: I think people enjoy reading, most of the people would rather read than write, so when you, me, and some other people write, they kind of participate in this discussion just by observing. And that’s a good thing, too.

Ausra: True.

Vidas: They’re not feeling left alone in the corner.

Ausra: That’s right. Plus as I said, because Louise had professional training in piano and taught, herself, for 28 years, I guess she really can do a lot by herself, just by having a guidance for programs as the Total Organist.

Vidas: Yes! Today, with the technology, we can connect with people from around the globe much easier, and even though people cannot have physical access to teachers, let’s say, then they can take advantage of online learning, and that goes also true for physical instruments at church. If a person doesn’t have pipe organ access at home, just getting a second-hand midi keyboard and connecting it to the computer is an excellent start while having a decent virtual organ sound at home.

Ausra: Yes, that’s a solution, too.

Vidas: Wonderful. So thank you so much for your question, Louise, and we hope this was useful to you and others who are in a similar position. Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. This was Vidas,

Ausra: And Ausra!

Vidas: And remember, when you practice,

Ausra: Miracles happen!

​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!

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas,

Ausra: And Ausra,

Vidas: Let’s start episode 671 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Hubertus, and he writes:

“Hello Vidas and Ausra,
As for getting informed with your very-very good advice etc. I admire your setup, and do respond to your questions as a moral obligation.
As you probably remember from the last mail exchange, I’m 75, and do know for myself, the Very high difficulty of remembering my daily study already the next day.
13 years ago I started from scratch in music and organ play.
I generally get only 1 to maybe max. Sometimes 2 hrs time to practice a day, some days even less, for all kinds of reasons, concentration is a hot issue in this all.
So, on the moment I’m studied in this past holiday season the BWV 721, and after 2 months now I’m able to play the piece as tempi gives, and still make usual remembrance mistakes, and in between I TRY to replay several pieces I studied recently before, with lots of difficulties in reading.
Again, I still like to play and do, especially this Bach piece.
So to answer your nr 1;
My dream WAS, 12 years ago, to play beautiful easy pieces of baroque music etc., Nevertheless, to my feelings and due to my former remarks, this goal is not really to achieve anymore, most probably due to organ play starting age around 62, and present bad possibility to remember the study even of the day before properly, and maybe I have to study twice as much, but I cannot bring that up, sorry.
Answer Nr 2,
as mentioned = 1 – Concentration special in reading, 2 - Maybe not enough daily practice time, with coming wintertime I expect/hope to find more time, 3 – Impatience in having results.
Very much Thanks again for your lessons in practicing setup.
Hope this helps in your request.
All Best regards to both of you,
Hubertus”

Vidas: That’s a long message from Hubertus, right Ausra?

Ausra: Yes, it is, but very useful. Thank you Hubertus.

Vidas: Yes, thanks so much for answering these two questions. The first one was, “What was your goal in organ playing?” and the second, “the challenges that he has to overcome to achieve this goal.” So to recap, probably his goal no longer is to find beautiful music that he wants to play. Right? Baroque music.

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: But maybe now, right now, to have a more modest call. Right? Like this BWV 721 piece that he likes to play, maybe a few more pieces. Right?

Ausra: Sure.

Vidas: And the challenges of course, he faces several, concentration, especially in reading, and he’s not able to give daily practice time, and of course, he is impatient because he wants results quicker, but it doesn’t work that way. Right?

Ausra: Yes, true. I guess these problems could apply even for younger or even very young people—being impatient, wanting to have results as soon as possible, and not finding time to practice, and actually, staying concentrated. It all could be very challenging.

Vidas: And some people reach their goals and some people don’t. Why is that?

Ausra: I think because some of them work very persistently and some don’t.

Vidas: And why is that again? Why do some people work and others don’t?

Ausra: I think because we all are very different. Different personalities!

Vidas: Yes. Can I add something else to this?

Ausra: Sure you can!

Vidas: What if we are having goals, differing goals, right? But these goals mean different things to us, like importance, priority wise. For some people organ playing is really important, and for some it’s just a hobby that they do at the end of the day. If they have time, okay, if not they skip a day or two or five.

Ausra: But I think that for Hubertus it’s really important because he started to learn to play the organ when he was 62 years old! Not everybody would challenge himself or herself to achieve his goal, and that is very exciting and I really admire him for doing that.

Vidas: I would probably recommend setting up like an intermediate goal—a short term goal—like three months from now what he wants to achieve. Learn this piece, right, but why? Why does he want to learn BWV 721? Because it’s beautiful, yes, of course! Is this enough to force himself on an organ bench? For some people yes…

Ausra: Yes! Yes, of course. You know, being at the age of 75, I think, and to practice maybe not everyday but every other day is already a big achievement, actually, because despite all these musical goals, the practice of the organ gives you another result that might slow down whatever kind of dementia you might develop with age. It might help for your joints and for your coordination…

Vidas: But you need to take rests frequently.

Ausra: Of course. Definitely, yes! But I think because the organists use both our hands and both of our feet, we have to coordinate between them, and I think this is a very important skill to have for anybody.

Vidas: I would probably add to this… I don’t know… one thing, maybe. I’m not sure what Hubertus’s family situation is, if he lives alone or not, if he has relatives visiting him, for example. What might help, let’s presume he has some kind of still friends visiting, most people do even though they might live alone. But sometimes people come over to the house, and what would be nice is if he could play this piece for them. For friends or for family.

Ausra: That’s a possibility, but now you know, during the pandemic not everybody wants to have visitors.

Vidas: True. I would suggest video, but that’s probably not for everyone.

Ausra: Well, I think the most important thing is enjoy the process of daily practicing, and if you do enjoy your practice, I think it’s good enough.

Vidas: With this kind advice from Ausra let’s finish our conversation for today. Let’s thank our listeners for sending their questions to us, and let’s hope to meet again in the next episode. This was Vidas,

Ausra: And Ausra!

Vidas: And remember, when you practice,

Ausra: Miracles happen!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Vidas: Let’s start episode 628 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Stephen, and he writes:

“At 72 years of age my goal is to play some of Bach's organ music with musicality and appropriate style...i.e. registration ...trills ..phrasing. I have explored the "Little preludes and Fugues"  using Soderlund's book on authentic technique for that period.   To be able to continue to practice.  (I own an Viscount Digital Organ with appropriate AGO standards. I also studied formally with an organist for 2 years)

To be able to improve my pedal technique. I have used your Pedal Mastery Course to help in that regard. I purchased it when you first offered it to us.  I would like to know other sources of exercises that might help in improving.

To be able to memorize even at my age....I find that practicing the organ and piano HELP keep my mind sharp ...Excellent therapy...

Stephen”

Vidas: So Stephen is 72 years old, and he has several goals. Let’s talk about them in turn, shall we?

Ausra: Yes, of course.

Vidas: He wants, first of all, to play Bach’s organ music with appropriate sense of style, basically probably historically informed performance practice. That’s what he means, right?

Ausra: Yes. That’s what I understood from his letter.

Vidas. Hmm. I would suggest, beside Soderlund’s book, which is obviously an excellent manual and resource material, but I also recommend my own video course called, “Bach Organ Mastery, Level 1,” where I teach how to play those little preludes and fugues—Eight Little Preludes and Fugues. It’s, I think, a 16 week course. In each week we learn either one prelude or one fugue. We start, not with the first prelude and fugue, which is not the easiest one, but with the easiest, which is probably G minor, I would say.

Ausra: Yes, Prelude is definitely G minor.

Vidas: So, that’s my suggestion. I not only teach the techniques, how to master them, but I also teach how those pieces are put together, analyzing them.

Ausra: I think this is very important, too, to understand how the music is put together.

Vidas: And I’ve got very good feedback from students who watch those videos and say that they appreciate my analysis as much as or even more than my teaching of techniques; how to play them. Analysis is kind of a hidden thing. You can maybe teach yourself how to play the piece, but if you don’t understand how the piece is put together, it’s kind of difficult to analyze it yourself. You have to consult some sources, and one of them is my course.

Ausra: Plus, I think a video course is more beneficial because you can see another person playing and how another person sits and touches the keyboard. I think this is very important, too. To see it, not only to read about how it should be done, and to listen to how the final result should be. And another suggestion for Stephen from me would be maybe you are willing to find some kind of tracker—access to a tracker instrument, just to see how it works and to play it, to practice it for a while, because that might give you more idea about how Baroque music should be performed. Because you have that practice organ at home, which is great, because you can do it every day then, but I think getting on the tracker organ would help you to understand the meaning of Baroque articulation and ordinary touch.

Vidas: Yeah, speaking about the tracker organ, at home we have a Hauptwerk setup, and also a practice organ with two stops, which is a tracker organ. The keyboards in our Hauptwerk setup have a very light touch. Basically, no resistance at all. So, I made a video a few days ago how to play, I think in 12 steps, the famous Gigout Toccata. It’s not a Baroque piece, but I bring it up here because it’s appropriate, because I started learning it and recording it on the Hauptwerk, on the plastic keyboard. And it went well! I applied my own steps, taught myself… you can watch the video. But then, I think the next day, I sat down on the pipe organ at our house, and it felt almost like sight-reading all over again, and I was scared, because my recital is coming up in a few days, you know, this weekend, of this particular piece I am planning to prepare. Of course, I can postpone it or substitute with another piece (I have plenty to choose from), but I was kind of frustrated because a day before, I was doing well, and now I cannot play it at all! What’s happening? Then the next day, like yesterday, I sat down on the Hauptwerk setup again and tried to play the same Gigout Toccata, and guess what? It wasn’t that bad. It was sort of not perfect, but close to ready. So, my point is that playing on even a small practice organ with two stops which have genuine tracker action is much much more difficult than any type of electronic organ, virtual organ, digital organ, which has very very light touch.

Ausra: But you know, yes, it’s more difficult, but at the same time, it’s more fun and it makes more sense, because sometimes when you are trying to do all the Baroque articulation on the light keyboard, it doesn’t make sense, very often. And then you start to think, “Why do I need to do this all? I might just play all things legato and that is comfortable to me.” But when you sit at the tracker organ, you will then understand why all these rules and all this trouble. Then it really makes sense, all those tips.

Vidas: Yeah, absolutely, I agree with you on this question. Just understand that even though it’s more difficult to play on the tracker organ, from time to time it’s much more beneficial. If you don’t have access to it every day, going to a church with a pipe organ which has a tracker action from time to time regularly will help you a lot. Right?

Ausra: Yes, of course.

Vidas: What about improving his pedal technique. Can we talk a little bit about that? He used the “Pedal Mastery Course,” which is of course great to start. He said that he purchased it when I first offered it. He doesn’t say if he completed it.

Ausra: Yes, we don’t know about that.

Vidas: It’s a long course! It’s… or not. No, it’s not that long. The “Sight-reading Master Course” is 40 weeks long, but pedal mastery course is probably 12 weeks long plus some bonus weeks, bonus material,

Ausra: Does that include bonus material right from the beginning of the scores, or did you add them later?

Vidas: Right from the beginning, yes, so that people could get extra value.

Ausra: Oh, okay.

Vidas: So yeah, even those 12 weeks—I’m not sure if Stephen has completed, or how… I offered it a while ago, many years ago I would say. Right?

Ausra: Yes, it’s been a while.

Vidas: It was one of my first courses, maybe from 2012, 2013, something like that in the early days, and this is 2020. We’re talking about maybe 8, 7, 6 years of not practicing from this course. Maybe let’s recommend that Stephen go back to this course!

Ausra: Yes, it might be beneficial to refresh your pedal technique.

Vidas: He will be surprised, obviously. It’s not that he would have forgotten everything that he learned if he had completed this course in the early days, but it will be beneficial, nonetheless, to refresh. What about memorization? Can he try to memorize?

Ausra: Yes, of course, if he thinks it is beneficial for his brain, then of course, why not? Personally, I don’t memorize music very often, because that way I cannot do as much repertoire as I would want to do, because for me, it’s better to learn more pieces than to memorize one piece during that time. But some day I might change my mind!

Vidas: When you have played all of them.

Ausra: I don’t think that’s possible.

Vidas: Yeah. We have so many scores at home that we will probably never run out of music. Right?

Ausra: Yes, that’s right.

Vidas: But yes, I agree with you. I also don’t memorize regularly nowadays because my goal is like yours—to master it, and perform in public, to record, to live-stream as much repertoire as I can, and memorizing takes maybe 10 times as much of work with one piece. Right? So I could learn 10 pieces in that period of time. Right? In my case, it’s not worth it.

Ausra: Yes, because I think the sight-reading new music, learning new music gives your brain enough of exercise. Don’t you think so?

Vidas: Right. Right. Also excellent therapy, like Stephen adds at the end.

Vidas: So choose whatever you feel works well for you in your situation at your age, for example. Right? Maybe people who are past 60, let’s say, 65, have different goals than we have right now.

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: That’s okay! That’s okay. And maybe our goals will change with time.

Ausra: I have no doubt about it.

Vidas: So guys, please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice,

Ausra: Miracles happen.

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

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

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

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

V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Patreon and get free CD’s.

A: Find out more at patreon.com/secretsoforganplaying

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 627 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Abe, and he writes,

I had a stroke which hit my left hand very hard.  It is slow and lazy.  Any suggestions?

V:  Well, I’m sorry to hear about Abe’s condition.  To have a stroke is always very painful, right Ausra?

A:  Yes, I guess so.  I haven’t had a stroke yet, but my mom had sort of a mild stroke when we were studying at the United States.  But because she’s connected with medicine, because she graduated from the medical school herself, and worked in the healthcare system for all her life, she understood right away what is happening, and my father took her very fast to hospital, and basically she didn’t have any...

V:  Complications?

A:  Complications, yes.

V:  Side effects?

A:  Side effects.  And now she lives just a normal life.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  But the bad thing about strokes is that they tend to repeat themselves.

V:  What causes strokes, do you know?  How to prevent them, I mean, in the future?

A:  If things would be so easy, I think nobody would have them.  But in general, you just have to apply the healthy lifestyle, to lead the healthy lifestyle.  To avoid stress, to eat healthy, to exercise, and of course to avoid stress, which is almost impossible, but…

V:  You said that twice.

A:  But I think this is the most important.

V:  (laughs)  I see.  So playing organ, is it stressful, or not?

A:  For some people might be.

V:  Why?

A:  Well, if you have important recital…

V:  Oh, if you are playing in public, you mean.

A:  Yes.

V:  And people depend on you playing well and they paid tickets perhaps - maybe not.  But nowadays, public recitals are kind of, with real audience is kind of on hold, right, because of the pandemic?

A:  Yes.  But you know to answer Abe’s question seriously, I think we should know more a little bit about his condition, really.  How it happened, was it connected to organ playing?  And in general, I think he needs to consult his physician, because maybe he’s not allowed to play the organ because of what might happen.

V:  You mean sitting in one position for extended period of time can cause some complications?

A:  Yes, I think it’s not good for your blood circulation.

V:  Uh huh.  Well, if you’re sitting in front of TV, what’s the difference?

A:  Well, I think it’s healthier to sit at the organ because you’re moving your legs and your arms while doing that.  Not like watching TV.

V:  And also thinking - your brain is working.

A:  True.  But in any way I would suggest not to take things too hard on yourself, and to take things easy actually, whatever you do.  Plus, we don’t know what kind of stroke it was.  If it was one time of where you have your blood…

V:  Uh huh.  I know what you mean.  So basically, yeah, Abe should tell us more about it.  Until then, he should consult the physician, and of course take physical therapy.  Wouldn’t it help?

A:  Yes, it might help, but of course it should be measured by…

V:  Your doctor.

A:  ...your doctor, yes.  Because as I said before, strokes tend to repeat themselves.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  So doing too much might do side effects for you.

V:  I would probably also have frequent breaks between organ practice sessions.  Not practice more than 25 minutes at a time.  Even less, probably.

A:  It might be too much, 25 minutes.  Maybe 10 or 15.

V:  Yeah.  Stop before you’re tired.  Before, not after.  When you’re still feeling good, you have to stop.  Which is kind of counter intuitive.  But that’s less risky.

A:  Yes, yes.  But in general, I think it’s beneficial to practice still to keep practicing, and try to work with that left hand a little bit in order to improve it.  It might never be the same as it was before, but it might improve.

V:  Yeah.  You could take my left hand training course, right?

A:  If it wouldn’t be too hard and too much.

V:  With one hand only, you see?  One voice.  It’s an excerpt from Bach’s trio sonatas.  What can happen from trio sonatas, Ausra?

A:  I think a lot could happen, because of the trio sonatas, they are very hard.

V:  What’s the worst that could happen?  You can.. Yeah, but I transposed them in many keys. It’s not only in original keys, but throughout the circle of fifths, so sort of additional benefit is you will learn to play in those keys.  You can obviously play it with your right hand and with the pedals if you want one octave lower or two octaves lower in the bass clef.  But always keep listening to how your body feels.  Right, Ausra?

A:  Yes, I think it’s very important.

V:  Probably it’s important if you’re relatively healthy, too - to always listen to your body.

A:  You know, strokes come really unexpectedly and suddenly.  And you might not get any warning before that.  It happens to healthy people every day.

V:  Drinking fluids - does it help in avoiding, preventing strokes?

A:  Yes, I think this is one of the things that you have to do.

V:  Mm hm.  So you see, we are not certified doctors, but we have some suggestions.  But obviously if you need more, or more specialized advice, consult your physician.  All right, guys.  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 Patreon and get free CD’s.

A: Find out more at patreon.com/secretsoforganplaying

 Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
 
Ausra: And Ausra!
 
V: Let’s start episode 538 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Ray, and he writes:
 
“Hello Vidas Pinkevicius,
Thank you for asking for my answers to your questions.
1. I am 65 years old and have only returned to organ playing in 2014 after spending 35 years working as an architect and part-time singer “to earn money for our vacations.”
My dream is to learn some of the major organ pieces on my list and be able to play them with my heart, with confidence and in recital. Having some substitute church assignments that require me to learn shorter pieces and play hymns is also fun for me.
 
2. The 3 most important things holding me back are: practice discipline, practice discipline and sight reading. My hope is that when I am fully retired at the end of 2020 I will have more time to practice and be more efficient with my practice time and learning ability.
In the meantime, focusing on real learning during my practice time is my goal. I find it difficult to not read ahead or have patience to only learn a little bit each day, which I know is more efficient.
 
Thank you. I enjoy reading your emails. I just need to focus on doing what you recommend.
Ray”
 
V: Did you notice, Ausra, that he mentioned practice discipline twice here?
 
A: It means that he really lacks it. That’s my guess. Don’t you think so?
 
V: Yes, but why not three times, then? Maybe he meant something else and then forgot. But, it could be that he wants to emphasize it.
 
A: Well, because yes, but he writes like three most important things.
 
V: Mhm, it’s strange. And also, sight reading. Practice discipline and sight-reading. Well, Ausra, how do you fight with your lack of willpower?
 
A: Well, I don’t lack willpower. I lack time in general, so I don’t think this applies to me so much. And I’m a good sight-reader, too.
 
V: Were you always like that, born with this skill? No! Probably you developed it.
 
A: Which one, discipline or….?
 
V: Discipline.
 
A: Of course I developed it. Everybody does.
 
V: How? What helped you to do this?
 
A: Life!
 
V: Be specific and more helpful.
 
A: Well, when you have a coming recital ahead of you, and the time is pushing you, then what else can you do? Practice! And you don’t have much time left in the day, so...
 
V: But sometimes, I am amazed at how people still have a deadline coming up of a performance or a recital, maybe not an entire hour length, maybe not even a 30 minute recital, but maybe one or two pieces, like in our organ studio, for example, but they don’t push themselves enough, they don’t plan ahead, and when the time comes, they are not prepared. Why is that?
 
A: Well, I don’t know, but what I can say about myself is that when I was young, I could do that—to go to a recital half unprepared and somehow still manage through it and survive through it. Now, I’m older, and I don’t want to take a risk. My heart is not as strong anymore, so I really need to be well prepared. Plus, I am professional. I wouldn’t be professional if I would show up to a recital unprepared. So I guess that is a difference between an amateur and a professional.
 
V: And if an amateur switched this attitude, he would become, or she would become professional.
 
A: Yes!
 
V: Easily.
 
A: After some time, yes.
 
V: You just have to be strict with yourself and do your best, and pretend a master is watching over you.
 
A: True.
 
V: And like Robert Schumann wrote, “A master is always watching.”
 
A: That’s right, but I guess the hardest judge is inside of yourself.
 
V: Are you your worst critic, Ausra?
 
A: Yes, I am, I think, because very few people can say straight to your face, for example, what they did not like about your performance, let’s say. So, everybody is just so polite, or they just simply ignore you. So what else can you do? You just become a critic yourself to yourself.
 
V: Will you be honest with myself and tell me what you didn’t like about my playing, too?
 
A: You know that I do that sometimes. So…
 
V: Do it more often. I like it.
 
A: Really?
 
V: Mhm!
 
A: Okay, I will!
 
V: And, for Ray, he is very straight forward at the end. He says, “I enjoy reading your emails. I just need to focus on doing what you recommend.”
 
A: It seems that he knows his way, you know? So… why not just do it.
 
V: Yes, Ausra, we all know the right way to do things, or the efficient way or the fun way to do things, but we don’t always focus on doing that. Why is that?
 
A: Because we have other things going on, too, and I think it’s procrastination, as well.
 
V: But for example, if a person sits down on the organ bench to practice and fools around a bit and wastes time instead of focusing and playing efficiently, why is that?
 
A: I guess that’s just how human nature works, that if you, for example, have a piece that you like and you play it well, so maybe why not just play it, because it doesn’t take much effort to do it. But if you have another piece that requires more work and has more difficult, complicated spots, then you just sort of push it away for a later time. That’s not only with performance, not only with practicing. I think that applies to any situation. Any work situation.
 
V: Right. So guys, please switch this act to being, at least in your mind, professional. Being strict with yourself, and doing your best. And if you have a deadline coming up, like a public performance, I think it would be good if you had a run-through of this performance two months in advance.
 
A: Yeah.
 
V: And then you will discover many mistakes, which is fine, but you will still have ample time to fix those mistakes. Not one month, but two months ahead of time.
 
A: Don’t do what we did with our Christmas recital.
 
V: What did we do with our Christmas recital?
 
A: We only selected our pieces a month before the recital.
 
V: Oh yes. You can do that, if you have 25+ years of experience.
 
A: True.
 
V: Like we have. I’m sorry to be so boasting about our experience, but it’s true!
 
A: You can say that after our recital, if you will survive it.
 
V: I survived the first rehearsal, which is nice.
 
A: Yeah, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. Actually, it was quite good.
 
V: 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 511 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by Fintan.  And he writes: 

Hi Vidas,  I’m practising hard.  I retired after 35 years as a Primary School Teacher and have gone back to study Organ Performance and Musicology in university.  It’s hard work but I find it very useful to have fingering notated in advance when learning new repertoire.  I’ve just purchased a copy of your Toccata in F, BWV 540 with fingering and look forward to learning it.  Regards,  Fintan

A:  Well, you know, let’s congratulate Fintan that after teaching at school for 35 years, he finds strength to play the organ, to practice the organ and study organ performance and musicology at university.  I think it’s amazing.  Well, I’m not teaching for so many years yet, but even now, I feel so exhausted after each day at school.  So it really surprises me in a good way that a person can find so much energy left after so many years of a teaching job.
 
V:  When you were little, Ausra, what was your dream?  For example, what would you like, what was your dream to become in the future?  What did you want to do?
 
A:  I wanted to be a singer.
 
V:  Singer, right?
 
A:  Yes. 
 
V:  Uh huh.  So imagine, if  you, when you retire after, I don’t know, 20 years or less, as the teacher, harmony and theory teacher, and ear-training teacher, maybe you would like to pursue this hobby again and…
 
A:  Sing?
 
V:   Sing!
 
A:  You know, I think that this little bit of voice that I still have left, I think will leave my body after teaching for let’s say, 20 more years.
 
V:  Because you are using your voice every day.
 
A:  I know, and it leaves me right now, sometimes, in the middle of my classroom.  I’m talking, and suddenly I don’t have a voice anymore.  So I think I have to abandon the idea of singer’s career.
 
V:  It’s gone?
 
A:  Yes.  I think I will be very lucky if after retirement, I can sit on the organ bench and to play a little prelude and fugue from Bach’s circle.
 
V:  I know what you mean!  But does singing still fascinate you?
 
A:  Yes, but not that kind of singing that I wanted to pursue when I was a little kid.  Because then, when I was a little kid, I was fascinated by opera singers with these huge voices.  But now I’m not fascinated by that anymore.  Of course, I appreciate good singers.  I can understand who is who, and be able to know who is singing well and who is not singing very well.  But now, I’m fascinated with early music singers that don’t project so much of the power of the voice, but can control it and sing polyphonic music, for example.
 
V:  In a good style.
 
A:  Yes. 
 
V:  Uh huh.  I see.  But if putting things aside that are stopping you, right, your voice limitations, your everyday using of your voice, right, and you understand that this is not possible for you, right?
 
A:  Mm.
 
V:  If is WAS possible, right, if you didn’t damage your voice, when you retire, did you, would you still have this passion for singing?
 
A:  Of course, but like for most elderly ladies, you cannot keep your muscles very well intact, so the breathing becomes a problem, and holding your breath, and this is for singers a crucial point.  So, well, I rather would not do it.  Because I don’t think it would sound very nice.  But of course, if I would be fascinated by everything that my physical abilities would still let me do it, then of course I guess I would do it.
 
V:  Yeah.  We, as kids, have many dreams and hobbies, and we stop sometimes them, because life gets in the way, formal education gets in the way, right?  And when we grow up, we no longer have this ability to practice our hobbies.  But then, somehow our hobbies from childhood catch up with us, later in life, right?
 
A:  True.
 
V:  Look at us now.  We’re doing things that we didn’t do for many years now.  Maybe the same is with Fintan.  Maybe he started to play organ after he retired, right, and after he had more time to do it, and less stress as a Primary School teacher, right?
 
A:  True.  It’s like our friend Marcia Koster who raised ten kids of her own.  And she went back to school when she was 60, and got her Master’s degree in organ performance.  So, because, that was her dream, but she didn’t have time in her life to do it until she was 60 years old.  So I guess it’s very natural.  It didn’t seem very natural for us, because Vidas and I, we were raised in the Soviet Union, where people had strict rules about things.  And it was really uncommon that after retirement you would begin to study something.  Everybody would think that you are crazy.
 
V:  They would think you are an idiot.
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  Because if you are still learning...
 
A:  You have some mental issues.  Because why, of course you graduate from school, you graduate from university or not, but then you got a job which was assigned to you even in those days.
 
V:  You didn’t have to choose.
 
A:  Yes.  So everything was sort of known in advance.  You would know that after graduation you will receive a position.  Maybe not in the capital, but somewhere in the province.  And that’s it. And life will just go by.
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  And it was really very unusual to do something like to go back to school after retirement.  I don’t think as a child that I would have heard any of such stories.  But now it’s sort of becoming a rule, and it’s becoming just a regular thing.
 
V:  Yeah, it’s more common for seniors to start learning hobbies and learning new things.  And we have so many students over 60 years old, right, Ausra?
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  All around the world.
 
A:  And now there’s this so-called Third Age University.
 
V:  For seniors.
 
A:  For seniors.  And all those classrooms are just crowded with seniors.  Of course, there are some areas that are more interesting for people.
 
V:  Like medicine?
 
A:  Yes, like all kinds of medical issues.  But also, like history.
 
V:  Yeah.
 
A:  And every subject.
 
V:  So seniors cannot really be put in a position with low expectations, right?  Oh, you are over 60, you are no longer useful to society, and you just have to watch TV all day long and wait for the day to end.
 
A:  And you know, I remember when I was a child, and you know, let’s say, people would retire very early in the Soviet days.  Women would retire at age 55.  Men, I think, at the age of maybe 60. 
 
V:  Mm hm. 
 
A:  And now we all retire at age of 65 in Lithuania.  And I guess by the time that we will have to retire, we will postpone that age even.  We will make it even longer.  But, you know, a lady at the years of 60 would just wear a scarf on her head.
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  And would really look very, very old.  Now there is nothing like this anymore.
 
V:  Nobody wears scarves.
 
A:  I know.  Maybe some stylish, fancy ones.  But just to keep in fashion.
 
V:  In fashion, yes.
 
A:  But otherwise, as I remember 30 years back, when comparing our elderly people with people from west, western countries, they would be like night and day, how their seniors look like and how our seniors look like.  But now our seniors look like the western seniors.
 
V:  Maybe with less smiles.
 
A:  Well yes.
 
V:  Yes?
 
A:  But still, if you wouldn’t look at the smile only about appearance.  You wouldn’t recognize who’s who.
 
V:  True.  So I can only congratulate Fintan and others who decided to pick up their dream of learning organ playing at age of 50, 60 years old, sometimes 70 years old.
 
A:  I guess he is not a beginner, he just went back to, I guess because of the piece that he purchased.
 
V:  Yes, Toccata and Fugue in
 
A:  F Major.
 
V:  In F Major, BWV 540, is a very advanced piece.
 
A:  So, that’s what I’m guessing that, you know, he played the organ, but because of the teaching, he had to stop practicing, to quit practicing.  But now he has more time, so he went back to his dream.
 
V:  Yes.  And we all should pursue our dreams, or just simply do things that we are meant to do, right?  Because if we don’t do it, we will feel miserable.  Don’t you think, Ausra?
 
A:  Yes, I guess we would regret it at the end of our life.
 
V:  Yes.  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 460 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Mike, and he is answering my question to him when I asked what is his dream in organ playing and the obstacles that are holding him back. So he writes:
 
“It's just the learning process. Your pedal videos helped a lot and getting pretty comfortable with the first octave and working on the second octave now. Your advice to practice slow and take a couple of measures at a time has made a lot of difference in the outcome. I had a couple of years of piano so this experience is really helping.  I am 72 years old and it takes longer to learn things than it did when I was 17.  Appreciate you, Mike”
 
V: Does it seem to you, Ausra, that Mike is practicing my “Pedal Virtuoso Master Course?”
 
A: Yes, I think so. It looks like that.
 
V: At first, those exercises deal with octaves: scales over one octave, and then scales over the second octave. So, he did that, and now he’s in the second layer of exercises. After that, I think, comes arpeggios.
 
A: I think it’s so nice that at the age of 72 he’s learning new things. It always amazes me. I respect people like him.
 
V: Would you like to be able to also learn something new when you reach 70?
 
A: Yes!
 
V: Or 60?
 
A: Yes!
 
V: Or 50?
 
A: Yes! True!
 
V: What would be your things on your list?
 
A: I don’t know, it depends on what my health will allow me to do.
 
V: For example, right now. What are you dreaming of? You don’t have much time now, but what if you had?
 
A: Well, now I want to learn how to paint with watercolor.
 
V: I see! It’s difficult to blend colors, for me.
 
A: Well, it is difficult for me, too! I think I am a very untalented painter.
 
V: But, you are improving! Don’t you think?
 
A: I don’t know. It seems like I’m drawing the same all over and over again.
 
V: That’s actually a good sign, because the progress is really happening behind the scenes. In organ playing, too, when people are saying, “Oh, I’m practicing all day long, and week after week, month after month, I don’t see any progress,” it means that probably, they’re too close to see the progress. They need to look at their first exercises, like some months ago, and compare it to what they can do now. Don’t you think?
 
A: Yes, but I think it’s harder, when you’re playing organ, to compare yourself with a younger you, and earlier you, because if you do drawings, you can just pick up your earlier works and compare them to your late works.
 
V: Have you done that?
 
A: No. I haven’t.
 
V: And I have, in my mind, and I think you are really improving.
 
A: Yes! I hope I won’t stop practicing organ because of the drawing.
 
V: I don’t think you have any danger in that. Still, you are a professional in organ playing.
 
A: Well, so what will you suggest for Mike, how to practice in the future?
 
V: Recording himself helps a lot, I think. Then he will have an archive of videos and/or audios to compare his earlier exercises with what he can do now. And as you say, it’s more difficult than in drawing or painting, because in drawing or painting, you can just flip through your pages in your notebook, but unless people record themselves in organ playing, they simply have a choice of practicing the same piece and seeing if it’s easier or not, but it’s subjective. You can be easily deceived. So, people need to record themselves, I think.
 
A: I think that’s a very good suggestion.
 
V: You don’t have to publish your recordings, you know? Just for your own benefit, your own comparison. Listen to the old recording, maybe 3 months or 6 months from now, and then you will be able to see if you are progressing or not! Right? So, I think that Mike is feeling his progress, right? Because he is using that advice that we always give: practicing slowly, a couple of measures at a time, and since he’s in his 70s, it takes longer to learn new things. Do you think that this is normal, or not?
 
A: I think he is definitely normal.
 
V: You don’t have to be frustrated with that.
 
A: Sure.
 
V: I think people sometimes are too much obsessed with progress or results, and not so much obsessed with sitting down on the organ bench.
 
A: True, but I think that the world around us needs us to rush things—always to run ahead, because look at all that tempo that we are living in because of the Internet and smartphones, fast food, and all that stuff.
 
V: Can’t we just slow down and take things the easy way?
 
A: Well, I think we can, but probably most of us imagine that we cannot.
 
V: We have this fear of missing out constantly, from all, and therefore we pursue new things and try to impress somebody, and ourselves as well, and sometimes it’s good, but not beyond our limits. Sometimes it’s too much.
 
A: And it’s so funny, because if you think about your household and all that stuff that we have nowadays like washing machines and other equipment that could make our lives much easier, and we have water in our houses! You don’t have to bring it each time when you want to drink it or to wash your clothes or do something with it. But, it seems like we have less and less time left.
 
V: Well, exactly. I think the best thing we could do is to start our day with things that matter to us, and this way, at least we know that we did something that gets us closer to our goals.
 
A: Yes, but you can do that if you don’t have to go regularly to work every morning, like most of us do. So, I guess the age of 70 is really nice, because most people are retired at that age already, and they can do and plan their day accordingly. So, I think it’s nice to be able to manage your time as you want to.
 
V: But even if you work, sometimes you can do things later at night or even before getting up at the normal time, like making some sacrifices.
 
A: Yes, for example, I get up every morning at 6 AM, and I have to teach at school, so I would have to get up in the morning at 4, I guess, to practice organ. Would you like it?
 
V: For you..
 
A: Would you enjoy it?
 
V: Actually, I would enjoy it a lot.
 
A: I think you go crazy after a while.
 
V: I could listen to two things all night long. Do you know what they are?
 
A: My playing.
 
V: And….?
 
A: I don’t know.
 
V: Bird songs.
 
A: Ok.
 
V: So, for your, obviously, situation, I think you’d better practice after work, when you go back, right?
 
A: But you know, either way, during winter time, it’s a real sacrifice either way, because it’s dark all the time… almost all the time, and those few lighter hours, I spend teaching at school.
 
V: You’re right. It’s difficult, it requires sacrifice, and that’s why it is so valuable. If it were easy, everybody would do it.
 
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 451 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by David, and I asked him how his organ practice is going, and he wrote:
 
“Very well!  And I played a full service - as substitute organist - last Sunday.  And they applauded after the postlude. Miracles really do happen (when you practice)! Played ‘Lobet den Herren mit Pauken und Zimbeln - Alla Händel’ by Karg- Elert (also listed as ‘Festliche Musik Alla Händel’).  For the prelude, I played ‘Heut‘ Triumphiert Gottes Sohn’ - using your very helpful fingering!
 
This is the first time I’ve played as a substitute organist at a different church (beyond my own church) for many years.   So it really is possible to relearn to play the organ (at age 64)!”
 
V: What do you think, Ausra?
 
A: Well, it’s very nice when people experience something new, and they try different churches, and they see that people appreciate what they are doing. It’s really like a miracle. It shows what the diligent practice can do.
 
V: Exactly. I thought it’s wonderful that people applauded him, that they showed their appreciation! Sometimes, when I play at St. John’s’s church during Mass, when they ask me to substitute for a band or a group of young people performing popular music, I always try to perform solo organ compositions, improvisations as well, so people have this tradition of applauding after the postlude, which is really nice.
 
A: True, it really shows appreciation.
 
V: When he writes, “so it really is possible to relearn to play the organ at age 64,” what do you think the biggest challenges are at this time of life?
 
A: I think probably the biggest challenge is to convince yourself to believe in yourself, that you can do it. I think that’s the main obstacle that you have to overcome.
 
V: Mhm, because if David is practicing at age 64, it doesn’t mean everybody is doing something with their hobbies at age 64. Right? Sometimes, well, it’s almost retirement age! In some countries, it’s already retirement age, and people don’t get much ambition after retirement, which I think could be the opposite.
 
A: Yes, because I think that if you keep going and doing some things that you like, or learn new things, or relearn things, it will help you to stop your aging.
 
V: Yes, at least postpone it. Slow it down. And, I think the key to this feedback of David is that he played it in public. Right? And he had this motivation to learn a few pieces when people could hear him. At he just practice at home, which would be nice, of course, but probably the results wouldn’t be as great, because you really need to push yourself when you are preparing to play in public. Even more than when you are playing for your own enjoyment. Don’t you think, Ausra?
 
A: Yes, I think that the public performance is our final goal for each musician. Not necessarily an organist.
 
V: And of course, to help you motivate yourself during your organ practice, to sit down on the organ bench to practice strategically with a goal in mind, we have created the secrets of organ playing contest, which runs every Monday, and people who participate, of course, only a small number of them—3, 4, sometimes 5 people—but it’s growing! In recent weeks, we’ve seen interest increasing in this contest, because participants started to talk about their real motivation boost of this contest, and when they participate, they really tend to show bigger motivation to practice, and don’t skip any days, and they tell us these things, which is really nice to hear. So, do you think, Ausra, people like David, not necessarily David, but who also who are over 60 years old, for example, would benefit from such a contest?
 
A: Well, yes, I guess, because it would be sort of a live performance, too, because you have to record yourself, and to share with your audience!
 
V: And, perhaps the largest challenge to overcome here is technology. Right? To find a tool to record yourself, and then upload it to YouTube.
 
A: But usually, if you have a smartphone nowadays, it’s not a problem.
 
V: Exactly. I was observing people on the street—everybody has a smartphone of some sort. Not every smartphone has a good microphone, but I think good enough microphone for us to hear what is being performed, it’s quite satisfactory. Right? We’re not talking about CD quality or radio quality here. So, it’s possible. It’s just a matter of saying to yourself, “I can do it.”
 
A: True, I think this is the most important step.
 
V: So, if you guys want to participate in this contest, go ahead and write to me your preferred username on the Steem platform, and I can create an account for you with this username, and delegate a little bit of Steem for 90 days to start your journey on Steem, and then once you keep posting and keep earning Steem, you will be able to continue and to go on your own. Thank you, guys, this was Vidas!
 
A: And Ausra!
 
V: We’re really grateful that you are sending us your questions, so please continue doing that. 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 373, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Emese. And, Emese writes:
 
Dear Ausra and Vidas!
 
Today I've played Das Alte Jahr... as well. It's so nice. Have you known that it has 12 measures and 365 notes. The genius of Bach.
I started playing the organ aged 53 (earlier I played the viola)—this means 5 years ago, but we had no proper instrument.
This year the renewal of our church came to an end and at last I've got a real organ. It's not a big instrument—it has got 8 stops=two manuals and pedal, made for our church. It was ready a week before Pentecost.
So a real exercise started then. From September I have less time for exercise—but at least once or twice a week I try in the evenings.
In these few months, I've learned mainly Bach works, pedal playing was new for me, but I enjoy practicing it a lot.
So I have learned: three Schubler chorales as BWV 645, 646, 649. I am still practicing BWV 655—it's one of my favorites. I can play it already by heart, but there is still a lot of work.
My next aim is Cesar Franck—Prelude in h moll op. 18
Instead of a postcard—my beloved organ.
Happy New Year!
Many thanks for the pieces of advice.
Emese
 
V: Ausra, don’t you think that Emese is lucky to have a new organ installed in her church?
 
A: Sure, it’s wonderful. Because although it’s not a big instrument, remember still, it’s a real organ, so it’s very exciting.
 
V: Two manuals and pedals and 8 stops is plenty for a little church, I think, and for practice purposes.
 
A: Sure. Because I think the worse thing is that you have sometimes too large instrument in a given room and then you cannot use more than half of the stops.
 
V: Exactly, and…
 
A: Remember we had that experience at Eastern Michigan University, where we had that large tracker organ in organ loft…
 
V: Studio.
 
A: Studio. But that studio room itself wasn’t large but instrument was good size, three manual instrument.
 
V: It was by Canadian organ builder Gabriel Kney. And did you like by the way, the touch?
 
A; I liked it, yes.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: I liked that instrument but it had to be in a room maybe ten times larger than it was.
 
V: Yeah. It was too loud.
 
A: Sure.
 
V: But it’s a tracker instrument so it’s kind of rare to have trackers in the states. Of course, this situation changes, little by little because people understand that, obvious, probably called this of tracker organs more and more.
 
A: Yes it’s like eating healthy food and eating fast food.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. But of course electro–pneumatical action has it’s own advantages.
 
A: Sure.
 
V: So it’s kind of… You have to choose, I think organist has to choose.
 
A: Well it depends on what kind of repertoire do you like to play.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: But of course if you like J.S. Bach then tracker is your first choice.
 
V: So, Emese seems to be very fond of Bach’s works, and Emese studied Schubler Chorales—so far three of them, BWV 645 is "Wachet auf".
 
A: Yes, it’s one of everybody’s favorites, I believe.
 
V: Wonderful choice! It’s not an easy piece to start with but if Emese is practicing five years, since five years ago, so maybe it’s about time to take a trio texture.
 
A: Yes. I think its fascinating that people realize and want to play the organ, to start to learn organ, at such an age. It shows it’s never too late to learn something new.
 
V: Do you think, Ausra, that it’s too late for you to start something new?
 
A: Well, as Emese wrote, the main instrument was viola.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: We are so, I guess, maybe I need to start to learn to play viola. I don’t think I would be so successful.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: I don’t think I would be so successful. I don’t think I would be able to play something as hard as Schubler chorale in such a short time.
 
V: Right. Organ playing is like a second nature to us now, but it took twenty plus years, twenty five maybe years now. And...
 
A: And don’t forget all that piano background that we had as a children.
 
V: Exactly. We started playing since the year of six or seven, I think.
 
A: Or five.
 
V: Or five, as you. It doesn’t mean that everybody has to start so early or if it’s, if they start at age 53 or later, that it’s too late. It just means that you have to figure out the path for yourself and not compare too much yourself with others, especially prodigies. Sometimes we see on Youtube, children playing virtuoso pieces, not necessarily the organ though…
 
A: Especially Chinese children.
 
V: But piano for example, or violin.
 
A: Like five years old, lad sits at piano and plays Rachmaninoff or Chopin.
 
V: Exactly.
 
A: It really amazes me, all the time. Although I’m not sort of fond of youth like this.
 
V: And then, if you’d ask that kid, ‘what are you playing?’ Probably…
 
A: Probably he or she probably wouldn’t know.
 
V: Wouldn’t know even the composers name.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Or what else he has written. But anyway, I think Schubler chorales are very nice because they develop your coordination, hand and feet coordination, very well, because they are written in three parts, and each part is so independent. It’s written in a trio texture. It’s not like a trio sonata, where left hand imitates right hand, and vice-versa.
 
A: Have you played them all?
 
V: I have. Not necessarily in a concert setting but I have.
 
A: I have played three of them.
 
V: But they are good as an introduction to trio sonatas I think, if you would play like Emese did, three or four of them, or entire collection. Then after that, you might pick up a slow movement of trio sonata quite easily.
 
A: Yes, that’s right. And let’s talk a little bit about symbols in Bach’s music because as Emese wrote, there are twelve measures in that chorale, ‘ Das alte Jahr vergangen ist’, and 365 notes, so it resembles a year, entire year.
 
V: So you think it’s a coincidence?


A: No! It’s not coincidence, and it’s twelve measures long because the year has twelve months. I believe that there are so many symbols in Bach’s music that we cannot grasp them all.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: But I think it meant for people in that time, something more than for us because we simply don’t see these things anymore.
 
V: And it means that this piece was also created as a kind of study, right? If you just play this chorale prelude, first of all, if you just copy it by hand, as his students might have done, and then if you practice it and then play it for your church service as an introduction for example, of the hymn at the end of year service, obviously, you wouldn’t notice any of it while playing. But while writing it out and maybe discovering clues like that, you would get a glimpse into the mind of the great composer.
 
A: That’s right! And just think how many other symbols there are in his music, such as his signature and his name signature and sign of cross, and all those other Baroque time rhetorical figures. Because usually the decision what key to use, already can tell a lot about the music.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. It is said that Bach’s music is like musical sermon—sacred music, I mean cantatas. In some sense also chorale preludes served this purpose as a commentary of the text of the chorales. And since those chorales were sung in Lutheran mass, then it’s really easy to see how composer created the musical commentary, I think for an intelligent audience, or even for himself to elaborate on the meaning of text.
 
A: Yes, that’s what I’m thinking too. But probably his music was intended first of all for himself. Because not everybody, even advanced musicians can comprehend his music so easily.
 
V: Right. And his contemporaries created much more, simpler compositions. Which means they knew the symbols but to some degree, not all of them probably. And, plus if you just add the polyphonic complexities that he’s writing, then this compositional style is well beyond the normal musician of the day.
 
A: I’m just wonder, if such a great mind as Bach’s would have chosen another subject for his research, not music, for example, science, what could he have achieved?
 
V: Well, it’s not a coincidence that Cristoph Wolff compares the great Johann Sebastian Bach with philosophers and scientists of the time, right?
 
A: Because surely, I think his works are equal with those great minds of the world.
 
V: Mmm-mmm. His musical discoveries are equal to those of Sir Isaac Newton, for example. And Bach’s influence for future generations also could be compared to those of great scientists.
 
A: And I guess we all are very lucky that we can touch Bach’s genius through his music.
 
V: And we continue to carry on this tradition to future generations, right? Because this lineage can be traced back to Bach directly, if we count, right?
 
A: So we are all somehow related.
 
V: To Bach. And through Bach to Sweelinck too. Okay, guys. We hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice...
 
A: Miracles happen!

Vidas: And let’s start Episode 101 of #AskVidasAndAusra podcast. And today’s question was sent by Paul, and he writes that his challenge is mainly his age, because he is 75 years old. First of all, Ausra, isn’t that great, that people still continue to improve when they are at this age?

Ausra: Yes, that’s wonderful.

Vidas: Do you think it’s too late to get better at this age?

Ausra: I don’t think so.

Vidas: Why?

Ausra: Well, because I know some people who are 75, and they are very active, and are improving every day.

Vidas: And there are opposite situations, where people are just staring at the TV screen all day long, and they get weaker and weaker every day.

Ausra: Yes, I think some teenagers are older than some seniors. Because they just spend all day long playing with their smartphones and PlayStations and so on and so forth.

Vidas: So, the fact that Paul sent us this question already shows us that he’s on the right path: basically, he has enough curiosity to improve himself.

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: He is not satisfied with the current state, and he wants to get better all the time...Maybe faster than is possible, right?

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: Maybe we should just basically support him, and inspire him to look at the situation from outside himself and really appreciate how far he has come.

Ausra: That’s true. Because in general, I will be very happy if I live as long as to reach 75 years old; that’s a gift from life already, and it’s so nice that he’s still able to do things.

Vidas: So, what helps? Of course, we’re not 75 years old yet, and we don’t know how people feel at this age; but general pointers could be: keep moving.

Ausra: That’s true.

Vidas: Keep being active, moving in terms of physically, and also mentally.

Ausra: Yeah.

Vidas: So mental practice is, of course, on the organ, very well. But also physical practice, as well.

Ausra: That’s true. Do you think, Vidas, that practicing organ slows down ageing a little bit?

Vidas: While you get older and older?

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: I think it should, because your body gets a little bit weaker; but there are ways to postpone that process a little bit.

Ausra: And do you think organ is a good way to help do it?

Vidas: Yeah, especially because it’s primarily a mental activity. You’re looking at the symbols of music on a sheet of paper, which don’t mean anything to other people, perhaps; but you translate those symbols into meaningful musical ideas. So this is primarily a mental activity, which of course can just expand your mental capacity over time; of course that helps.

Ausra: Yes, I personally strongly believe that organ may reduce the risk of such diseases as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis--not to prevent them entirely, but to slow down the development of those; because while playing organ, you always have to basically use your coordination to coordinate your hands and feet, and look at the music; and it helps your brain keep moving.

Vidas: Remember in our Unda Maris studio, we have a senior person who is maybe in her--I would say, maybe early 70s? She maybe started playing the organ not long ago, but she has trouble walking, right?

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: She walks with the help of canes. And she enjoys playing the organ a lot, because of all those reasons, of course. It’s a good exercise mentally, and also physically.

Ausra: Yes, that’s true. It’s better than sitting at the piano, because your feet are moving, too. That’s a great advantage, actually.

Vidas: Yes. So don’t feel like you have stopped your progress, Paul, and others who are this age--maybe older. We have a lot of students who are even older, in their 80s, and even somebody who is 90 (or older) years old! So just keep practicing, keep getting better--1% of your efforts every day; and by the end of the year, you can look back, and you will see how you will have progressed a lot. Thank you so much, guys, keep sending us your questions; we love helping you grow as organists. This was Vidas.

Ausra: And Ausra.

Vidas: And remember, when you practice…

Ausra: Miracles happen.