Let's start episode SOPP729 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Nick and he writes:

Hi there! Been following your site for a while (and even bought a few pieces). I just recently stepped up to learn organ for my church – it’s a Catholic traditional Latin church, so I’m being asked to play hymns, interludes, and to accompany chant when I can. It’s been a while since I’ve been at the keyboard – so I’ve started myself over in theory books (currently in book 4 of a 10 book series) and am doing my best to start to learn pedals. I’ve been working with a local teacher here who is a concert organist and we’ve been going through the New Oxford Organ Method book along with Flor Peeters’ Little Organ Book. I recently saw that you all have the total organist course and I’m interested – however I also don’t want to make the mistake of grabbing too many resources. I’m emailing to get some insight into the course – is there a way it would be able to help me develop my skills faster than where I’m at now? Or, would there be a course or two that you’d recommend for purchase that would help me? Thanks for a great website – I’ve been enjoying the content so far (and used your Laetare Sunday prelude before Mass this year – so thank you for that!)

God bless,
​Nick

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast No. 728! It's Vidas and usually we do these conversations with Ausra but today I’m delighted to speak with a very special guest—someone whose music has brought inspiration, beauty, and calm to listeners and performers around the world.

Dr. James Michael Stevens, joining us from Nashville, Tennessee, is a remarkably prolific composer, pianist, and educator. He currently serves as the Dean of the School of Music at Welch College, and his creative output is nothing short of astonishing. With thousands of published compositions, Dr. Stevens has developed a signature style that blends lyrical grace, spiritual depth, and heartfelt simplicity.

Many of his works, especially his meditative piano pieces, have become favorites among church musicians, educators, and recording artists alike. His music resonates deeply with people looking for comfort, peace, and emotional honesty—and more recently, it has also found a home in the repertoires of organists.

In this episode, we’ll explore how James approaches composition and stays so remarkably productive. We’ll discuss how he balances creative flow with discipline, what inspires the emotional tone of his music, and how sacred themes guide his writing. We’ll also talk about his experiences in music education, the challenges and rewards of publishing, and what advice he would give to aspiring composers and church musicians today. Enjoy the conversation!

James Michael Stevens Website: https://www.jamesmichaelstevens.com/welcome.html

James Michael Stevens All music at Sheet Music Plus: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/category/arrangeme/?q=James+M+Stevens+Music+ASCAP?&aff_id=605733

James Michael Stevens Organ Solo Music at Sheet Music Plus: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/category/instruments/piano-and-keyboard/organ/organ-solo/?prefn1=artists_composers&prefv1=James+Michael+Stevens&aff_id=454957

James Michael Stevens on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7oMHPMTAKVFtskAXuQ4u1k?si=vk9WqmheTUWEfnAAJpUGIA

You can support this channel by becoming a member here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO4K3_6QVJI_HlI5PCFQqtg/join

If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo

PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/VPinkevicius

We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en

My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html

Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist

Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt

Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ckKPIvTWucoN3CZwGodCO?si=YWy7_0HqRvaZwBcovL-

Today I'd like to share with you 3 Dances from Braunsberg Tablature. I recorded it on 1 stop organ (Toornvliet, 1975) when Ausra and I visited St. Joseph Church in Haarlem. Thanks so much to Erik Jan Eradus for his hospitality!

00:00 Chorea
00:49 Dance I
03:35 Saltarella

​Score: http://fontesmusicae.pl/notes-editions-c-series

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 727 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Gene, and he writes: “My question is tempo, on BWV 624: Hilf Gott, dass mir's gelinge by J.S. Bach. I'm amazed that I can play it pretty well, and it sounds pretty good on my funny, little house organ. Fluit 4, on the triplets and to Pedal. Cantus on Principal 8. I can play it @75, metronome, mostly. Soon, I will be able to do it, start-to-finish. Of course, I listen to people on YouTube playing it much faster. Is this an embarrassingly slow tempo? What should be a goal?” Remember, Ausra, Gene sent us his video from his home organ and we should introduce of course who Gene is.

A:  Yes, I remember.  You could do that please, introduce Gene to us.

V:  Gene Bedient, the famous organ builder from the United States, founder of Bedient organ company. And he’s now retired, but he built a nice little house organ for himself.  And we met him first in Rochester, New York and then of course when we studied at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, we of course took his classes at UNL in organ building and design.  And this was very valuable experience for us. Gene taught us how to maintain organs, basically.

A:  Well, yes, it was very useful and very interesting.  One of the best courses that we have ever had.

V:  So now he has this little house organ at his home and wants to play some music by Johann Sebastian Bach, primarily of the Orgelbuchlein collection. And this particular chorale prelude, Hilf Gott, dass mir's gelinge, BWV 624, makes him question the tempo that he’s choosing, because usually people play it somewhat faster, but he can only play it at 75 beats per minute.  So Ausra, remember and tell us what Gene should do.

A:  Well, I think we should not so much focus  on Gene as I think we should probably talk in general about tempo and how to choose the right tempo. Because for me the rule number one is don’t take faster tempo than you can play.  Because there is nothing worse, could be nothing worse than a person without a very good technical skills playing piece too fast.  It always sounds ridiculous.  So you know, choose tempo in which you can still control your articulation and phrasing and both hands and feet, and then after you manage that comfortable tempo, you can gradually increase tempo, but not before you can be really comfortable with the text that you’re playing.  And another thing is that different venues, different organs, different acoustics require different tempo.

V:  Right.

A:  Because the larger the room is, the slower tempo will be.  And you know, sometimes it’s a really hard thing to decide what’s a good tempo.  I especially struggle what is the right tempo when I have to play something let’s say from Bach’s cantatas.  They’re not originally written for organ.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  Like I recently played this version of Sheep May Safely Graze, and it was a really important occasion in which I had to perform it, and I was really thinking a lot about the right tempo, and I listened to different recordings on YouTube. Sometimes the same person played different versions of the same piece - in different rooms.  And the tempo would be different.  And some people would play it extremely slow in registries with like lots of string stops, and then the piece would be basically very meditative in character.

V:  Mm hm.  I understand.

A:  But it probably shouldn’t be like that.  But of course, it shouldn’t be extremely fast.  And also what you compare, if you compare how originally it was performed in cantata when you see that on the organ the tempo is always a little bit slower.  Because obviously you are just one person and you have to perform all the voices.  So it’s a tricky question.  But this particular piece from Orgelbuchlein which Gene was working on, I would say it’s technically probably one of the most challenging pieces in the Orgelbuchlein, and very bizarre, too.

V:  How so?

A:  Well, have you played it yourself?

V:  Yes.

A:  So then why are you asking this question?

V:  Because people might have this question, too.

A:  Like everything is so bizarre, like those triplets and the texture, and it’s really difficult.  But it’s really short.  It’s like one page long.  So it has this big controversy in itself.

V:  I think there is a lot of text painting going on in this piece. Symbolical, rhetorical figures in the left hand part, and when one sees these running passages of fast notes, they probably mean something because of the text.  But it sounds, yes, strange on a very short minute.

A:  Yes, and I did not do research, but basically I haven’t ever seen chorale by different composer with the same title.  At least I haven’t encountered it.

V:  Maybe it’s a unique title in chorale. So yeah, tempo is a funny topic to talk about, because obviously there are so many recordings to compare yourself to, and you might feel inadequate at times if you’re playing too slowly, right?  Or if you want to play this piece faster than others play and you feel that you shouldn’t, because others are playing slower.  So I think by now, what I understand about tempo is that it should sound natural to you, the most importantly.  To you.  Don’t pay attention too much about how other people interpret it on the internet.  And they might have their own reasons for doing so, and their own instruments and acoustics.  And obviously, if Gene is playing this piece at home on a little organ where every sound is in your face basically, it’s not only extremely difficult to play one page or two pages very clearly in a precise articulation and fast tempo at the same time, but it’s also maybe unnecessary.  Maybe you need to think more melodically than virtuosically, right, about this piece.  Maybe you need to sing that line of fast passage.

A:  Yes I think Vidas that you touched the most important thing.  You said the magic word “sing.”  Because if your tempo is too slow or too fast, probably you are not singing what you are playing. Because if you will sing, either aloud or in your inner voice, you will pick up the right tempo.  Because it’s all connected with singing each line, singing each voice, and especially of singing the cantus firmus.  Because singing helps you to articulate, to take right breath in the right spot, and really it makes your tempo sound natural.  Because if you will start singing and you will see that you are short of breath, it means that you are playing too slowly.  And if you cannot even sing in the fast tempo, it means that your tempo is probably too fast.  Because some of those so-called virtuoso organ players, they could not sing what they are playing.

V:  Another funny thing about tempo, correct tempo, is we’ve had some students like this.  If they’re playing extremely slow, or even with an uneven tempo, fluctuating tempo, and we asked if they like to sing. And they always say no!

A:  Yes.

V:  They never sing.

A:  So then what can they help.  If a person does not like singing, it seems like a hopeless business.

V:  Because in your instrumental playing, still you have to imitate the voice to some degree, right? Limited instruments like violin and trumpet.  But melodically speaking, they imitate the voice.

A:  Yes, because our voice is our natural instrument, given to us.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  And usually people who can sing cannot sing unmusically.

V:  Cannot play unmusically, right?

A:  Yes. If they are sing.

V:  Yeah, I have heard many concerts where for example a piece was played too slow or too fast, and for example, I didn’t think that was the right tempo for me, but if the person was singing in their head, I think that was okay.  I can understand why they chose that tempo, even if it’s too fast or too slow for me, right?

A:  Yes.

V:  So, hope this was useful to Gene and others who are struggling with finding the right tempi.  And of course, if you’re interested in knowing more about Gene Bedient and his organ building tradition, go ahead and listen to our conversation with him on the podcast.  He was one of the first guests on Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast when we just started years ago.  So this was very interesting and inspiring conversation, too.  I will probably insert a link in the description of this conversation to check it out for you as well.  All right?  Thank you so much guys.  This was Vidas

A:  And Ausra.

V:  And remember, when you practice,

A: Miracles happen.

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

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

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

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

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

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ogether with Vidas, on Wednesday we performed an inspiring organ duet concert in Bodø Cathedral, Norway 🇳🇴. From Ukrainian 🇺🇦 and Lithuanian 🇱🇹 themes to original works, this lunchtime recital program celebrates the spirit of freedom through powerful and emotional music. Thank you everyone who came to listen to us play! Thanks to George Chittenden for invitation and hospitality! Hope you will enjoy the video!

PROGRAM:

00:00 Variations on the Ukrainian National Anthem for organ duet, Op. 226 by Vidas Pinkevičius

Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/variations-on-ukrainian-national-anthem-op-226-organ-duet-by-vidas-pinkevicius-22432710.html?aff_id=454957

10:33 Reverie for organ duet by Juozas Naujalis

Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/reverie-by-juozas-naujalis-arr-for-organ-solo-22792168.html?aff_id=454957

14:02 Fugue “Kyrie eleison” by Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis

Score: https://22ca72d9-c365-4fff-8c25-87b773cd3fa4.filesusr.com/ugd/bf51ff_b46cd6e415134ca69d339b24adee7171.pdf

17:45 The Narva March, Op. 247 by Vidas Pinkevičius

Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/the-narva-march-op-247-organ-solo-by-vidas-pinkevicius-23060040.html?aff_id=454957

23:30 Four Lithuanian Folk Songs for organ duet by Kristina Vasiliauskaitė

Score: https://www.mic.lt/en/database/classical/published-scores/3627/

31:49 Prayer to the Sun, Op. 26 by Aušra Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė

Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/prayer-to-the-sun-op-26-organ-solo-by-ausra-motuzaite-pinkeviciene-22793090.html?aff_id=454957

36:29 Hey, Sokoly for organ duet, Op. 225 by Vidas Pinkevičiue

Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/hey-sokoly-op-225-organ-duet-by-vidas-pinkevicius-22431657.html?aff_id=454957

🎹 Performed on the majestic Eule organ of Bodø Cathedral.

Organ specification: https://biof.no/Bodo-domkirke/?Article=18

If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo

PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/ausramotuzaite

My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html

Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist

Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt

Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pXxZgiFPMKiqBRYi9rSLT?si=Xe1nTroTSmOGPtv8bP8MSw

Today I'd like to share with you Arctic Joy – Sami-Inspired Organ Improvisation which I recorded before our concert yesterday at Bodø Cathedral in Norway. The tune features motives of traditional Sami chant - Joik in a joyful spirit. Hope you will enjoy it!

Organ specification: https://biof.no/Bodo-domkirke/?Article=18

You can support this channel by becoming a member here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO4K3_6QVJI_HlI5PCFQqtg/join

If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo

PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/VPinkevicius

We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en

My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html

Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist

Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt

​Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ckKPIvTWucoN3CZwGodCO?si=YWy7_0HqRvaZwBcovL-

Welcome to episode 726 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast! This question was sent by Tamsin and she writes:

I have a technical question that you might be able to shed some light on.  When playing Baroque repertoire I usually use all-toes technique.  I would like to ask if you find foot-crossing and other elements of all-toes technique easier to perform on a straight pedal board than on a radial pedal board since the distance does not change.  Put another way, do you think that radiating pedal boards suit heel-and-toe technique better?

Many thanks and warm regards,
Tamsin

​Hope you will enjoy this conversation!​

Today I'd like to share with you my improvisation Fantasia on THAXTED hymn tune. Hope you will enjoy it!

You can support this channel by becoming a member here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO4K3_6QVJI_HlI5PCFQqtg/join

If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo

PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/VPinkevicius

We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en

My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html

Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist

Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt

​Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ckKPIvTWucoN3CZwGodCO?si=YWy7_0HqRvaZwBcovL-

Welcome to a special organ music concert dedicated to Mother's Day, featuring members of the Vilnius University Organ Studio "Unda Maris". This unique musical collective brings together students, faculty, staff, and alumni from Vilnius University united by their passion for the majestic sound of the organ.

The program spans centuries of organ repertoire – from Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces to works by Lithuanian composer M.K. Čiurlionis. Today’s performance features six members from the Unda Maris studio, along with their leaders, Dr. Aušra Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė and Dr. Vidas Pinkevičius.

The organ is a unique instrument with I manual and 10 stops built by unknown builder from Königsberg school ca. 1700. It was restored by Ferdinand Stemmler from Switzerland in 2024. We would like to thank Karolis Skausmenis, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran church in Batakiai for his invitation and generosity!

It wasn't an easy concert - this instrument has its challenges as you will see, but it was invaluable experience for all of us, especially Unda Maris students and we are glad we were able to delight so many people in the audience. Our students all met those challenges very well and played bravely which made us extremely proud of each and everyone of them. It's a big step for them in their growth as organists. Hope you will enjoy it too!

PROGRAM:

00:00 Georg Böhm – Prelude in F major (Aušra Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė)
03:29 Johann Pachelbel – An Wasserflüssen Babylon (II)
10:01 Louis-Claude Daquin – Le Coucou (Jonathan Beyer)
13:08 M.K. Čiurlionis – Fugues in F major and C major
17:20 F.W. Zachow – Variations on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (Vytautas Jonkus)
19:55 J. Pachelbel – Partita Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (Vidas Pinkevičius)
29:28 Domenico Zipoli – Canzona in C major & 5 Versets (Regina Dainytė)
39:01 F. Couperin – Les Barricades Mystérieuses 42:00 Henry Purcell – Ground in C minor (Benas Matuzevičius)
46:11 G.P. Telemann – 2 Chorales on Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (Valeriia Kyslenko)
51:46 J.C.F. Fischer – Chaconne in F major (A. Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė)
57:47 J. Pachelbel – Partita Herzlich tut mich verlangen (Karolina Indrulytė)
1:06:12 H.L. Hassler – Intrada Nona & Intrada Decima (A. Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė & V. Pinkevičius)

About Unda Maris:
Founded in 2011, the VU organ studio "Unda Maris" introduces the beauty and complexity of the pipe organ to members of Vilnius University community. With regular lectures, concerts, and masterclasses, the studio aims to bring organ music closer to both listeners and performers. The name "Unda Maris" – Latin for "wave of the sea" – is inspired by one of the most poetic stops in the St. John's Church organ in Vilnius.

​Thank you for joining us in Batakiai to celebrate Mother's Day through the sound of one of Lithuania’s oldest instruments.

Today I'd like to share with you my improvised Processional and Recessional in C Major. I recorded them at Vilnius University St. John's church for a graduation ceremony. Hope you will enjoy it!

00:00 Processional in C Major
00:59 Recessional in C Major

You can support this channel by becoming a member here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO4K3_6QVJI_HlI5PCFQqtg/join

If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo

PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/VPinkevicius

We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en

My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html

Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist

Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt

​Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ckKPIvTWucoN3CZwGodCO?si=YWy7_0HqRvaZwBcovL-