SECRETS OF ORGAN PLAYING - WHEN YOU PRACTICE, MIRACLES HAPPEN
  • START HERE
  • BLOG
  • STORE
  • TOTAL ORGANIST
  • LISTEN
  • ABOUT
  • RECITALS
  • CONTACT
  • LOGIN
  • LT
  • COMPOSITIONS

What Are the Exceptions of the Legato Articulation for Music Composed After 1800?

2/15/2012

Comments

 
Although the legato articulation is the traditional touch for the romantic and modern organ music, there are several exceptions. It is important for the organist to know when the legato touch is not to be used because performed with the legato articulation in entirety such music might lack precision, clarity, and vitality. In addition, these several exceptions have the very precise manner of execution which contributes greatly to the performance level in general. In this article, I would like give you the advice on when the legato articulation should not be used and how such cases should be performed in romantic and modern organ pieces.

Repeated Notes

The first exception to the rule of legato articulation concerns the repeated notes in organ composition. Whenever you see the repeated notes in the same voice they have to be performed in a very exact and precise manner. The repeated notes should be shortened by half of their value if the note could be divided in half (duple meter). For example, shorten the quarter notes by playing eight notes and have eight note rests. If the meter is triple, look at the music and decide what the shortest value is that you see most frequently in this composition. We will call this shortest value unit value. Shorten the repeated notes by unit value. For example, if the meter of the piece is 3/8 and the sixteenth notes are most commonly used, shorten the repeated notes by the sixteenth note.

Staccato Sign

The second important exception of the legato articulation is the staccato sign. The staccato literally means “short” and is indicated by the dots under the notes. The most precise way of performing the staccato notes in romantic and modern organ music is to shorten them by unit value. For example, if the staccato sign is given under the eighth notes, and the unit value of the piece is the sixteenth note, make these notes shorter by a sixteenth note rest. If the unit value is an eight note in such a piece, shorten the note by half.
 
Notes Before Unison

The third exception of the legato articulation is instance when one of the two voices is stationary and later these two voices form an interval of the unison. In other words, if there is a spot in your organ piece when one voice comes into unison with a stationary note, it is not possible to play the voice which was stationary legato. You should shorten this note by unit value. For example, imagine that the most frequent notes in the piece are the eighth notes. That is unit value. The top voice has two quarter notes D and D and a half note G. The lower voice has a two half notes G and G and the second G is in unison with the top voice. So the rule says that you should shorten the first G of the lower voice by unit value (an eighth note rest).

Try to locate above exceptions in your organ music and practice shortening notes exactly by unit value. This will give your performance the necessary precision, clarity, and vitality.


The above exeptions are discussed in great detail by Marcel Dupre in his 79 chorale preludes for organ which are fully edited, fingered, pedaled with complete registration and serve as a great introduction before playing Bach chorale preludes.

If you are interested in performing Romantic organ music, you might enjoy reading "Playing the Organ Works of Cesar Franck" (The Complete Organ No. 1) by Rollin Smith which I highly recommend.

By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide:
"How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.
Comments

    GET FREE VIDEO PRACTICE GUIDE AND 10 DAY ORGAN PLAYING MINI COURSE:

    * indicates required
    Interest
    Sending frequency
    Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
    Picture
    Picture
    Photo by Edgaras Kurauskas
    Would you like to say "Thank You" to us? Buy Us Coffee.
    Authors
    Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene
    Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing.
    Picture
    Do you have a unique skill or knowledge related to the organ art? Pitch us your story to become a guest on Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.

    Don't have an organ at home?
    Download paper manuals and pedals, print them out, cut the white spaces, tape the sheets together and you'll be ready to practice anywhere where is a desk and floor. Make sure you have a higher chair.

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    RSS Feed

Copyright  © 2011-2019 by Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene.
Vidas' blog on Steemit
​Ausra's blog on Steemit
​Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
  • START HERE
  • BLOG
  • STORE
  • TOTAL ORGANIST
  • LISTEN
  • ABOUT
  • RECITALS
  • CONTACT
  • LOGIN
  • LT
  • COMPOSITIONS