Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #1: Gene Bedient on the Art of Organ Building

Welcome to the Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #1! 

Listen to the conversation

​Today's guest is a very dear friend of mine and mentor, an organ builder Gene Bedient who’s going to share with us his insights about the art of organ building.

Gene Bedient started the Bedient Pipe Organ company over 40 years ago. He based the company on a combined love of all things technical and music. Over the course of this journey, Bedient made many pipe organs throughout the US that are a legacy of craftsmanship, artwork, technical engineering, and audible beauty.

In 1969, Bedient started rebuilding and repairing organs in a garage in Lincoln, Nebraska. His vision grew over the next 40 years. Together with a small, dedicated crew, Bedient Pipe Organ Company built more than 80 organs, large and small, each unique, each an artistic and technical work of art.

Because Gene has recently retired, The Bedient Pipe Organ company is now under the leadership of Paul Lytle and Mark Miller. Both men together with the group of passionate builders are dedicated to carrying on the legacy of the founding builder and continue to craft intricate works of art. Art that endures and inspires.

Enjoy the conversation and share your comments below.

Relevant links:

Gene Bedient on Facebook
Bedient Pipe Organ Company of Lincoln, NE
Bendient Pipe Organ Company on Facebook
The Wind at One's Fingertips
Dom Bedos de Celles
English translation of Dom Bedos treatise "L'art du facteur d'orgues" by Charles Ferduson

What I'm working on:

Writing "How to Understand Modern Organ Music". Continue writing fingering and pedaling for the Toccata by Charles-Marie Widor. Finishing editing Part 3 of Sonata No. 1 by Teisutis Makačinas. Transposing hymn setting "Despair Not, O Heart". Practicing 12 Technical Polyphonic and Rhythmic Studies Op. 125 by Oreste Ravanello. Practicing "Virtuoso Pianist" by Hanon in C Mixolydian mode (with from C with Bb). Playing Office No. 35 from “L’Orgue Mystique” by Charles Tournemire. Improvising with Dominant 7th chords and their inversions. Finishing composing "A Morning in the Countryside". Starting composing "A Storm". Reading "A Beautiful Constraint".

This blog is fascinated with organ pipe sandcasting techniques. Forward it to anyone who cares about flexible winding as well.

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