Welcome to episode 31 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

Today's guest is Dr. Pieter Dirksen performs as soloist on both harpsichord and organ and as continuo player with diverse chamber ensembles. He completed his musicological studies with honours in 1987 and since then published widely about baroque keyboard music. In 1996 he received his doctorate ‘cum laude’ with a dissertation on the keyboard music of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, which was awarded the Dutch Praemium Erasmianum. Further books have been devoted to Bach's Art of Fugue (1994), Sweelinck (essays, 2002) and Scheidemann (2007), and critical editions appeared with music by Bull, Sweelinck, Cornet, Scheidemann, Düben, Buxtehude, Reincken, Lübeck and Bach. Continuous research into the background and the sources of the music lend the performances of Pieter Dirksen a special quality.
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Pieter Dirksen is a member of Combattimento Consort Amsterdam as well as the chamber music group La Suave Melodia. He appeared in most European countries, the United States and Canada, and regularly gives masterclasses in chamber music and keyboard playing. He teached at the Organ Summer Academies in Haarlem, Göteborg and Smarano and is affiliated with the organ research at the Göteborg Organ Art Center. As a soloist he specializes in the rich seventeenth-century North-European repertoire as well as in the music of J.S. Bach. Among his numerous recordings the one devoted to the reconstruction of the earliest version of Bach's Art of Fugue and the complete recording of Sweelinck's keyboard music, in which he participated both as a player and musicologist, stand out in particular. The latter was awarded the highest Dutch prize, the Edison.

In this conversation, Pieter shares his insights about the organ and keyboard works of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, Heinrich Scheidemann as well as touch upon Samuel Scheidt, Jan Adam Reincken and the organ situation of the 17th century North Germany in general.

Enjoy and share your comments below.
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If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.​

Relevant link:
www.pieterdirksen.nl

In this conversation Prof. Verdin shares his revolutionary insights about performance practice issues in the organ works of Cesar Franck.

Enjoy and share your comments below.
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If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.​

Relevant links:
www.jorisverdin.com
Franck: Father of Organ Symphony

Welcome to episode 29 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

This is Part 2 of my conversation with John Higgins from Whyalla, South Australia (here's Part 1). John is a mechanical engineer by profession and so much in love with pipe organ that he plays recitals and even tries to raise funds to restore valuable historical organs in his community. Because of his passion he quickly becomes the go-to organist in his area.

In this conversation, John reveals his background story, the things which he finds challenging in organ playing, and of course the dreams which through his persistence, generosity, bravery and connection little by little are becoming a reality. This is a truly inspiring story.

Enjoy and share your comments below.
​
If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.​
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Relevant links:
John breathes new life into old passion
Music lovers feed their souls at St Martin’s
John's profile on Facebook
Reach John by email: ​john.eliza.higgins@gmail.com

Welcome to episode 28 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

Today's guest is John Higgins from Whyalla, South Australia, a mechanical engineer by profession, who is so much in love with pipe organ that he plays recitals and tries to raise funds to restore valuable historical organs in his community. Because of his passion he quickly becomes the go-to organist in his area.

In this conversation, John reveals his background story, the things which he finds challenging in organ playing, and of course the dreams which through his persistence, generosity, bravery and connection little by little are becoming a reality. This is a truly inspiring story.

Enjoy and share your comments below.
​
If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.​

This conversation will continue next Sunday in Part 2. Stay tuned.
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Relevant links:
John breathes new life into old passion
Music lovers feed their souls at St Martin’s
John's profile on Facebook
Reach John by email: ​john.eliza.higgins@gmail.com

I hope this will inspire you to try your hand at some of this stuff yourself.

The organ doesn't bite and is VERY forgiving.

Enjoy and share your comments below.
​
If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.​

Relevant link:
Video and DVD of this improvisation