Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast

This question was sent by Prince. He writes: I’m Prince from Ghana....l wish to become a great organist in future but my problem is my family can not afford to buy me an organ so l move from church to church playing the organ and l also cannot practice everyday because l don't have the organ in my house so my organ playing does not improve...

This question was sent by Jeremy, and he writes: I’m trying to speed up the Toccata from the Suite Gothique by Leon Boellmann. I am planning on playing the entire work for church in two or three weeks: Chorale and Minuet for Prelude, Prayer for Offertory, and Toccata as Postlude. I've played the Prayer a couple times as preludes or offertories over the past year. I've got the Toccata up to 100 to...

I think a lot of people start with copying others, in any medium--in visual arts, in poetry, if you write a poem, right? If you read a lot of poems by other poets, you fall in love with them, and you create something similar. So with improvisation it’s kind of the same: you try to copy the style of your favorite composers. And a lot of people try to imitate Bach, which is probably one of the last...

This question was sent by Ron. He writes: Hi Vidas and Ausra, Thank you guys! What a wonderful response to my email note to you. You’ve got me right, and I feel you understand my level of playing (yes, at home, and lucky that I have an organ for that reason.) I am paying attention to this, and I am going to try this ha-ha-no-longer-secret model. Yes, and I love Cesar Franck, too. What is very nice...

This question was sent by Tomeu, and he writes, Dear Vidas, Thanks a lot for your advice about how to improvise Prelude in Bach’s style. It is very interesting and useful how the information is organized. I keep following you.

This conversation continues from previous podcast episode: AVA232 where David asked how often we improvise in a church service.

This question was sent by David. He writes: So...I keep hearing you and Ausra saying to improvise for service music during communion etc. How often do you improvise for a service? Every week? Once a month? That certainly seems much more doable than learning 27 pieces a month in the beginning... Though once the hymns are all learned, it would reduce to 11 per month to not repeat for 1 year.

This question was sent by Robert. He writes: Hi Vidas, ... It's hard to get Bach’s In dulci jubilo, BWV 608 from Orgelbuchlein up to speed .... 3 sharps and some significant contrary motion. Pedal no issue but the left, right hand ... some serious reading there. 😊 Also wondering what concert tempo should be on the beat,.... the half notes. ....... Maybe it helps to figure out the chords progressi...

This question was sent by Ronald. He writes: Dear Vidas, The programme that I have thought of studying for the diploma is the following: 1. Buxtehude Prelude and Fugue in D, BuxWV 139 (c. 6 mins) 2. Franck Prelude, Fugue and Variation in B minor , Op.18: no 3 from '6 Pieces' (c.11 mins) 3. Stanford Postlude in D minor: no 6 from '6 Short Preludes and Postludes, 2nd Set, Op 105 (c.5 mins 30 secs) 4...

We’re continuing our discussion from the previous podcast conversation about our recent concert of Vilnius University Unda Maris studio. You can check it out in podcast Episode 228.

Today we’d like to discuss the concert of Vilnius University’s Unda Maris studio that was held at St. John’s Church on May 26. It was the culmination of our year-long season.

This question was sent by David, and before that, I asked him what challenges is he facing when preparing for a wedding. And he wrote: Fortunately, I have 5 years to practice for this. My biggest hurdle was actually covered in one of your recent podcasts where Jan was mentioning she might be practicing to quickly the speed of the piece. I have the same problem as I want to capture the artistic int...

This question was sent by Daniel. He writes: “Vidas: In your opinion, could Jesu Meine Freude, BWV 610, be setup with a big registration, which includes reeds and mixtures?”

This question was sent by Steven, and we are continuing our discussion about what makes a good free theme, let’s say for a prelude, because in a previous podcast we talked about the fugal theme. So let’s look at our example of BWV 541, Prelude and Fugue in G Major by Bach (and we discussed the fugue in the previous conversation).

This question was sent by Steven and he writes: It would be an extremely interesting subject some time for a podcast, if you and Ausra might consider discussing what the elements of a good free theme and a good fugue theme are, as regards development. All the best, Steven

This question was sent by David, who is helping us transcribe my slow motion videos into scores with fingering and pedaling. And he writes: I'm getting better at this, yes. I'm quite enjoying this. I have an organ transcription for BWV 35, the aria Gott Hat Alles Wohlgemacht. I've been adding the fingering as I go, but with the work I'm doing here, I've been noticing things in the fingering that h...

This question was sent by Samuel. And he struggles with recognizing patterns in the form of chords, completely and independent, and sight reading harmonies, especially hymns.

This question was sent by Ron. He writes: Hi Vidas, I signed up for Steemit 15 days ago; they verified my email but haven’t sent me a password yet, so I couldn’t get into the contest site to upload on Dsound. Anyway, for what it’s worth, here is my recording. It is very simple, but I learned a lot, having forced myself to stick within the FGAC theme. A very interesting exercise. I actually did ano...

This question was sent by Jan, and she writes: Dear Vidas, Thank you for asking how my practice is going today. Today I am struggling with hymns. I am not very competent with the pedals. I practice separately...pedals, RH, RH and pedals, LH, LH and pedals, RH and LH, RH LH and pedals. I also write in the pedaling and fingering. It seems to take me ages to learn a hymn; especially as playing a hymn...

This question was sent in by Russell, and he writes: Greetings, Vidas. I found your course while searching for guidance as how to educate myself in music theory. I have a piano and an old Hammond organ, but I am not a musician. I read music, but only with difficulty. I desire to learn music theory because I do not understand many things about music. Most importantly, would a given piece of music h...

This question was sent by Bruce. He writes: Hi Vidas and Ausra, I am working on BWV 615 (In dir ist Freude) from the Orgelbüchlein, and I have a question about possibly moving a measure or two written for the pedals and taking them in the left hand instead. In measure 8 (and later, equivalently in measure 24, and also possibly 4 bars from the end), it seems to me that the quasi-Alberti figure in t...

This question was sent by Francher. My Dear Vidas… Thank you so much for your response and inquiry! Although it is unlikely that I’ll ever perform, I do practice “very well”…and, for at least 2 hours every day. I start my day with an hour to an hour and a half practice, and end my day with another hour (with several shorter sessions, as time permits, throughout the day). I knew I wanted to be an O...

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast! Today's guests are Francine & Matthieu Latreille, who are Canadian organists and choirmasters, currently sharing duties as co-directors of music for Saint Thomas' Anglican Church in Belleville, Ontario. Both recitalists in their own right, they are active as soloists as well as a duo on the North-American scene. The husband and wife team regularly gives...

This question was sent by Denham and he writes: Please can you do a masterclass on the In Dulci Jubilo in the same Orgelbuchlein Book. BWV 608. How to master the rhythm of 3 against 2s. It is so difficult. Thank you Vidas!

This question was sent by George. And he writes: Dear Vidas, My greatest problem at this point is independence of both hands and feet, in addition to the usual issues sight reading all the separate parts. You're very kind to write! Yours truly, George