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I just bought this cd filled with organ works of Bach. The first song on it is Toccata and Fugue in D minor, pretty familiar sounding, and really amazing also. Does anyone else here listen to his pieces that are played on the organ or have you ever played them? They seem like they would be extremely fun. I owned an organ a long time ago...but my Dad sold it one day. =0( I remember one pianist (maybe it was Josef Hofmann) said not to get to used to playing the organ because you will lose your touch for the piano. I don't really know what to make of that but I really would like to get involved with this Bach music on an organ because it's so wonderful. Anyway, I just wanted to write and tell how much I love this cd already, and anyone who hasn't checked out Bach's pieces on an organ should really....listen. I also wonder if these pieces could be played on piano, it would change the whole mood of them.

I remember once I was in this massive intricate church...and the organ was so powerful. Ever since then I have loved the sound of an organ. It's so creepy , but it takes one to a whole other world. It's extremely mysterious sounding. I think I would be extremely attracted to an organ player... (of course one that was a guy) Sometimes I even like it better than a piano because I can daze off to it. A piano gets me too excited sometimes hehe.

Zeldah

[ August 09, 2001: Message edited by: ZeldaHanson ]

Yes that Toccata & Fugue in D minor is one of the most well-known works by Father Bach. As a matter of fact at least three well-received trnascriptions are for modern piano. This famed piece is also used in the Disney movie "Fantasia". If memory serves, the movie used Stokowski's transcription for full orchestra. It was one of the most successful transcriptions.

I own few organ CDs because I'm not 'an organ man'. Organ sounds somehow bring all the scenes of spooky movies to my mind...

Ya thats not surprising. It can be spooky. Organ sometimes reminds me of the Phantom of the Opera. =0)

Zelda:

You should try to find a CD that is called "Bach Great Organ Favorites" played by E. Power Biggs. This contains a number of pieces from what in my opinion is the best music ever recorded by anyone on any instrument.

I am rather new at playing the piano, but I have spent many years playing Bach's Prelude and Fugues. The Toccata and Fugue in D min is fairly easy compared to some of his later organ fugues. The later ones like my favorite Prelude and Fugue in a A min is very difficult.

As far as playing these on the piano, the biggest problem is that you need pedals for some of the parts. Most of the fugues play the theme of the fugue with the feet at some point. There are 32 pedals arranged just like a keyboard and has its own staff in the printed music. They seem quite natural to me, because I started when I was very young. However, some pianist don't like them and that third line of music to read.

Playing the organ is much different than the piano not just because of the pedals, but also because the keyboard itself is different. There is no sustain pedal, so you have to hold down whatever key for as long as that tone is needed. Also, since the key makes the same sound no matter how hard you press it, you have to use different techniques for accenting notes.

I hope you get a chance to try out some of these fugues. They take for ever to learn, but they are fantastic to play!

It's really just in the past couple of years that I've started enjoying Bach's organ music. For a long time, I really didn't enjoy organ or harpsichord (Bach, Couperin, Rameau, whoever). It just wasn't working for me. But now.... Still I'm inclined to agree with a friend of mine who says music for the organ is a lot like acid: "It can take you to some really far out places, but it's best done in small doses."

[ August 10, 2001: Message edited by: netizen ]

Best done in small doses as in, "you can't listen to it for too long?"

I can't listen to organ for longer than 45 minutes straight. It starts to get to me after a little while. The tones just get to overwhelming. I also don't like the pieces that remind me of going to church and hearing something the godly organist would play. But I like the creepier sounding ones.

That sounds complicated about all the pedals on an organ. I had one, but I don't remember all those pedals??? Maybe I should check out one at a church (even though I'll never play church music, can't stand it)

Anyway, so it's harder to learn a song on the organ??? Do you think I'd need special training to learn how to play?

Not many people are aware that both Chopin and Liszt were accomplished organists. While he was still in Poland, Chopin was sought out for his organ playing as much or more than his piano playing. Later in life, people commented that he held keys down on the piano using an "organ" technique - he would hold down a key while switching the finger that was on it. I don't know if Chopin wrote anything for organ that survived, but I believe Liszt wrote a few pieces for organ. Liszt was also reportedly an amazing organist to watch. And, they both played in church.

Ryan

Zelda:

The Toccata and Fugue in D min was the song that hooked me on classical music. I too liked it because it was spooky. It was used in the first Phantom of the opera and also Rollerball along with just about anything to do with Halloween.

You should listen to all of the Toccata/Prelude and Fugues, I think you will like them. These do not sound like church music. Listen to them several times and concentrate on a different voice each time. I think this is where the reference to acid comes from. Good thing I never did acid.

As far as the pedals go, they take a lot of practice. I usually spend some time playing just the pedal parts alone to get the fingering (feeting?) correct before playing along with the hands. 90% of the time you play each note with alternating feet, but sometimes you have to play one note with your toe and the next with the heel of the same foot. By the way, this is a good arobic workout.

You asked if it was harder than the piano. Not necessarily, its just different. As Ryan said, you have to press a key with one finger, then switch to another finger to free up the first one. I find myself doing this on the piano quite a bit and it amazes my friends that I can play some piano pieces without using the sustain pedal. I simply hold the bass notes down.

The CD I recommended above may solve the overwhelming tone thing, as the organ used is a relatively small organ with a very clear sound and short reverb.

Oops forgot something.

Try Bach's Two part Invention XIII for a taste of what the fugues are like. This can be played on any keyboard as there are no pedal parts.

Thank you so much for that information. I will definetly check out the Toccata/Prelude and Fugues. I think I'm going to start studying the organ soon also. =0) When I go to college this fall for music I'll see if anyone can tutor me for it.

I did some research on the History of the organ the other day and I was amazed to find out that they have been around since the 3rd century B.C.!! I thought such a large and complex instrument would have been invented much later than that! If your interested, there is quite a nice web site about the organ.. http://panther.bsc.edu/~jhcook/OrgHist/begin.htm