Some Points in Organ Playing

by Fred Barker

Organ playing is a subject of so wide an extent that some years' study suffices only to make the student fairly efficient in the manipulation of manuals and pedals; therefore, the "finish" usually seen in players of other instruments is often lacking in organists. Much of the matter which comes under the head of "finger training" in pianoforte playing (such as production and gradation of tone) is unconnected with manual manipulation in organ playing and is generally acquired in a haphazard fashion. When the student has studied his Bach and other purely technical works he has only, so to speak, laid the foundation and built the four walls of his structure; but more needs doing to make it useful or even usable. The writer has come across many "facile" players who possess only a superficial knowledge of tone color and other essentially musical points as applied to organ playing. Of course, phrasing must be considered as the first and most important principle of all expression, and a truly good organ touch is an artistic accomplishment to be acquired only by the truly musical; yet, as a modern writer on organ matters has said, "it is to be feared that nothing is easier than to earn cheap notability or notoriety (as the case may be) by posing as a purist in matters artistic." To ignore the increased facilities for organ expression afforded by modern developments (mechanical and tonal) and to stick to a style of playing similar to that which must have been in vogue in the time of Bach and of Handel is about as sensible and as "artistic" as to insist 011 the retention of the old fashioned harpsichord in preference to the pianoforte.

Much of the prejudice of the older school of performers against modern organ playing no doubt arises from the fact that the various devices introduced for the convenience of the organist are readily susceptible to abuse at the hands of an unmusical practitioner. Let us examine a few devices connected with tone and expression and see how legitimate use may be made of them.

SWELL BOXES.

It has become the fashion amongst a certain class of critics to decry the effect of the swell box on the ground of its being too mechanically produced; thus confounding cause with effect, an evil into which inexperienced critics constantly fall. If a beautiful effect is brought out of a prosaic looking rectangular box with a front of gaping shutters, is not that effect per se as artistic as if it issued from a highly ornamented casket, the curves of whose outlines suggested the "new art?"

In practice the swell pedal is possibly no better understood or manipulated than it was after its introduction. Our pupils practice assiduously to attain a correct gradation of tone on the pianoforte; but why do not organ pupils practice systematic exercises in the use of the swell pedal? The particular capabilities of each swell should be carefully studied and experimented with and the organist should know the balance or contrast between every possible combination of swell stops with every gradation of the pedal- and the rest of the organ. A swell crescendo should be made very carefully, bearing in mind that the greatest amount of tone escapes during the first inch of opening the shutters; therefore they should be opened very slowly at first. As a rule, when the pedal has gone one quarter of the way down the crescendo is half made; the remaining three quarters should be operated more quickly. The last half of the arc which the shutters describe affects the tone very little; and this should be borne in mind in closing them. In making a crescendo the exact note upon which it ends should be determined and the pedal should rest at the "open" point exactly as the finger falls on the note. Having thus described how the crescendo should be made, we must leave it to the student's good taste and musical feeling to determine when; only reminding him that the device gains in effect from not being too frequently employed.

It has been pointed out that when balanced swell pedals are placed adjacent to each other and without raised divisions between them, two may be operated simultaneously with one foot. Where this is desired the combination of swell and solo (when tuba is enclosed) is no doubt the most useful, producing (with both coupled to great) a really brilliant and powerful crescendo. When great organ reeds are enclosed, almost as brilliant and perhaps a more useful crescendo may be obtained by combining great and swell pedals. These combined pedal effects are of necessity of a forcible character, the softer and fancy effects being produced by contrast. In passing, a charming combination is to couple swell celestes to a quiet string stop on the choir organ; and. playing on that manual, alternately to open and close swell and choir shutters (as though slowly blowing a harmonium). Of course it would be impossible that such an effect could be continued for any length of time, on account of both feet being taken from the pedal clavier. Let me say here that any change of stops or the operation of any mechanical device which necessitates any change in the text of the music should be most strictly avoided. In his extemporized pieces the organist may occasionally allow himself to mold the form of his piece to bring out some special tonal device; for it is questionable whether all musical ideas are actually conceived ii, the form of abstract music (either harmony or melody), but whether the germ may not be some tonal or rhythmic device which needs clothing in notes in much the same way as the motive of an orchestral composition is clothed in its tonal dress of many colors.

But to return to our subject. An organist who alters the text of the music for any cause whatever cannot be held guiltless: and. as there has been no other method of control invented for the swell than that by the fee:, in many cases a desirable crescendo must arbitrarily be dispensed with. 1 ha\e treated the swell pedal at sonic length because, although simple to work, it is often operated in a very slovenly way. But, as in all branches of musical practice, success attends the student who practices with his ears open.

COMBINATION OF REGISTERS.

Organ teachers who are themselves first class recitalists are too wise to take it for granted that pupils will "pick up" the necessary knowledge of stop combination of themselves; but, as all pupils are not fortunate enough to study under such, their enquiries on the subject are often met with the rejoinder, "Oh, you learn to pedal and play smooth and that will come of itself!" As well tell a youth to write good counterpoint and that a knowledge of instrumentation will come. The young student by experiment usual!}' finds out that stops labeled 8 ft. speak at unison pitch; those at 16 ft. and 4 ft., one octave lower and higher respectively, lie is told that organs vary so much that there is hardly any law for stop combination. True, there is no law (like strict counterpoint); but there are broad, well defined principles that he would do well to notice.

Stops are used in two ways: (i) the tone is "built up" and (2) it is "contrasted." The first method does not give special prominence to any part; the second allows two parts to be heard simultaneously (through the tones being so different in color as each to be easily recognized) or it gives one part special prominence as a solo and the other- a subordinate place as accompaniment.

BUILDING TONE.

We may summarize a few broad principles, arguing only from established facts. Let us suppose a note sounded softly on any natural speaking instrument. We hear a unison note sounded; and, if we desire to amplify the sound, we augment the force which causes the note to sound. We obtain harmonics or overtones, appearing successively as the force increases; and, under favorable conditions, these harmonics produce also a combinational note or undertone. If we require a louder tone, after we have augmented the tone of our one instrument as far as possible we add another instrument tuned to the same pitch; or, if we want less harmonics, we augment our tone by adding other instruments earlier. These instruments need not necessarily be of the same family of tone. From the facts we may infer several principles applicable to the subject. That foundation tone (by which we mean pure unison tone without addition whatever) is always in excess of its own harmonics, inasmuch as it is heard first alone, and it is only by augmentation that we obtain the softer harmonics; that harmonics and undertones cannot exist without their own foundation tone, they being not only derived from it but set in motion by the same agency; that different species of tone may be mixed, provided that their foundation tone is in stronger evidence than the harmonics. Though some may not consider these principles to offer an exact parallel to organ tone building, they are certainly true; and, moreover work out correctly when applied. Their application to the manual stops is so obvious as to need no further explanation other than that the 8 ft. work is considered to be the foundation and that it may consist of four families - diapasons, strings, flutes and reeds, each of which should be built according to the fore-going principles. The 16 ft. (undertone) should be drawn if the twelfth is required; but it is not absolutely necessary with the fifteenth nor yet with the reeds. It should always be used with any row of pipes speaking other than the octave, fifteenth or twenty-second.

When great and swell organs are coupled together the tone on each should be complete in itself on the fore-going plan. It may, however, differ in power, brilliancy and quality; but, as long as each "family" is built correctly, the general effect will be satisfactory.

As regards the pedal, the same principles apply, the 16 ft. being the foundation. The selection here is usually more restricted and the student is warned against using too heavy a pedal. it is always wise to keep a reserve of power for special effects. - Musical Opinion