Soubasse
New member
Hi all,
I know I'm new round these parts but I'm experienced enough when it comes to performances.
Having said that, I'd be very interested to know from other performers in the world, about the sorts of things you do to keep organ recitals alive. I'm sure this is a topic that's most likely come up before and I strive every time I play in public, to do something that's hopefully a little different. Later this year, I have another concert coming up on our lovely Town Hall organ and I'm thinking of what to inject into it this time (I'm also turning 40 this year so it's also a little bit of a present to myself and no, before anyone tries suggesting it, I will not be doing an improvisation on 'Happy Birthday' thank you very much ).
I usually try to do themed recitals. My previous one was 'A Collection Of Antiques, Curios And Eccentricities' (with due apologies to The Strawbs!) and I was thinking of making this one 'Theme And Variations' and including the Passacaglias of Bach and Buxtehude, Sweelinck's Est ce Mars or Mein Junges Lieben, a work of my own (Variations on a Theme of Adam de la Halle), Alain's Jannequin variations, etc.
However, I'm starting to have second thoughts and I'm trying to think about just how different I could go. I'm uncomfortable with arrangements of popular pieces (even though I have done an arrangement of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis but I wouldn't call that popular even though it damn well ought to be). I've even been toying with the idea of a medley of Yes/Wakeman tracks which use organ (Close To The Edge, Awaken, Jane Seymour, Judas Iscariot ... for those of you who know!).
Anyone here used any ... err, (ahem) 'gimmicks' for want of a better word to draw in a crowd? I'd be very interested to hear.
Cheers,
Matt
I know I'm new round these parts but I'm experienced enough when it comes to performances.
Having said that, I'd be very interested to know from other performers in the world, about the sorts of things you do to keep organ recitals alive. I'm sure this is a topic that's most likely come up before and I strive every time I play in public, to do something that's hopefully a little different. Later this year, I have another concert coming up on our lovely Town Hall organ and I'm thinking of what to inject into it this time (I'm also turning 40 this year so it's also a little bit of a present to myself and no, before anyone tries suggesting it, I will not be doing an improvisation on 'Happy Birthday' thank you very much ).
I usually try to do themed recitals. My previous one was 'A Collection Of Antiques, Curios And Eccentricities' (with due apologies to The Strawbs!) and I was thinking of making this one 'Theme And Variations' and including the Passacaglias of Bach and Buxtehude, Sweelinck's Est ce Mars or Mein Junges Lieben, a work of my own (Variations on a Theme of Adam de la Halle), Alain's Jannequin variations, etc.
However, I'm starting to have second thoughts and I'm trying to think about just how different I could go. I'm uncomfortable with arrangements of popular pieces (even though I have done an arrangement of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis but I wouldn't call that popular even though it damn well ought to be). I've even been toying with the idea of a medley of Yes/Wakeman tracks which use organ (Close To The Edge, Awaken, Jane Seymour, Judas Iscariot ... for those of you who know!).
Anyone here used any ... err, (ahem) 'gimmicks' for want of a better word to draw in a crowd? I'd be very interested to hear.
Cheers,
Matt