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Organ shoes

Krummhorn

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
mamills said:
I have never tried special organ shoes for playing the pedals. I've always just played in my stocking feet. As big as my gunboats are, I would probably hit five or six keys at once if I wear shoes. So I go on and on in my socks.
Click to expand...

My "gunboats" are size 13, EEE - just for that reason I cannot play in sock feet at all ... Although I was taught the Gleason method of pedaling, I have crossed over in later years to the Stainer method of pedaling which allows one (amongst other things) to use inner and outer parts of ones foot. When I tried the "sock hop method" I kept stubbing my big toe into the sharps ... for me, playing in shoes is much easier than being sock footed.

I have been using Organmaster Shoes for 48 years ... they are strictly for playing ... standing in them for more than 5 minutes is most definitely painful.

I might just have to get a pair of Hannah Montana Crocks though ... :lol: ...
 
jvhldb

jvhldb

New member
Krummhorn said:
My "gunboats" are size 13, EEE - just for that reason I cannot play in sock feet at all ... Although I was taught the Gleason method of pedaling, I have crossed over in later years to the Stainer method of pedaling which allows one (amongst other things) to use inner and outer parts of ones foot. quote]

Is there any place on the internet I can get more info on the different pedaling techniques?
Click to expand...
 
Krummhorn

Krummhorn

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Hi Johan,

Unfortunately, I could not find an online tutor for pedal technique after searching around for about 30 minutes this morning.

There are two primary organ "Method" books that most organists use:
  1. Harold Gleason - The Method of Organ Playing
  2. John Stainer - Complete Organ Method
I have the Gleason book - purchased in 1960 for $8 USD. The current editions runs well over $125 USD, but I have seen the older editions appear on eBay or Amazon occasionally for lots less, but they are hard to come by.

Our resident pedagogue in organ here, Thomas Dressler, I believe prefers the Stainer methods. Although I learned with the Gleason method, that is playing only on the insides of the feet, I have migrated over to the more freer style of Stainer, which amongst other things, encourages both sides of the foot to be used in pedaling, as well as feet crossing in front and behind one another, something that I no do regularly without even thinking about it.

That said, I would heartily recommend the Stainer publication ... found it was available at places like this site and others as well. Gleason is an excellent publication, but it's price is somewhat "scary" to some. I still refer to mine when I feel my playing is getting too sloppy.

I'll keep searching as time allows for any online tutorials in pedal technique.
 
Krummhorn

Krummhorn

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I know ... it's been almost 4 months since we've seen him about the forums here ... I know he was working on a project composing music for the Psalms (3 years worth, as there are 3 cycles in the liturgical churches), and of course teaching at the college where he is. Hopefully he will return and everything is okay for him.
 
jvhldb

jvhldb

New member
Krummhorn said:
Hi Johan,

Unfortunately, I could not find an online tutor for pedal technique after searching around for about 30 minutes this morning.....
Click to expand...

Thanks for the trouble you went to, but at the current exchange rate the book will cost R965, excluding import taxes and postage. For the time being I'll have to stick to the Ars Organi's "knees and heels together, feel for the openening between the sharps and flats" and my teachers "DON'T cross your feet".:p:crazy:
 

Mush

New member
I have used the Gleason, Stainer, Rink-Rodgers, Dudly Buck and others. My favorite is "Organ Technique: Early and Modern" by Ritchie and Stauffer.

For pure pedal studies the Neilson "Pedal Studies" is the best, with the Schneider "44 Studies with pedal Obligatto" following in second. These go way beyond the minimal coverage on pedalling in any of the method books mentioned above.
 
Krummhorn

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Hi Mush,

Thanks for sharing about these other "method" books - I'll have to check those out for future reference.
 

ludwig

New member
You Are Not Suppose To Wear Playing Shoes Anywhere But On Pedal Board. They Are Suppose To Be Slippery---preferably As Slippery As Possible.
Lvb
 

ludwig

New member
Then you never heard of Flor Peters organ pedagogy books?
Gleason is a rather pompous old **** and I suppose all the claims about pedaling were put to a scientific test---they would come out to be nothing more than mere snobbery.
Foot and Toe technique was not invented until about 1860 by the French and if you are playing an electric action organ in which everything is either on or off---it really does not matter. With Tracker---it possiblely could makes some difference but I still suspect that this is some pompous snobbery left over from the 19th century.
 

ludwig

New member
Sounds like you need to adjust the bench. With American Size 13 shoes you must be one tall person so I would be amazed that you would be able to get your knees under the manuals at all.
 
jvhldb

jvhldb

New member
ludwig said:
Then you never heard of Flor Peters organ pedagogy books?
Gleason is a rather pompous old **** and I suppose all the claims about pedaling were put to a scientific test---they would come out to be nothing more than mere snobbery.
Foot and Toe technique was not invented until about 1860 by the French and if you are playing an electric action organ in which everything is either on or off---it really does not matter. With Tracker---it possiblely could makes some difference but I still suspect that this is some pompous snobbery left over from the 19th century.
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Pleas don't mention Mr Peters and pedaling in the same toppic:eek:. My teacher is adament that I work through ALL his pedal exercises. His instructions on pedaling is quite clear, "knees and heels together" might work for women, but men? And then his current gymnastic exercise that I'm on require that you start at the bottom of the pedal board, with both feet, work your way to the other end of the pedal board, two octaves up, and then back again, while keeping your knees together and staying in the middel of the bench (not easy if your legs are not very long). I can't imagine using this while actually playing something, when playing at edges its much easier to use heels and toes.
 

acc

Member
Well, Peeters actually combined the pedal exercises of the two 20th century giants of organ technique, Marcel Dupré and Fernando Germani. So I guess you can't get better training than that, can you? ;)

The "knees and heels together" goes back at least to Widor (and probably to his teacher Lemmens). Widor also emphasized a practical aspect of this technique: the toes will then span a fifth, whereas with only knees together, they will span an octave. Of course, this depends a lot on the organist's leg- and feet-measurements, and on those of the pedalboard, but these two "compasses" can still be useful.
 

Mush

New member
I like a few of the Peters "Ten Pedal Studies", the two part ones like VIII. I like the Doppelbauer Ten Etudes even better, they are more like pieces. IX is a neat two part invention. However unlike the Peters, there are no markings. So how you pedal it is up to you. If you want to go big, try the Bossi Etude Syphonique, it was out on IMSLP.
 

acc

Member
Mush said:
If you want to go big, try the Bossi Etude Syphonique, it was out on IMSLP.
Click to expand...

On that side of the Alps, there is also some hot stuff by Raffaele Manari (1887–1933), who was Germani's teacher. For example, the 1927 Concert Study on the Salve Regina (dedicated to Germani, by the way) contains some impressive pedalling, especially towards the end. You can listen to it here.
 
Corno Dolce

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
WOW ACC!!!!!!!

Never heard of that gentleman - I have got to look him up in more detail and order this piece of music I just heard - Magnifico!!!

Eternally grateful to you,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 
Contratrombone64

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
acc said:
On that side of the Alps, there is also some hot stuff by Raffaele Manari (1887–1933), who was Germani's teacher. For example, the 1927 Concert Study on the Salve Regina (dedicated to Germani, by the way) contains some impressive pedalling, especially towards the end. You can listen to it here.
Click to expand...

Damn and blast - when I click I hear nothing, most vexing.

Actually, it took ages to load then it blasted me out of my chair ... wonderful piece on a fantastic organ, which organ do you know?
 
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