Organ shoes

[Aristide]

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.

Completely agree with ACC.
This manner of pedal playing, when well done, will give you great control of your pedaling. Although it may seem restrictive at first, perseverance will get you there. You will control the entire pedal board this way, from left to right, without sliding on the bench or otherwise unelegant and inaccurate leg-swinging.

On the matter of organ shoes : dancing shoes are a great option and rather easily available. Between the "Latin" and "Ballroom" variants, the most important difference is the hight of the heel. "Latin" would have higher heels, but narrower. I have used ballroom shoes for years, playing all recitals with them.
Using shoes instead of socks or bare feet gives you a more accurate pedal playing also.

(On the other hand - admittedly - using socks nicely polishes the pedal board. I've been known to use that technique on my organ at home. Playing a lot of Dupré provides for the best polishing ,)
The last paragraph may be academically disregarded - use shoes)

 

[acc]

(On the other hand - admittedly - using socks nicely polishes the pedal board. I've been known to use that technique on my organ at home.

You're obviously not alone: see e.g. this video.

Playing a lot of Dupré provides for the best polishing

True, but Demessieux's Six Études and Falcinelli's four Poèmes-Études would do the job even quicker. :grin:

 

[Corno Dolce]

Or the *Perpetuum Mobile* by Wilhelm Middelschulte :grin::grin::grin:

 

[acc]

Indeed, the Middelschulte is a good example, too.

Then, of course, there is the fastest pedalboard-polisher in the world:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nogCZ6RNA0[/youtube]

 

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha ACC,

Paolo Oreni does give Cameron Carpenter a run for the money - no doubt about it!!! Thanx for sharing.

Cheers,

CD

 

[Contratrombone64]

Indeed, the Middelschulte is a good example, too.

Then, of course, there is the fastest pedalboard-polisher in the world:

[youtube]6nogCZ6RNA0[/youtube]

Rather broadsweeping comment eh? And difficult to proove, but yes, very quick on his feet for sure.

 

[ParryHotter]

Yikes!

 

[acc]

Yet another one: Maxime Patel, who's just published Demessieux's complete organ works on DVD. So far, there are four tracks on Youtube (put there by the DVD's publisher):

• Nativité op.4
• Six Études op.5
  • No.1 “Pointes”
  • No.4 “Accords alternés”
• Te Deum op.11

The two Études show that this fellow isn't so bad at pedalboard-polishing, either.

 

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha acc,

Ah yes, that enigmatic lady Dame Jeanne Demessieux strikes again - the funny thing with her music is that it never ceases to amaze and mesmerize me. The chap playing her music does a bang-up job on it - no doubt about it!

Cheers,

CD

 

[Contratrombone64]

Sweet Corn ... I love your new avatar ... it is simply (st john the devine

At least I think it's from the Cathedral of St. John, the Devine, in NYC, yes?

 

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha CT64,

Yes, Its the State Trumpet in St. John the Divine, New York, NY. Ooooh, think of a rank of 85 pipes so that the State trumpet could be heard as 16' - 8' - 4' - Mmmmm, Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

CD

 

[greatcyber]

I think someone should try out these and see how they work:

 

[Corno Dolce]

How positively garish that shoe is.

 

[marval]

I don't suppose the keys work on them, and they don't look very comfortable.


Margaret

 

[acc]

Well, let us put it this way: if you manage to hit the right notes with those heels, surely your pedalling technique must be flawless!

 

[Contratrombone64]

The organist at St. John the Baptist Anglican, Mudgee (like me) plays in socks. When I saw this last Sunday, I questioned him about it (agreeably) and he said that his feet were quite wide and finding suitable heeled shoes that fit AND are narrow and so on and so forth ... so he plays in his socks.

 

[jvhldb]

As mentioned previously I played in socks for 20 years, then with dress shoes with leather under the heal. I bought a pair of Organmasters about three weeks ago and can't imagine how I played without them. They make a huge differance, especially on the old warn out pedal board in the North Church.

 

[Contratrombone64]

jvhldb - organmasters, have you a link to a manufacturer?

 

[Krummhorn]

As mentioned previously I played in socks for 20 years, then with dress shoes with leather under the heal. I bought a pair of Organmasters about three weeks ago and can't imagine how I played without them. They make a huge differance, especially on the old warn out pedal board in the North Church.

From the very beginning, I wore actual shoes that were modified with leather sole and heel. Since I began organ studies in 1960, we had to "make do" with modifying a pair of shoes in cooperation with a local cobbler. (Organmaster Shoes did not come into existence until 1976).

I too cannot play in socks ...

. . . organmasters, have you a link to a manufacturer?

http://www.organmastershoes.com/

Interesting article from BYU* about:
Organ Shoes.


*BYU - Brigham Young University, Salt Lake City, Utah

(Disclaimer for organmaster link: I am not in any way employed or connected whatsoever with this manufacturer. The manufacturer link included in this thread is not to be construed as an advertisement, rather it is included as a direct response to a query within the thread, and as such does not violate the TOS of this forum community.)

 

[jvhldb]

Their web address is http://www.organmastershoes.com/.

The shoes are ugly as sin, but then, I play organ in church and don't do fashion shows.

For the guys and girls wearing boats instead of shoes, they make sizes up to a 16.

As somebody on the forum mentioned, these shoes are "not ment for walking", or standing. It feels like walking in ballet shoes with high heels, but when you play it feels like socks.