BUXTEHUDE AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE ORGAN AUSTRALIA

[firesong75]

@peteacher52 - Thanks for your comments. You can play this instrument without lifting the fingers high, but I prefer to articulate each note, so adapted technique to do so. Would love to play the big Mander at St Ignatius Loyola!

[peteacher52]

The 10 dislikes can go somewhere where the sun doesn't shine. This organ might have some modern playing aids but it is still a mechanical tracker action organ, and this means it is a difficult and rather heavy action to master. Even the great Piet Kee mentioned this about the Weingarten organ. Dorothy, you did extremely well. How about trying the new(ish) big tracker organ in New York, St Ignatius Loyola? Cheers. Peter, NZ.

[Offshoreorganbuilder]

The depth of touch on the keys looks rather deep. I can quite imagine that playing this particular organ MIGHT be like driving a tractor, regardless of its sound in the building. I am led to believe that, where a large tracker organ is also provided with an electric-action console, it is the electric console which gets the most use, despite all the waffle about the desirable characteristics of tracker! Of course, there will always be room for differing opinions.

[MelosAntropon]

I quite agree with ThatMinidotCom. I'm a lifelong organist, too, and to play this piece - essentially cold - that beautifully on a strange and enormous instrument is a wonderful achievement. Nothing "spits" like a tracker, does it? I also agree that you should ignore the half-wits who's comments demonstrate clearly that they don't have any idea what they're talking about.

[firesong75]

@christianvs1 - I would be interested in hearing your rendition of this piece. I'm always willing to learn something new.

[christianvs1]

A rather clinical, staid and uninspiring performance..pity really. The early Baroque was so coloured with the legendary improvisational skills of Reincken, Lubeck and Buxtehude that JS Bach himself, walked vast distances to hear them!! The music of Reincken, Lubeck and Buxtehude ought always to be read as a skeleton, not as the FULL opus of possibilities (as in a JS Bach Fugue!). This performance was therefore quite disappointing; so many good things could have been done with such a fine organ!

[firesong75]

Thanks ThatMinidotCom! I appreciate your understanding. We had been touring NZ and AUS for a month before this with no time to practice and only found out the organ was available about 2 days before. I am grateful for a lifetime of training that allowed me to step in and do this. Now working on my 80th birthday concert for this spring at UNLV!

[ThatMinidotCom]

Dorothy - take no notice of all the half witted comments by people who don't take the time to think further than their limits of the confines of their own musings.

To play an organ half this size, without a couple of hours of preparation, and in the knowledge that you are being recorded, AND playing Buxtehude.... I take my hat off to you. And far more sensible to let Mark Fisher, who has tended that beast from birth, handle the registration.

Well done!

[firesong75]

To HyQS: As the largest tracker organ in the world, when manuals are coupled, the action is very heavy and requires a piano technique for sure. I had never played the instrument before and had a limited time for this experience, so had to adjust quickly to the situation. If you have a chance to play it one day, you will find out what I mean.

[HyQS]

@firesong75 Yes, I know what you mean. But the accoustic result doesn't meet my approach to this kind of music.

[HyQS]

This kind of playing seems more suitable for a piano - hacking the keys seems not adequate for an organ to me...

[ds1868]

@HyQS As already explained, this is a tracker action organ i.e. the linkages between keys and pipes are mechanical (connecting rods etc) and not electrical. This is also the largest tracker organ in the world, so the action is heavy. This demands a different technique and certainly with all manuals and pedal coupled this is going to be very heavy work. Not for the faint-hearted.

[poodleman65]

All this talk about having somebody changing the stops while you play. Go to any large pipe organ installation and watch the "great organists" play (anywhere in the world); you will always see registration assistants changing stops and turning pages. You are even permitted to do this in examinations through both the Australian Music Examinations Board and Trinity College! Wayne Davey - Organist.

[firesong75]

@poodleman65 Thank you for your understanding of the situation. For a complex instrument like this an assistant was a necessity and the curator was excellent.

[Leonides7404]

Man, das ist ja (fast) schon staccato!!! Das Lied gefällt mir sehr, aber nicht mit dieser Spielweise, schlimm!!!

[Brightstar27]

What a difficult looking instrument!!

[sirhope911]

Could she have played that any faster???? OMG lady SLOW it down!!!

Pipe organs are not a honky tonk piano!!!!!!

[ds1868]

@sirhope911 That was at about the right tempo. Remember the acoustic in the Opera House is not the best for a classical organ, moreover this is a tracker action Neo-Baroque organ, you need to keep it 'crisp' to keep this famous Baroque piece alive.

[Maxbay89]

yeah when your not familiar with an organ especially with one that has so many stops, and you dont have all day to get a feel for it, having someone help you is always great.

[niclashbg]

huuuge sound!

[jAcSToNeDjaK]

Could the organist not have done the stops herslf?

[firesong75]

I had never seen the organ before, and with a limited time to play it, I was truly grateful that organ curator, Mark Fisher, was willing to assist with registrations. With 131 stops and 200 ranks of pipes it is a formidable instrument and a great experience.

[Bartokfriend]

Watch more videos of organ music and you will see that it is very common to have someone assist with registrations. Better yet, get to a live performance--you'll be glad you did!

[firesong75]

This is the largest tracker organ in the world. When manuals are coupled to the great, it requires very strong fingers to play clean lines. Yes, one must sometimes hit/slap the keys to get a response especially with full organ.

[ryorgan]

Is this person really a pianist?

[riverscuomo06]

if it makes you feel any better, it's one of 2 organs in the world that has a 64' pedal reed. the other is radio city.

[codeman2008]

Well maybe that would help. I think part of the problem is that the organ is right up to the console, it's too close, and organ isn't supposed to be heard from that close, there's no balance. I'm sure it sounds much better from farther back. That's the problem with being an organist, we usually have the worst seat in the house!

[firesong75]

You're absolutely correct. My friend with videocam was crammed into tiny space around the bench along with 6 other people. the organ is suspended high on the wall, and to record from the floor would require super equipment. However, it is a fabulous instrument.

[codeman2008]

Thanks! There's a Casavant I sometimes play in my town, the pipe work is right up to the console, just a foot and a half behind the organists back, and when you're at the console, it sounds absolutely horrible, but when you move to the nave, it is a gorgeous instrument! That's why I like to play on nave consoles whenever there's one to play! There may be a delay, but that's is where the organ is supposed to be heard from. :D

[Contrubas]

Amen to that! Although I trained as an organist to conservatoire level and am a professional player now, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Us organists need to hear what everyone else is hearing where possible.

[codeman2008]

A fabulous instrument indeed!

[costasimpson]

@codeman2008

At the Nelson Cathedral in New Zealand, where I am organ scholar, the organ is placed in a loft next to a pillar and gets the BEST seat in the house. You get to look down on everyone during service. It also has a scary spiral staircase to get up to it. And on top of that a beautiful organ!

[organist12345]

Actually this one DOESNT. The 64ft pedal reed is in Sydney TOWN HALL ORGAN!!!

[riverscuomo06]

ooohhhh, alright. good to know.

[ThirtyTwoFoot]

Wrong. The 64 is in Sydney TOWN Hall

[riverscuomo06]

somebody just said that a month ago, but thanks?

[artdecolv]

@riverscuomo06 The two organs that have 64' ranks are the Sydney Town Hall organ and Atlantic City Convention Hall. This Radio City organ has two 32' stops.

[lorbo77]

I don't like this way to play Buxtehude, all slow, with tempo not regular.. Buxtehude was a virtuoso!

[alefroemming]

beautyful....i wish i could play like you!!!!

[Makemyday0126]

Love the video, i reckon drag line operators and organists could interchange jobs, you have a lot of pedal work and handwork to do simultaneously.

[firesong75]

Yes, the organ is complex and requires coordination of hands and feet. But that's the challenge for the "King of Instruments."! Thanks for watching.

[bachprofessore]

This Organ is great for the interpretation of Northern German organ music, like Buxtehude, Lubeck... It's unbelievable that this huge organ is played mechanical

[ezra882]

oh wow organs are way complicated to play, it seems. ill stick with piano

[germromeo]

it is, but it takes practice just like piano does. I've been playing piano for a good 8 years now, and just this past summer started taking organ lessons with the Music Minister at my church. It was weird trying to get that 3rd line for the pedals in my coordination with my hands. But, after 3 months I learned a bach piece already. It just takes practice and patience. Dont limit yourself. Keep it up.

[YesYesYoureRight]

Yamaha make a combined Piano and Organ -try that; best of both worlds.

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Good for... on-days ... and off-days.

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Some models are programable allowing for you to sit back and be the critic! too.

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Cheers

D

[BeFrSc]

what piece is this?

[firesong75]

This is the Prelude, Fugue (not performed here) and Chaconne in C Major by Dieterich Buxtehude. He preceded Bach and Bach admired him very much.

[BeFrSc]

sorry, I meant which BuxWV number is it?

[YesYesYoureRight]

Sorry, you're too technical; take a sample to the music library, yourself.

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[BeFrSc]

I've got the music now, don't worry.

[sondasam]

Wonderful performance! I love this piece. I played the prelude section of this piece in one of my videos as the postlude for the Christmas Eve 2007 Mass. The organ sounds fantastic too!:) Keep posting:)

[firesong75]

Thank you! And I'm very impressed with your collection of organ video favorites.

[accousticdecay]

marvelous, y'all have a g'day! The high C is a bit out of tune, but the organist is right on the money. Wow!