Method of Organ Playing » (8th Edition)

Thirty-five years of organ teaching and years of research as a musicologist have made Gleason's guide one of the most reputable and well-documented of its kind on the market today, providing future organists with the musical and technical foundation necessary for mastering the fine art of organ playing. Reflecting the latest principles of techniques and interpretation, it offers clear, basic instruction, providing users with a solid foundation and practical start to a lifetime profession in organ playing. Supporting technical practice with important and applicable background musical information, it includes a new section "An Outline of Study for the Beginning Organist" which shows users how to use the book in the most efficient manner to achieve their particular career goal. Also available in Braille for use in schools for the blind. Ideal resource manual for organ faculty and those interested in a background study of organ playing.

I. Introduction, The Organ, Registration.

Introduction. The organ. General description. Classes of pipes. Qualities of tone color. Mutation stops. Mixture stops. Registration. Germany in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. France in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Italy in the seventeenth century. Germany in the nineteenth century. France in the nineteenth century. United States in the twentieth century. Use of the swell pedal and crescendo pedal.

II. An Outline of Study for the Beginning Organist.

III. Manual Technique, Manual Exercises, Part Playing.

Manual technique. Position at the console. Manual exercises. Attack and release. Legato and detached notes. Finger extension. Finger independence. Finger substitution. Glissando. Finger crossing. Part playing.

IV. Learning Techniques and Compositions for Manuals.

Learning techniques. Practicing. Fingering. Touch. Accents. Memorizing. Compositions for manuals.

V. Pedal Technique and Pedal Exercises.

Pedal technique. Position at the console. Practice techniques. Pedal exercises. Attack and release. Intervals within the compass of a fifth. Each foot moves the interval of a second. Each foot moves the interval of a third. Heel and toe pedal substitution. Each foot moves the interval of a fourth. Each foot moves the interval of a fifth. Each foot moves the interval of a sixth. Exercises based on pedal parts in compositions by J.S. Bach. Pedal glissando. Two- plane pedaling. Advanced pedal substitution. Alternate toe in wide intervals. Heel and toe in wide intervals. Broken chords. Pedal exercitum BWV 598, J.S. Bach. Double notes. Chords.

VI. Studies and Compositions for Manuals and Pedal.

VII. Performance Practice.

Ornamentation. Spain. Italy. England. France. Germany. Ornaments. Embellishment of sixteenth-century music. Notes Inegales. Fingering. Sixteenth century. Seventeenth century. Eighteenth century. Touch. Legato. Nonlegato. Staccato. Phrasing. Articulation. Affektenlehre (Doctrine of Affections). Tempo Rubato. Style and Interpretation.

VIII. Service Playing.

Service playing. Hymn playing. Adapting piano accompaniments. A supplementary list of easier service music.

IX. Scales for Manuals and Pedals.

Practice techniques.

Appendices.

A: Graded course in organ playing. B: Organ specifications. C: Organ music of the renaissance and baroque. D: Bibliography. E: Glossary.