Inspired by the sound of the organ

Roberta Pili — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:01:30 +0000

Mozart called it the king of the instruments, Schumann recommended to learn to play it to achieve more understanding about the power of music, most of the great composers played and wrote works for it. What makes the organ being so extremely apart of all other musical instruments and containing at the same time the power of expression of all these together?
At this point we could not fail to mention the great master Johann Sebastian Bach, who plays the leading role in the music history as an organist of unlimited abilities and as a supreme composer of works for all styles and musical forms. Bach set the fundament of harmonic, chromatic and highly developed contrapuntal structure in all kind of composition. Bach’s prolific attitude toward a great artistic expression led him to improve existing musical forms, creating an innovative way of composing through unfatiguing exploration of original patterns and models. His virtuosity as an organist and improviser definitely influenced his composing style.

The magnificent sound of the organ offers a great variety of harmonic structures, particularly when the use of the pipes through wind reproduces different timbres and volume. Another characteristic of the organ is given by the manuals and the pedalboard. The player is using them separated or in combination with each other, depending on the requirements of the music score.
But the inherent polyphony, which is produced by the pipes sounding simultaneously, can be considered as the real nature of the organ.
The richness of that polyphonic timbre should be the source of inspiration for the study at the piano. We cannot forget that the piano has a close relationship to the organ, even though reduced to one keyboard and three pedals which are only working in direct connection with the sound. But the harmonic structure and the tone extension of our instrument allow us to be able to imitate the organ sound, not only by taking care of a specific touch technique as tenuto and legato but also developing a polyphonic playing.

Play Bach, listen to the organ, and your piano playing will be improving to a higher level…

Sergei Wassiljevitsch Rachmaninoff – 1873-1943

Roberta Pili — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:53:33 +0000

He was one of the most inspiring pianists of the twentieth century. His remarkable personality as a unique artist was perfectly reflected in all his compositions. Sergei Rachmaninoff charcterized the last Romantic piano tradition with his charming, lyric and expressive playing and creative interpretations.
A virtuoso technique, rhythmic precision, colorful tone, polyphonic clarity of inner voices, incomparable sense of lyricism, accurate interpretation of different musical styles, force of expression through every detail of a composition: Rachmaninoff was in absolute possession of all these peculiar “instruments” for his performing.
The great charisma of this pianist came through especially when he played his own works. Due to his personal composing style, which was first influenced by Tschaikovsky, he further developed a contrapuntal writing and a distinguished variety in the chromatic harmonic structure, both deriving from Bach and Chopin.
He certainly dedicated a profound study, work and way of musical thinking from those great composers, becoming idiosyncratic when he created his own music.

It is known that Rachmaninoff suffered from a severe depression, caused by a breakdown after the premiere of his First Symphony. An unproductive period of about three years stressed him that much, but finally he recovered through a hypnotic therapy by the psychologist Nikolai Dahl. He was able to compose again and he wrote his gorgeous Second Piano Concerto, which was dedicated to his therapist. He recovered from that deep psychological crisis, finally being successful with the premiere of the Concerto.

Nevertheless a sort of darkness characterized the soul of his following works. Even his playing changed and became the idealized source of sadness of his inner being.
Probably because of his emotional power Rachmaninoff´s music has been often criticized by puristic tendencies, reduced just into sentimental patterns.
Of course we would face his works on the wrong side when accepting this theory, rather a deep understanding of his personality and his highly-structured music would bring us to a more faithful interpretation of the great composer.
In conclusion, Rachmaninoff remains an Immortal in the universe of great pianists.

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Inspired by the sound of the organ

Sergei Wassiljevitsch Rachmaninoff – 1873-1943