Bach Toccata (D minor)

[marquito]

Hi!

This is my first post in this great forum, so I'd like to greet you all!
I'm atually just a hobby-pianist...I began playing the piano by the age of 6 and took lessons till I was 15.After a 10-year break of playing I decided to start again (one year ago). I just finished practicing the "Liebestraum" of Liszt and started the Prelude (5th, g minor op. 23) of Rachmaninov which is probably too hard for me. I'm telling you all this so that you know about my skills (or lack of....). Anyway, here is my problem:
A friend of mine is going to get married (in a church) and since he is very, very poor, he can't afford a real organist... so he asked me if I could play a bit. I said yes and now he wishes the Toccata of Bach in D minor. Well, I looked at it and since I always had many problems with "rapid scales" (don't know the proper english expression) it seems quite hard for me, but doable. I 've never played on an organ before and wont get the opportunity to play on one many times before the ceremony. I would be glad If anyone could give me any advices with what I have to be careful when I practice and if its very important to play the bass (with the feet) and what the main differences are between organ and Piano . I have a "clavinova" at home, so I know how an organ sounds and that you cant control the volume but what are the main differences in the finger-techniques (sorry for my bad english...)?

Thanks!

marquito

[thomas_williams]

I'm not an organist but I am very interested in the organ.  It's something I would love to learn, or at least try.  Unfortunately, I can't help you personally, but try the forums at www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f7    There is one dedicated to the organ.

[amp]

I don't know if you have the organ version, but there is really little pedal in it, only on the low bass sections. That will be fairly easy just to add the pedal in in those few areas.

The organ is a wind instrument and piano string/percussion. THe organ is sustained ALL by fingers, so when you practice at home on the piano don't use the damper pedal. When you play the pedals use your toes (just a little hint).

You need to pick registration....I would try to fidn somebody to help you with that.

The stops are arrange like this: 8-foot which plays tonic, 4-foot which plays an octave above, 2 foot- 2 octaves, 16 foot one octaves below, 36-2 octaves below.

The Toccata is loud in the beginning. Use the keyboard called "great" make an arrangement of stops that is fairly loud, making sure to have some 8 foots pulled. Then for the softer areas use another keyboard and make it sound softer.

I'm guessing you didn't know that there was all of this to the organ. And I did a hack job of explaining it. But, if you can't find somebody to advise you, just find a way by pulling stops of making one keyboard loud and the next soft for the differences. But, try to find somebody, even the organist at the church just to advise you on what to do with the stops. The actual playing of the notes isn't the problem.

[Hmoll]

If you are not going to have much of an opportunity to play on the organ before the wedding, I would suggest to the couple that you play whatever music you agree to play on the piano.
The organ is very different than the piano, and I would never let anyone persuade me to play the organ. Too many people say "you play the piano, so you can play the organ." This is a misconception.

Otherwise, it's nice of you to help out your financially strapped friends.