Organ Method Question???

[Guest]

Hello all! I was just wondering what you guys think about the "Little Organ Book" by Flor Peeters? Would this be something you would recommend to a beginner? Thanks and take care!

[Menschenstimme]

Re: Organ Method Question???



[quote user="Strad "07""]Hello all! I was just wondering what you guys think about the "Little Organ Book" by Flor Peeters? Would this be something you would recommend to a beginner? Thanks and take care![/quote]</P>


Yes. [I]</P>

[Clarion]

Re: Organ Method Question???



[quote user="Strad "07""]Hello all! I was just wondering what you guys think about the "Little Organ Book" by Flor Peeters? Would this be something you would recommend to a beginner? Thanks and take care![/quote]</P>


No! [I]</P>


[:D]</P>


I much prefer:</P>


J.S. Bach
Organ Works
Book 15
Orgelbüchlein
The Little Organ Book</P>


Edited by Ivor Atkins .. Revised by Walter Emery
Published by Novello</P>


At the outset, I prefer the Novelllo edition over the Flor Peeters edition, merely because the typesetting in the Novello edition is a whole lot more pleasant and easy to look at; and considering the number of hours you will be looking at it, that's important!!</P>


It's been some40 years since I last viewed the Flor Peeters edition, so it may have been upgraded during that time; but I don't recall if Peeters, like alot of others, ignoredprefacingeach prelude withthefoundational chorale, such asincluded in the Novello edition. The inclusion of the chorale, provides an essential reference for an augmented understanding of what Bach was attempting to accomplish.I personally prefer to have the chorale <U>firmly</U> implanted in my mind before approaching the prelude, which provides me with a far greater educational insight into Bach's various approaches to improvision.</P>


Beyond that, The Little Organ Book, whether Peeters, Novello or anonline freebie, is sort of an essentialfocal point for all organ music; loved by beginners and oldtimers alike.</P>

[Guest]

Re: Organ Method Question???

[quote user="Clarion"]


[quote user="Strad "07""]Hello all! I was just wondering what you guys think about the "Little Organ Book" by Flor Peeters? Would this be something you would recommend to a beginner? Thanks and take care![/quote]</P>


No! [I]</P>


[:D]</P>


I much prefer:</P>


J.S. Bach
Organ Works
Book 15
Orgelbüchlein
The Little Organ Book</P>


Edited by Ivor Atkins .. Revised by Walter Emery
Published by Novello</P>


At the outset, I prefer the Novelllo edition over the Flor Peeters edition, merely because the typesetting in the Novello edition is a whole lot more pleasant and easy to look at; and considering the number of hours you will be looking at it, that's important!! </P>


It's been some40 years since I last viewed the Flor Peeters edition, so it may have been upgraded during that time; but I don't recall if Peeters, like alot of others, ignoredprefacingeach prelude withthefoundational chorale, such asincluded in the Novello edition. The inclusion of the chorale, provides an essential reference for an augmented understanding of what Bach was attempting to accomplish.I personally prefer to have the chorale <U>firmly</U> implanted in my mind before approaching the prelude, which provides me with a far greater educational insight into Bach' various approaches to improvision.</P>


Beyond that, The Little Organ Book, whether Peeters, Novello or anonline freebie, is sort of an essentialfocal point for all organ music; loved by beginners and oldtimers alike.</P>


[/quote]</P>
<P mce_keep="true"></P>


What is the difference between the two? Are they the same book by different publishers or what? Sorry for the question...I'm not too educated right yet in the organ. Thanks!</P>

[myorgan]

Re: Organ Method Question???



[quote user="Strad "07""]What is the difference between the two? Are they the same book by different publishers or what? Sorry for the question...I'm not too educated right yet in the organ. Thanks![/quote]</P>


They'represumably different low-cost editions, presumably by different publishers. However, I'd compare the difference between them an another edition like cars. They are the Volkswagen edition, while an Urtext or Baernreuter (sp?) edition is like the Mercedes. Same country, but different car!</P>


For once, I agree with Clarion. [st][li] (Please, Lord, don't smite me now!!!) [8-)]</P>


Peeters and Kalmus editions have some errors in the typesetting. I used their editions in college because it was all I could afford, but in nearly every piece, I have at least one note changed because it was typeset wrong. In BWV-541 (Prelude and Fugue in G Major), there's an entirestaff which needed revision! My taped, handwrittencopy is still in there. I've actually had to change notes for students as well. Thank goodness for Sibelius!</P>


While including the chorale at the beginning of each piece is not requisite, Clarion makes a good point, in that it's difficult to understand what the composer is doing to the piece and the polyphonic parts(contrapuntal), without knowing the original chorale written in homophony (4 parts).</P>


Hope this helps rather than confuses.</P>


Michael</P>

[Guest]

Re: Organ Method Question???

Ok, so let me see if I even understand the two books right. From what I can tell the book written by Bach is just a set of Chorale Preludes, while the one by Flor Peeters is more like a method book comprised of exercises. Am I right or wrong?

[soubasse32]

Re: Organ Method Question???



That is correct, however ... I think this thread needs an intervention. [:S] There seems to be some confusion here, and I think I understand the source of the problem. </P>


For some reasonClarion seems to have thought you were talking about the Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book) by Bach, edited by Flor Peeters. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure Flor Peeters did edit the Orgelbüchlein... [^o)] The thread then got off onto a tangent about whether the chorale should be included or not, which edition is better, etc.</P>


But of course, thatis not the subject at all.</P>


Back to Flor Peeters, who did write his own book, called "The Little Organ Book" - it is worthwhile for a beginner student, as each excercise has a pedagogical goal, and the pieces are specifically written with the idea of teaching beginners at the organ.</P>


I hope that is helpful.</P>

[Guest]

Re: Organ Method Question???

[quote user="soubasse32"]


That is correct, however ... I think this thread needs an intervention. [:S] There seems to be some confusion here, and I think I understand the source of the problem. </P>


For some reasonClarion seems to have thought you were talking about the Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book) by Bach, edited by Flor Peeters. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure Flor Peeters did edit the Orgelbüchlein... [^o)] The thread then got off onto a tangent about whether the chorale should be included or not, which edition is better, etc.</P>


But of course, thatis not the subject at all.</P>


Back to Flor Peeters, who did write his own book, called "The Little Organ Book" - it is worthwhile for a beginner student, as each excercise has a pedagogical goal, and the pieces are specifically written with the idea of teaching beginners at the organ.</P>


I hope that is helpful.</P>


[/quote]</P>


HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [:D] Thank you so much!!!!</P>

[Havoc]

Re: Organ Method Question???

Difficult question. I don't like the Flor Peeters at all because of certain liberties he takes with his adaptations and some of his written out interpretation marks. On the other hand it is a system of exercices that is usable. 

On the other hand I don't think the organ works of Bach aresuitable for any beginner unless he has already a well advanced musical knowledge. Certainly not for someone that never has played any music (let alone organ) at all before. If so then Peeters is more suitable (altough my hair rises thinking about that book). If the starter has already played some keyboard intrument then maybe. But even then I would start with some Bruns, Tunder or so to get the mood before tackling Bach.

[Guest]

Re: Organ Method Question???



I saw both LItttle Organ Books on Amazon the other day. Although I took lessons for six years as a teen, I never did much study of chorale and prelude playing. I wanted to be a supper club organist and play show tunes and pop standards. Would the Peeters book be of any use or is it really elementary? Could it be used to improve hymn playing? I've been using Gleason's Method of Organ Playing but I'd like something more melodic to go with it. Any ideas or recomendations? How does one determine what "grade" one plays at in organ music? I've seen loads of "graded" piano music but not for organ. </P>

[Guest]

Re: Organ Method Question???



What about the "Eight Little Preludes and Fugues" by Bach? These pieces have some nice melodic passages and can be played slowly to gain proficiency. They can be rewarding to play even if one can not really get up to speed. Practice of these pieces can alleviate the boredom of playing scales and finger exercises as they are real music (even if some think they were not composed by Bach).</p>

My favorites are the C major prelude and the F major prelude.</p>

[saudade]

Re: Organ Method Question???



I did "The Little Organ Book' about 15 years ago and thought it was fine. Rodgers book wasn't out at the time, which of course I didn't know, but the Peeters book was very good. It ends with Bach's "Little Prelude in C", although it covers 2 or maybve 3 Orgelbuchlein pieces a bit before that.I stillenjoy playing out of "Little OrganBook" by Peeters. I think "Orgelbuchlein" is too hard for beginning students. The method books and some editions of the Orgelbuchlein say that "Ich Ruf Zu Dir JC" is the one to start with; I'm sure there's lots of opinion on that also. I don't think there's any 'easy' Bach. I started with 'Anna Magdalena's Notebook', you can play them on the organ successfully, since most of the time they are played on piano now, while meant for harpsichord. Then on to 8 little preludes and fugues then 2 part inventions then trio sonatas (not the organ ones). That Bach repetoire along side an Organ method book would be more than enough to start flying!</P>


Jesse</P>

[Cymbell]

Re: Organ Method Question???



For beginning organ lessons it is a fair book at a reasonable cost. I use this with most of my students since they have limited resources for purchasing music and it is also a book they can start out playing pieces at the very first lesson. </p>

However I do supplement it with items from other books especially Stainer (The Organ) - he spends a good deal of time on pedal exercises and finger substitution that I have not found well covered in other books. </p>

Good trio playing I feel is fundamental in good organ skills for developing independence of hands and feet. Stainer takes you through good exercises LH and pedal, RH and pedal and a series of very pretty trios. One of them I still play today (almost 35 years later) and it always gets rave reviews more than anything else I play in services or programs - go figure. </p>

There are also some good trio books available that can be used for service music as well. Building on those fundamentals which Peeters does not cover well is good hymn playing. I found being able to play the chorales harmonized by Bach gives a ton of exercises for hymn playing. If you can master all the movement of parts, musical lines, phrasing, registration, etc then you are well on a good start for good hymn playing.
</p>

Cymbell </p>


</p>


</p>

[Guest]

Re: Organ Method Question???



Are you familiar with this one?</P>


<FONT color=#993333>The Hammond organ : adapted from "The organ," a manual of the true principles of organ playing / by Sir John Stainer, with Hammond organ application by Kenneth A. Hallett.</FONT></P>


<FONT color=#993333>My Gulbransen has drawbars so I thought it might be useful. </FONT></P>

[Guest]

Re: Organ Method Question???

I now have two organ method books. i have Gleason's Method of Organ Playing and just got Flor Peeter's Little Organ Book. Is it best to stay with one or use both? i've just started playing the pieces in the Method of Organ Playing. I find this kind of playing very satisfying and it really helps me mellow out. Any opinions?