How did young people learn to play church organs in the 18th century

[Lindegard]

Hello, for a work of fiction I'm writing, how would a child or early teen learn to play a large church organ at the end of the 18th century (in Northern Europe)? Are there any books or articles I can consult? Online searches to date have not been helpful.

I am interested in knowing what he (probably "he") would learn first. If the child could already play the piano, what would his first lessons cover? How could those short legs reach the pedals? Were there typically two keyboards and could a child or young teen reach all the keys? What other difficulties would he encounter? I am assuming that organs at that time were "powered" by human-operated bellows, correct? I am not an organist myself (only a fan :-) Thanks very much! Lindegard

[Menschenstimme]

While I am not qualified to answer your question(s) - I do have one theory. You correctly mention that 18th-century organs were blown by human pumping. I think that this may have been the origin of the still-popular concept that one must learn keyboard playing in general on the piano before approaching the organ.

One would not want to hire an organ pumper to practice scales and fingering and articulation, etc. Today we have electronic instruments that will fit in a home. If you want to play the organ, why not start from the beginning on an AGO console at home and then graduate to a real church organ (either upscale digital or pipe) when your skills justify the use of an instrument of this caliber?

Pardon my digression - but this may at least provide some food for thought.

I will you all the best.

[douçaine]

In the baroque era, the instrument of choice for practice was the pedal harpsichord (or pedal clavichord). In the romantic era, the instrument of choice for practice was the pedal piano. It's only lately that practice organs have become popular; neither Bach nor Widor had to deal with the teeny organs with a few flutes that go "beep" right into your face, placed in a room small enough that playing even with those few stops for five minutes will give permanent hearing damage. Someday, they better provide earplug dispensers in practice rooms, or all the good organists will be deaf, and all the hearing organists will be bad.
Fun suggestion: find (or already own) an old piano, and an old pedalboard, then make the pedals drive the lowest keys on the piano. Convenient practice (no waiting for a computer to boot), not to mention it will really help your heel-toe technique (usually, people press down either harder or softer with their heels than with their toes, which will be readily apparent using a pedal piano).

[SubBase]

Musicians from 1850 onward were able to keep a harmonium handy for practice and composition From Liszt himself to Lefebure-Wely, Gigout, Guilmant, Rossini, etc. all had practice harmoniums.
Casey

[Lindegard]

Interesting comments, thank you, All!

Appreciate your comments, Everyone! Looking forward to reading more in the coming days. Lindegard

Hello, for a work of fiction I'm writing, how would a child or early teen learn to play a large church organ at the end of the 18th century (in Northern Europe)? Are there any books or articles I can consult? Online searches to date have not been helpful.

I am interested in knowing what he (probably "he") would learn first. If the child could already play the piano, what would his first lessons cover? How could those short legs reach the pedals? Were there typically two keyboards and could a child or young teen reach all the keys? What other difficulties would he encounter? I am assuming that organs at that time were "powered" by human-operated bellows, correct? I am not an organist myself (only a fan :-) Thanks very much! Lindegard

[ClergetMusic]

All of the historical documents, films, biographies, etc. that I have had the good fortune to have seen or read have depicted practice instruments as either the clavichord, the harpsichord, or the harmonium. I know that Cesar Franck (19th century) really loved the harmonium.

[Havoc]

It's only lately that practice organs have become popular; neither Bach nor Widor had to deal with the teeny organs with a few flutes that go "beep" right into your face, placed in a room small enough that playing even with those few stops for five minutes will give permanent hearing damage.

While maybe not classed as "practise" organs, small organs designed and voiced for "small" rooms were well known and made in their time. I deliberately put small between brackets as those that could afford such organs lived in rather spacious rooms with ceilings higher than todays standards. But they were a good deal smaller than a typical small church. Such organs had nothing more than a couple of registers but could fill a decent room nicely without being overpowering. Think something like chest organs but build like an upright piano.

The point about paying organ pumpers is well taken. But those able to pay for a music education would have had no problem of having the bootboy pump a small chamber organ. Or a footman or two for a larger organ. Gave then a beer afterwards probably. Other gifted young one often got lessons from organists that cared for such things. Those that were at a school that catered for it also were affluent enough to pay or they wouldn't have been in a school to start with.

Those able to afford a pedal piano or pedal harpischord would also not be strained too hard to pay a couple of kids pumping an organ for an hour or two.

[Bruise in the Muttastery]

My thought is, moving away from the aspect of practice, is that youngsters who were in choirs might have become intrigued by watching the organist play (that's how I started -- he wore white bucks, too!). Watching is a very important learning device and after having noticed the chorister's interest the organist might have started showing the different sound, letting the chorister "play" at the keys or pedals, and then after he's hooked, promote him to pumping!

As a youngster I was somewhat unruly in rehearsals and because I played the piano somewhat, the director had me move to accompanying which kept me busy. But not busy enough. She discovered by interest in the pipe organ and made a deal with me that if I would behave in rehearsals (and church!) that I could come in on Saturdays and she would let me wonder in the two organ chambers which were easily accessed from a second floor stair well by the choir room. Oh, how I loved walking between the main Swell chest and the off-set chests, and sitting carefully on the walk-boards as the pipes happily chirped away. The other chamber had the Choir, Great and Pedal, but for some reason my favorite was the Swell. I think it was because the Rohrflote was so cute!

It was also fun to sit in front of the Bourdon 16 basses and wait for my face to be blown as the pipe was played. This became a deep love and even at the age of 25 I remember standing "face-to-face" with a hooded trumpet like a demented RCA dog as the organist demonstrated the high-pressure AEolian-Skinner reed. Oh, glory, oh glory! ;-)

Anyway, that's my theory! ;-)