COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE ORGANISTS' ASSOCIATION
For the majority of the standard repertoire a minimum requirement is:
A Two Manual 56 Note instrument with a 30 note Pedal board and if possible a 'balanced' Swell Pedal.
'PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT' - as with any instrument, careful and regular practice will develop skills and ability.
SIT UP STRAIGHT
Align yourself and adjust stool position so that you can comfortably touch Pedal TOP F/G with your RIGHT TOE and BOTTOM C with your LEFT TOE
Practice & play new pieces SLOWLY to start with. (Some recommend NO FASTER THAN QUARTER SPEED to get notation secure)
Mark and correct mistakes as you practice.
Adopt a fingering plan which allows LEGATO playing ('TREACLE FINGERS') - unless score marks Staccato or detached.
Study and learn all the STOP and COUPLER positions on the instrument - so that these can be changed quickly & accurately
Useful hints and tips on 'The Reluctant Organist Site' - HERE . Also from R. Godfrey 'Lyme Regis Organ School Site' -HERE
The importance of good sleep, vital for learning and concentration is explored in this article, recommended by Hannah, a student at a Denver summer music camp.
A new EXCELLENT resource with some very good illustrations & three COMPREHENSIVE pages from 'Organists Online' H E R E
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Royal College Of Organists (RCO) & The iRCO Virtual Campus:
There is a very good introductory film and reading list which can be accessed FREE if you register for a VIRTUAL CAMPUS 'Guest Account' - H E R E -. Once registered and set up with your recognised Email and Password, you can LOG ON. Go to https://i.rco.org.uk/an-introduction-to-the-pipe-organ-with-andrew-cantrill/ or use the search box on their site for Andrew Cantrill. Many more very good resources are available but as Guest Account holder they are nearly all behind a paywall - typically £3.00 to £9.00 each!! RCO MEMBERSHIP GIVES ALL THESE COMPLETELY FREE, £53 pa Student member [MUST be in FULL TIME EDUCATION] or £102 pa Normal Member.
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A comprehensive well organised web links site for all aspects of Pipe Organ knowledge
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Ideas and lots of information for beginners, especially Pianists and Keyboard players
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American Guild of Organists 30 Video resource LESSONS FOR THE NEW ORGANIST HERE
Another FREE American resource 'Quick Tips for the beginning Organist' :
FREE & low cost- Organ Tutors:
'The Organ' by Walter.G. Alcock - (1913, 134 P), DOWNLOAD LINK HERE (Out of copyright - FREE)
'The Organ' by Sir John Stainer - (1877, 104 P), DOWNLOAD LINK HERE (Out of copyright - FREE)
Other mostly modern in print Organ Tutor Books - SUPPLIER LINKS:
Range of possible ORGAN TUTOR BOOKS from Animus - H E R E
Link Page for range of ORGAN TUTOR BOOKS, progressive pieces and Graded J.S. Bach - RSCM Music Direct - H E R E
(It may be worth looking on Amazon & Ebay they may have good second hand copies at reduced prices.)
LINKS TO Leading Organ Music Publishers & NEW Organ Music Suppliers UK
Church Organ World (Recently taken over ALL organ music supplies from 'Allegro' which closed in Feb 2019)
LINKS TO Second Hand Organ Music Suppliers UK - etc
Used Organ Music. (Dedicated Second Hand site)
Second Hand Organ Music (Animus)
CWOA Have a significant quantity of used Organ & other books, music from the 'Kenneth Heatley Music Bequest'. Mrs Gillian Potts, the CWOA Librarian, is also on the Steering Committee.
All the music we have is available to FREE to CWOA members, for full listing & details please see the Library Page link below:
Good Informative Videos
Royal Hospital School Suffolk - Demonstration and outline with musical Duet examples
Willis Pipe Organ Stony Stratford - overview and how all the parts work
How an Organ makes music - Duke University, includes a demonstration of action. Reed Pipe and Tuning
How does a Pipe Organ work - A Classic FM film with Anna Lapwood
Action Diagrams (Download Links) from CWOA 'Organs for Pianists' event March 2018
Available Practice Instruments
RUGBY:
St Peter & St John's
Clifton Rd, CV21 3QP
3 Manual Bevington/Forster & Andrews
Detached Console - Tab Stops, Choir unenclosed
Detailed 7pp Leaflet with Photos (pdf) H E R E