Workshop Days 2-3

At this point, my brain is mush.  Low on sleep and low on energy, but high on knowledge.

I didn't get back to the hotel until 10pm last night.  I stayed late after classes to play some organs.  Most of the organs I played are "tracker action" organs, meaning the keys are directly linked to the solenoids that allow air to enter the pipe.  They are very sensitive and, if your technique is sloppy, will reveal your flaws. Even though there are only a few stops on each organ, the stops are, for the most part, beautiful.  I thought I wouldn't like playing the little tracker organs because there are only 6 stops.  Boy was I wrong.  There is beauty in simplicity.  The speaking pipes are only a foot or two from your head, so you can hear every nuance of their speech and clarity.  The flat pedalboards take some getting used to, but when you play, the hard work pays off.

Time for pictures (click to enlarge):

This is the organ "workshop".  

There are 12 digital organs, each with headphones.  

We can all practice and ask for help when needed.  A pretty efficient process.

This is the first pipe organ I played at BYU.

A ten rank Schoenstein 3 manual.  (a rank is a group of pipes)

The pipes are behind the black grates in the background

The P&S six rank tracker organ.  The first tracker I've ever played.

Natural (not white) keys.  With all the stops drawn, it vibrates your whole body.

You can see the color of the keys, and how close the pipes are to your head.

A little harpsichord.  Press the key and the strings are plucked rather than struck with a hammer like a piano.  The first harpsichord I've played.  The keys are about half the size of piano keys.

A nine rank Coulter organ.  Extremely sensitive tracker action.  Barely rest your finger on the key and it will sound.  Flat pedalboard.  Tuned in the Werckmeister III temperament (it sounds more in tune when played in certain keys).

A six rank Wilhelm organ.  Flat pedalboard.  Inverted black on white keys (confusing).  You can "couple" the manuals together (so they both play at the same time) by "shoving" the top manual backward by an inch (called a shove-coupler).  The group of  squatty little pipes is the 8' "Regal" stop, a funny sounding reed stop.

Apparently I forgot to take a picture of one other organ.  I'll have to add it later.  I have also taken some video and audio recordings that I will post later.  I keep running out of hours in the day.

Tomorrow we head to the Salt Lake Tabernacle where an organist will give a demonstration and perform a concert for us.  

Workshop Day 1

I'm here at the BYU organ workshop.

I left Hurricane at 7am so I could get to Provo in time enough to visit family, go to a piano store, check into my hotel, attend the optional 4 hour long opening seminar, and meet up with a friend.

The campus here is very impressive.  Everything is so professional looking and nice.  The huge mountains as a backdrop is pretty impressive too.

I didn't take many pictures today, as I was only in one room.  Classes start tomorrow, and will take up about 10 hours each day, except for Thursday when we go to SLC and won't get back until around 11pm.

Here is a picture of the Madsen Recital hall where the opening seminar was held.  I didn't get there early enough to hear about the 3 manual organ in the background, but you get the idea.  One of the tabernacle organists was at the opening seminar, and I expect she will be playing for some of the concerts held later on.

"Snowball"- got over 40mpg on the way up.