About a week ago, I met the most inspiring person. He is a professional pipe organ player named Robert Huw Morgan and he has changed my life profoundly by letting me see and experience the organ first hand. After meeting him and seeing the incredible things that an organ can do, I officially decided to dedicate my life to music, and write a blog to keep myself focused as I explore new instruments, styles, and genres. I hope that through this blog, I can enlighten you with music, just as Robert Huw Morgan did for me.
I will start where it all began, with the Organ: the king of instruments.
Origins:
The organ is an incredibly old instrument, dating back to 246 BC. It started as a pagan instrument, used for dancing and entertainment, but was adapted for use in Christian churches at around 800 AD. Most pipe organs are now found in churches, and have become a symbol of religious music.
Organs have also changed in shape and size through the years. The earliest organs were much smaller than ones found in churches during the 1600’s. The organs during the 1600’s were often extremely complex, such as the one in Notre Dame Cathedral, which has almost 8,000 pipes. In modern times, organs have once again become smaller and less complex, because they can use synthesized sounds instead of real pipes. However, there are still many large organs in modern society. The largest, the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia, PA, has more than as 28,000 pipes.
Organ Basics:
The organ is played through multiple sets of pipes, which are activated by stops on either side of the keyboard. Each set of pipes (stops) varies both in sound and pitch, depending on their style and size. Some stops mimic flute, brass, or string sounds, while principle stops create the more traditional organ sound. The combination of certain stops creates the overall tone of the music being played, and can be manipulated to change the style of a piece.
The octaves, or pitch range, of the pipes are shown in measurement markings on the front of their corresponding stop. Stops labeled 8’ are in the “normal” position, for the middle C on these pipes has the same tone as a standard piano’s middle C. Since a pipe of half the length of another is an octave higher, the stop labeled 4’ is one octave up. Following the same rule, a pipe double the length (marked 16’) is one octave lower.
Lastly, organ performances are often characterized by the multiple parts played at once. This is made possible with as many as 3-6 keyboards, and occasionally an enlarged keyboard on the floor, which is played with the feet. All these leveled keyboards, combined with the wide range of stops, create the well-loved sound of the organ.
Famous Organ Composers:
Due to the organ’s long history, there are many composers for the instrument. Listed here are just few of the greatest who innovated music during their time:
Antonio de Cabezón (1510 – 1566) – His music is heavily influenced by his Spanish heritage, and his pieces often use the style of teinto*, which originated in Spain during the 15th Century. His use of teinto influenced church music of the time and evolved into the styles of the Baroque period* a century later.
Dieterich Buxtehude (1639 – 1707) – He is one of the few composers who influenced Bach, using early Baroque styles in his compositions. His best known musical pieces, such as the Praeludia*, are very formal and religious. He often will use two voices, which will sound separately, but combine at certain moments to create a harmonious effect.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) – One of the most well-known and respected organ composers, Bach almost singlehandedly developed the Baroque style with his amazing talent and ability. He wrote over 1000 compositions for the organ, orchestras, and other solo instruments.
Modern Organs:
Though the organ’s popularity has declined in recent years, it is still used in modern music. The organ holds an important part in the main theme to Phantom of the Opera and is played still in churches across the world. Electric organs, such as the Hammond organ, were used by pop culture bands such as Pink Floyd and REO Speedwagon during the 70’s and 80’s.
For further information of organs and organ music, I have included some links below. I would like to thank Robert Huw Morgan once again and also thank you for being so darn awesome. :)
***Definitions:
Baroque Period - (16th to 18th Century) A time of great religious influence on the arts. In terms of music, compositions from this period were very lively, yet ordered, often using very simple upbeat melodies.
Praeludia – the Italian word for prelude. Often, organ preludes are based off of the theme of the piece.
Tiento – A Spanish style where parts of a score often imitate each other or engage in duets throughout the piece.
Organ LINKS:
Famously Large Organs - http://www.theatreorgans.com/laird/top.pipe.organs.html
Organ Listening Music - http://www.organlive.com/
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