> Ten Commandments of Organ Practice [My comments added.]
>
> http://www.prima.net/nottsorgsoc/Practice.htm
> - with thanks to the TOSA news of New South Wales, Australia
>
>
> >> (1) Thou shalt practice every day, even if only for a short period.
>
> This is good advice. Practice 7/7--daily. And don't be satisfied with a
> short period. The time length should depend in part on the pieces' length.
> Naturally, if one only plays hymns, one can play many in a short time, even
> if every stanza is played.
>
> >> (2) Thou shalt NEVER practice faster than thou canst play perfectly, for
>> it is written: Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.
>
> Sloppy practice isn't really practice. Instead, it's a "hit and miss"
> proposition, the "lick and a promise" approach. Like a kid playing at
> splitting a log or chopping wood, rather than doing it.
>
> >> (3) Thou shalt NOT put off working on the hard parts; David did not
>> invite Goliath to come back after tea.
>
> Work on the parts as they come, hard or easy. A piece isn't learned till
> it's all learned.
>
> >> (4) Thou shalt work out a usable fingering, inscribe it on thy papyrus
>> and NEVER vary from same -- for Fumble Fingers Find Fate Fickle.
>
> Figure out the fingering that works for you. Since males usually have a
> shorter index finger than females, females' hands tend to be smaller than
> males', and their hands more fat on them than males', their fingering might
> not be exactly the same as males'.
>
> >> (5) Thou shalt never apologize for thy playing, nor say "Oops!" when thou
>> makest a mistake, for thou wilt only draw attention to things which
>> otherwise would never be noticed by the thick people.
>
> Most people won''t notice your mistakes. Even if they do, most will forgive
> you. So nothing is gained by voluntarily saying you made them to other than
> your teacher.
>
> >> (6) Thou shalt practice each composition in short segments; that thy
>> fingers may not break off more than thy mind can chew.
>
> Not all organists agree with this approach. But it's best to use the
> approach your organ teacher says to do as long as you're under his or her
> instruction.
>
> The physicist organist who posted these 10 Cs on organ practice in his
> website says it's best to learn a piece as a whole. My own practice has
> been to go over a piece completely once to get the gist of what it's about.
> Then break it down as I see the need, similar to the way my organ teacher,
> Stanley Ledington, taught me to do.
>
> >> (7) Thou shalt listen ... and not only to organists, for it is written:
>> What this untidy world needs is fewer organists and more musicians who can
>> play the organ.
>
> Most so-called "organists" are just that, in title only. As has well been
> said, "The organ is the easiest instrument to play wrong, and the hardest
> to play right!" So I agree, organ students and professed organists should
> listen and watch other organists and musicians at every opportunity, as
> well as listen to recorded music. That way one can learn what to do, as
> well as what not to do.
>
> >> (8) Thou shalt NOT play pedals without shoes ... for thy Odor-eaters may
>> be spent, and besides, it leads to sloppy playing.
>
> Absolutely. No exceptions in public nor for practice. I can see how an
> organist, studying a score, while sitting in a chair in his or her stocking
> feet or slippers, might want to try out a bit of it. And not want to take
> time to put on shoes. But public playing or practice should always be with
> shoes.
>
> >> (9) Thou shalt begin and end each practice session with something thou
>> canst play readily, that thou mayest not be discouraged.
>
> If one has several pieces going at the same time in varying stages of
> finish, this would be easy to do. Also via playing a hymn or two one is
> very familiar with. As I've said, and the physicist organist agrees,
> playing hymns correctly on the organ takes much more organ skill than many
> organists think. They're not a "piece of cake."
>
> It literally took me years of research and practice to learn how to play
> hymns as they should be played. This included how via accents according to
> each of the various time signatures. And which notes to tie and which not.
> Playing congregational hymns and choral sentences and responses correctly
> is the most important job a Protestant church organist has!
>
> >> (10) Thou shalt always remember that thy practice is a labour of love and
>> that by persistence (oft proved by thyself in other undertakings) thou
>> canst bring to pass many wonders.
>>
> This is true. By painstaking practice for several years after I quit formal
> lessons under Ledington, I got where I could play Bach much better than I
> thought I could!
>
> There's an 11th Commandment of Organ Practice:
>
> 11. Thou shalt pray before practicing organ. Pray thou play "in holiness
> beauty" which 2 Chronicles says was done by the Levite choir. Pray thou
> play with the "spirit and the understanding" which Psalms says
> instrumentalists and singers are to do.
>
> Sincerely,
> Pauline Phillips
> Pauline Phillips
> <A HREF="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JustIntonationOrganSchool/">Just
Intonation Organ eSchool</A>





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