Toccata in G Minor

Toccata means "to touch."  Typically it is a fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virtuosic piece of music emphasizing the dexterity of the performer's fingers.   HOWEVER, notice that in this piece (and in all pieces) I am not playing from the fingers but from the elbow and forearm.  Watch my arm and you will see the proper muscles work.  If your hands or wrists hurt, quit playing from those tiny muscles in the hand and use the larger muscles in the forearm which are actually the muscles which move your fingers.  In this piece since it only requires simple forearm rotation, my supinator and pronator muscles do all the work and my fingers effortlessly go along for the ride.   Although, that three manual stretch at the end is incredibly stupid but, I'll learn my lesson when I sprain something.  Stretching is bad.

Sorry about the aspect ratio being askew.  I upgraded some software and all my videos are coming out funny.  I need to take the time to figure out the settings.   For more information on arm, hand and wrist injuries, go here:

http://www.slideshare.net/sa/8652ca32b9f25fa5adb94fe916c18599

Gigue Fugue, by J. S. Bach

The great Virgil Fox used to introduce this piece on all his tours by assuring the audience that the tune comes "first in the tenor, then the alto, then the soprano, and when the tune hits my feet, I dance the jig." 

This clip is from a pre-recital sound and camera check. 

Fughetta on ITSY BITSY SPIDER

Arranged by Malcolm Kogut (a work in progress)
The church is St. Anne's in Amsterdam, NY.

Contact your Lawmaker

Carillon, by Louis Victor Jules Vierne

While giving his 1750th organ recital, Virene suffered a heart attack, fell off the bench and his foot hit the low "E" pedal of the organ.  Listeners thought it was part of an improvisation he was performing at the time.   It took them about a minute to realize that
something was wrong. 

Spread the Word

A local priest is experimenting with website and twitter teasers about his homily each week and has asked me to create these little promos he calls "Bible Blasts."  Here is next Sunday's theme:  GOSSIP. 

Humoresque "L'organo primitivo," by Pietro Yon

I played this piece on an eight foot flute through the Choir division's antiphonal speakers.  Since they were far away I couldn't hear them so I coupled them to the Great and added this little marimba so that I could play to that.  The people in the pews heard the flute and some thought they heard a chiff coming from the front.  This recording pretty much only picked up the marimba since the camera microphone was closer to the MIDI speaker. 

This is a great piece for working on forearm rotation, relaxing the hand, not playing from the fingers and playing from the elbow.