Among musicians, none make as much use of their feet as the organist. One of the greatest challenges in learning to play the organ is learning to play the pedals. A capable organist will be required to play the pedals as adeptly as the manual keyboards. And it’s not just the keys of the pedalboard, the organist uses his feet to control expression pedals and press pistons and coupler levers as well. To make things even trickier, not every organs has identical controls for the feet. In today’s episode, we explore organ music for the pedals.
Playlist
Title: Pedal-exercitum (pedal Exercise) in G minor (BWV 598)
Composer: JS Bach
Organist: Walter Kraft
Album: Bach: The Complete Organ Music
Title: Sonatine for Pedals Alone, op. 11
Composer: Vincent Persichetti
Organist: Kyler Brown
Album: Masterpieces from the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin – Gothic G 49085
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Organ: 1932 IV/93 Aeolian-Skinner, St. Mary the Virgin, New York City, New York USA
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Title: Variationen über ein Thema von Paganini (für Pedal Solo)
Composer: George Thalben-Ball
Organist: Iveta Apkalna
Album: Himmel und Hölle – Edition Hera HERA02117
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Organ: 1987 III/39 Rieger, St. Martin, Wangen, Baden-Württemberg Germany
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Title: Three Fancies for Pedal and Left Hand – You feet’s too big, Misty, A Yorkshire Christmas
Composer: Paul Fisher
Organist: Kevin Bowyer
Album: Sounds of Celebration – Lammas 182D
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Organ: 1969 IV/59 Walker, Blackburn Cathedral, Blackburn, England
Title: Quatre Études-Caprices (für Pedal Solo) III, IV
Composer: Naji Hakim
Organist: Iveta Apkalna
Album: Himmel und Hölle – Edition Hera HERA02117
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Organ: 1987 III/39 Rieger, St. Martin, Wangen, Baden-Württemberg Germany
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Title: Pedal Etude
Composer: William Faulkes
Organist: Paul Derrett
Album: Benchmarks Vol 14 Beverley – Benchmarks 806814CD
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Organ: 1890 II/26 Binns/Wood, Toll Gavel Methodist and United Reformed Church, Beverley, England
Title: Pédale – Fonds, Anches, Tutti
Composer: Jean-Pierre Leguay
Organist: Jean-Pierre Leguay
Album: Les grandes orgues restaurées de Notre-Dame de Paris – Edition Lade EL CD 003
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Organ: 1864 V/153 Cavaille-Coll, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, France
Title: Humoresque for a Pedal Trombone
Composer: Thomas Heywood
Organist: Thomas Heywood
Album: Thomas Heywood’s Grand Organ Gala! – Pro Organo CD 7167
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Organ: 1877 IV/101 E and GG Hook/Andover, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Buffalo, New York USA
Title: Etude Symphonique, op. 78
Composer: Marco Enrico Bossi
Organist: Simon Preston
Album: Organ Spectacular – Decca 421731
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Organ: 1947 IV/112 Aeolian-Skinner, Methuen Music Hall, Methuen, Massachusetts USA
Sheetmusic: PDF