banner
Who am I Publicity Concerts Recordings Hosa Useful Links Archive Relaxation Contact

Anne Page Organist / Harmonium recitalist: Tips and Tricks

Bach's Orgelbüchlein Pedal technique tips



Pedal Technique

Prelude

Video

Introduction to Toe only Pedal technique and Bachs organ bench

Bach BWV 644 Ach wie nichtig ach wie flüchtig

Preparing the simpler movement of a single upbeat to the octave before adding the leaping motif.
Prepare every note well in advance and wait in readiness

 

Bach BWV 601 Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottes Sohn

Thinking of the feet as a pair to find notes accurately

Bach BWV 602 Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott

In scale passages the lateral shift to the next pair of notes helps to define the strong-weak accent pattern.
The right foot takes the accented notes in descending passages,
the left foot in ascending ones.
Remember: Right Down | Left Up
For an upbeat to the next accented note use the same foot twice.

Bach BWV 607 Vom Himmel kam der Engelschar

The playing radious is centred at the front of the raised keys (sharps and flats), the feet playing neither too far forward on the accidentals nor too far back on the hatural keys.

The pedal application for the main motif is from Bach's pupil Johan Tobias Krebs' copy of the piece

Bach BWV 615 In dir ist Freude