The Best Feet Forward

…putting the pedal to the metal, these compositions make extraordinary use of the organists feet, which often play the music all by themselves.

Listen to the program

1 hr 58 Min

59:00 Min

Program Broadcast dates:

Week of July 7, 2014

Links and Resources:

Printable program listings

Music played in the program

Hour 1

VINCENT LÜBECK: Praeludium in C –Friedhelm Flamme (1737 Treutmann/St. George’s Church, Grauhof bei Goslar) cpo CD-777.198

DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE: Praeludium in C, BuxWV 137 –Ton Koopman (1692 Schnitger/Ludgerikirche, Norden, Germany) Novalis 150048

ARNOLD SCHLICK: Ascendo ad Patrem --Pierre Froidebise (1725 F. C. Schnitger/St. Laurenskerk, Alkmaar, The Netherlands) Nonesuch 71051

J. S. BACH: Prelude & Fugue in D, BWV 532 –Bernhard Klapprott (1761 J-A Silbermann/Arlesheim Cathedral) Aeolus 10761

BACH: Pedal Exercitium, BWV 598 –Kevin Bowyer (1987 Marcussen/St. Hans Church, Odense, Denmark) Nimbus 5734/5

BACH: Kommst du nun, Jesu, BWV 650 –George Ritchie (1981 Brombaugh/Southern Adventist College, Collegedale, TN) Raven 400

DUDLEY BUCK: 2 Studies in Pedal Phrasing, Op. 28 (Nos. 8 & 14) –James Hammann (1866 Hook/St, John’s Anglican Parish, Quincy, IL) Raven 916

JEAN LANGLAIS: Epilogue, fr Hommage a Frescobaldi --Ann Labounsky (1949 Aeolian-Skinner/Methuen Music Hall, MA) Voix du Vent Volume 7

RAFFAELE MANARI: Concert Etude on Salve Regina –David Baskeyfield (Aeolian-Skinner/Washington National Cathedral, DC) Pipedreams Archive (r. 10/24/10)

Hour 2

VINCENT LÜBECK: Praeludium in F –Michel Chapuis (1730 Klapmeyer/St. Nicholas Church, Altenbruch) Astree CD-7782

BACH: Toccata in F, BWV 540 –James Kibbie (1755 Silbermann-Hildebrandt/Dresden Cathedral, Germany) BlockM Records 2007

THALBEN-BALL: Variations on a Theme by Paganini --Thomas Trotter (1834 Hill-2007 Mander/Town Hall, Birmingham, England) Regent DVD-001

NAJI HAKIM: 4 Etudes-Caprices for Pedal Solo –Iveta Apkalna (1987 Rieger/St. Martin’s Church, Wangen, Allgäu) Edition Hera CD-02117

VINCENT PERSICHETTI: Sonatine for Pedals Alone, Op. 11 –Kyler Brown (1942 Aeolian-Skinner/ Church of St. Mary the Virgin, New York City) Gothic CD-49085

LEO SOWERBY: Pageant –Thomas Bara (2003 Reuter/St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Alexandria, LA) Raven 940

The history of the organ’s pedals and their use is adroitly explored in David Yearsley’s recent book, Bach’s Feet. Many organists wear special shoes, and some of the fine-points of pedal technique are discussed in an online forum from the Latter Day Saints church. You can watch Hector Olivera ‘sing’ with his feet, playing the Bach-Gounod setting of the Ave Maria with the melody in the pedals, watch Ken Cowan brilliantly play Sowerby’s Pageant, and delight in Cameron Carpenter's full-court-press rendition of Sousa's Stars and Strips Forever (an arrangement that might make Arnold Schlick smile!).