Complete Organ Method: A Classic Text on Organ Technique

Description

Sir John Stainer is remembered today as a pioneer of English musicology. Beyond his duties as organist of London's St. Paul's Cathedral, he was a founder and president of the Musical Association, professor of music at Oxford, vice president of the Royal College of Organists, and later president of both the Plainsong and Medieval Music Society and the London Gregorian Association.

In this highly readable volume, Stainer's objective was "to place the true principles of organ playing before the beginner," so that the student would "face at once the special difficulties of the instrument and persevere until they are surmounted." He begins with a brief history of the instrument followed by an explanation of organ construction, a thorough discussion of the various stops and their management, and a major section devoted to practical study — including detailed pedal technique, precision in manual touch, hand-foot independence, pedal scales, trios, and finger substitution to achieve a perfect legato. With the author's meticulous explanations and accompanying illustrations, students can actually teach themselves to play.

Sir John's book, first published in 1877, quickly became the classic for beginners — so popular that publishers Schirmer, Ditson, and Presser each issued its own "Americanized" edition in the early twentieth century. In addition to the seven organ pieces of the original edition, including five of Stainer's own works and two pieces by Guilmant, three additional works round out this Dover edition.

cf. this MusicSacra.com forum thread: "Organ self-study for those with a strong musical background?"

Stainer discusses Gregorian chant accompaniment in EPUB ref:12.234:

In the accompaniment of Gregorian Chants the student should remember that a more solid organ combination is required, because they are generally sung in unison. Their treatment is similar to that of the Anglican Chant in the illustration of the text. When sung in unison they provide the organist with an opportunity to use his skill in adapting a suitable harmonization of the melody. A knowledge of the ancient Ecclesiastical Modes is essential, because the modern chromatic progressions are entirely foreign to the pure and noble tendency of these ancient melodies. The student is advised to read the books on accompaniment and general church music, listed at the end of this work [∄ in EPUB ed.], for general information.

Physicist, electrodynamicist Weber's dissertation was on organ pipes.

DjVu pp.
42-136: pt. 4 "Practical Study" (useful for printing to practice; PDF format here is a cleaned-up version of only the "Practical Study")
137-39: contain references for further study not included in the EPUB version
139: § Acoustics cites Helmholtz's On the Sensations of Tone!

PDF version created by:

ddjvu -format=pdf -mode=black -page=42-136 *.djvu book_blk.pdf

This classic method for beginners provides a brief history of the instrument followed by an explanation of organ construction, a thorough discussion of the various stops and their management, and a major section devoted to practical study. Seven organ pieces complete the original edition; 3 additional works have been added to this edition.