Ernst Friedrich Richter, Fuga a moll

This is my entree for the Secrest of Organ Playing Contest, week 19.

I play the fugue belongs to the prelude I played for last week's contest. The fugue is based on a modulating theme that leads to a very chromatic piece, without it being too obvious. All in all a nice example of Richter’s craftmanship in counterpoint and composition.

The thing that people who are not familiar with organ music probably find the most intruiging is the fact that you play with the feet as well with the hands. So I thought it a nice idea to use my phone to film my feet as well. Syncing both videos was a bit of a hassle, but I think it came out quite nice. The cameras are on opposite sites of each other and that is perhaps a bit confusing. Next time I better place both cameras on the same side.

Before I started playing the organ I first had piano lessons, for about five years. Having a firm piano technique certainly helps with playing the organ. However, I experienced one drawback: after five years of piano lessons somehow the idea that the lower staff is for the left hand is firmly rooted in my subconsciousness. Organ music is (often) notated on three staves, tthe lowest of which is for the feet. Even now, more than 35 years later, feet and left hand sometimes disagree on who should play what.