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The Magazine Section of KEYBOARDNEWS.COM
The Internet Magazine for Organ-Keyboard Players & Enthusiasts
Fake Organ Players
What Professionals Say
My View - Johannes Freitag
I feel I have to write and express my feelings after reading about fake players on the Keyboardnews website.
I write from the bottom of my heart when I say that what I have read is absolutely true, because here in Germany there are at least three top players who play using WAV for 90% of their programme – and sometimes a full play back.
What a difference to the good old days when we played the Hammond and theatre pipe organs.
What is the future of organ playing? If you are an organist you should be able to play using both hands and both feet without any aids. WAV files and the like can be compared with a man with a bad leg who uses a walking stick. He uses it as an aid to stop himself falling down. It is a crutch on which he can lean on – a support to help him to walk.
| .......the naked organ like the old days
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A short while ago I played a Wersi organ at the Lyme Bay festival with a few numbers on WAV files and I have to say that I felt it was wrong to play that way, especially for organ enthusiasts. Since then I have played live with no tone, rhythm or accompaniment from a WAV or midi-file. In fact my present programmes often includes no added rhythm – what I call the naked organ like the old days.
It puzzles me as to why some players think that an organ has to sound like an orchestra with 100 players. As for me, one year I played a Roland organ that was 16 years old. That organ had no WAV or midi-file player, just a disk drive for changing the presets – nothing else! Ever since then I felt I was playing a little better each day I played it. It was for the simple reason that I had to rely on my own ability to play.
With regard to the players (whom I like personally) who use WAV files, I say to them: “Sit down on the bench of a theatre or church pipe organ, or even a piano, and show your skill.” I am sure the time will come when it will be too much of an effort for you to do so.
It takes more effort to sit down at an organ that has no easy aids to make new arrangements – rather than let the organ play a WAV or midi-file for you.
I am so pleased I can express my views in writing and tell others how I feel. I say to all the players who use WAV and midi-files: “Come back and play the organ as we did in the good old days, with rhythm and nothing else.”
| .......no more than a clown on the stage
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In a way, I feel sorry for the players who do not do this as I personally think that they are no more than a clown on the stage. If you are a baker you have to be good to bake good bread and if you are a good organ player you have to play with hands and feet without technical help.
Every day we see fake television with no live singers and players. I don’t want to see this at keyboard festivals and organ society evenings any more, and I am sure that many keyboard enthusiasts share my feelings.
My 16 year old organ and Tony Stace’s 20 year old organ sounds better to my ears than the new organs that now have WAV files as an aid to playing.
I would like to end by saying that I am looking forward to my appearances in the UK and to play live for those who like the real thing.
Ed NOTE Johannes will be touring the UK in October 2007 and is
looking forward to meeting organ-keyboard ethusiasts who will be able
to see and hear him play live. In the meantime you can look at his
web site.
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