Saturday, March 22, 2008

Toccata in D Minor & Other Music

My students (I teach World Geography in high school) ask me if I can play the spooky Halloween music when they find out that I can play the organ. It seems as if Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D Minor is mandatory for any organist. So I decided to look at the sheet music on the Werner Icking Music Archive. I found out that it is not all that difficult (at least the beginning is not all that difficult). So now I can not play the first two measures (sort of), so when my students ask me I can say that I am working on it.

I am also finally learning how to play hymns on the organ. I learned "Silent Night" for Christmas, and am working on "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" for Lent. I am also working on "Amazing Grace," which I found out is even easier.

I also heard "The Queen's Funeral March" by Henry Purcell on YouTube. Music composed for the funeral of Queen Mary II. This piece is short and just a series of chords, so I almost have that down as well. In a week or two, I should be able to put them up on YouTube so you can hear how this music sounds on the WurliTzer.

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