How do you stretch fingers so far?

Hi all,

I like this song and just printed it out yesterday, so far I'm not finding it to be an overly difficult piece from a reading standpoint but, WOW (!), how does a person get the right hand fingers to stretch so far? Take a look at the beginning where the Choeur 1 starts, that B, G, B stretch with the right hand is tough!

http://burrito.whatbox.ca:15263/imglnks ... alogue.pdf

I watched the video of Ken Cowan playing this at St. John the Devine and he makes it look like it's no big deal, for me it feels like I'm some sort of contortionist. There's a few other spots in this piece I find impossible to stretch as far as the notes ask (amongst a few other pieces here and there) and my hands aren't small, I also find no way of substituting a left hand finger or two. What's the secret? Some sort of special finger stretching / torture before you play?

Thanks,

Marc

No special finger contortion or torture exercises required as far I can see, unless you have very small hands? There's nothing more than an octave between the lowest and highest notes of the RH here. Are you reading it correctly?

Just what was going to say. Nothing but octave stretches.

Hi guys,

Yeah, it sure doesn't look all that difficult and I'm reading it correctly. Usually an octave stretch is not a big deal for me but maybe it's because in this one I'm adding in the extra finger to 1, 4, 5 (that being 4 as the extra finger on the G) that makes it feel awkward to me, that or maybe my fingers are a bit on the short side! I have noticed on other pieces in the past that certain finger placements feel weird at first as well but after awhile it starts to feel more normal, so maybe I just need to take my time and work at it for awhile.

Thanks,

Marc

If you are referring to the BGB chord in the right hand, I would use 1, 3, 5. Much more comfortable than using 1, 4, 5 and I don't think I have excessively long fingers.

If you are referring to the BGB chord in the right hand, I would use 1, 3, 5. Much more comfortable than using 1, 4, 5 and I don't think I have excessively long fingers.

O.K., thanks, Rob. I'll give that a try as I recall I had to eventually go to 1, 3, 5 ask I worked my way up anyways. Ah, the perils of organ playing!

Marc

Also, remember that this was played in Paris, where almost all the churches have long reverb times.
Not that you should play it staccato, but you don't have to worry about being too legato.
Heh, that also goes for St John the Divine in NYC, though you don't hear nearly as much
reverb at the console as a listener hears out in the church nave.

Lovely piece, maybe I should learn it one day. Ahem, I could reach a tenth at one time and
my hands are nowhere near as enormous as were Canadian theatre organist Don Baker.
I'm pretty sure some other organists could reach a twelfth.

Reminds me of a story, I think attributed to Louis Vierne, a young aspiring organist asked him
what to do since he had small hands. Vierne is supposed to have said, Take up the accordion...

Many of the chords are marked staccato - which makes the progression from chord to chord simpler.

Hi guys,

I think for me the biggest issue is the combination of a fairly spread out right hand and the quick cord changes. I also find the E, G, E to be a bit awkward as it feels like I have to stretch my pinky to accurately hit the high E, but I suppose once I do it long enough it will start feeling more normal. Also the A, G, C# was a bit awkward at first until I discovered I can use just my pinky to hold down both the A and G instead of using both fingers 4 & 5 for that part, there's a couple other places with notes right next to each where I see this can also be done. I assume that's the best way to do it?

Here's the video I watched. Mr. Cowan makes it look so easy. I wish!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_EFQcvFxiM

Marc

I certainly would not use the pinky to do the GA. Learn to use 45. It will pay off in the long run. Using the pinky is using the weakest finger to do something tricky and is asking for trouble at speed.
Using the thumb for two notes is often the simplest way to do adjacent notes at the bottom of a chord.

The easiest fingering for the first GrandChoeur chord is 1-2-4. Next chord 1-2-5, the third also 1-2-5. A sixth between 1 and 2 should be no problem (I have small hands).
So basically, keep the 2 on the G. Use only 1 on the lowest notes, and 5 on the highest (except the B where you use 4).