I appreciate that this seems like a ridiculous question for somebody to ask after 30 years of playing the organ, but setting up a Hauptwerk system at home has me thinking a lot about bench height, distance from manuals, and how I actually sit on the bench itself.
I have always sat very forward on the bench, as it gives the legs the most freedom to move (I'm 5'9" but I have pretty short legs). In his book "Organ Technique", Jacques van Oortmerssen says:
Of course this is only one point of view, but he backs it up with measurements from historical instruments, etc. I don't sit quite that far forward (there's definitely some leg still on the bench) but it's not far off.
When I look at videos on YouTube, most organists seem to sit very solidly on the bench, just as you would for comfort, but pedalling looks relaxed and movement is minimised, somehow. If I try to do that I just can't reach the higher pedal notes with my left foot or the lower notes with my right foot, no matter how much I swivel. It also seems to require a *lot* of movement for me to even attempt this, and when the going gets tough I'm the exact opposite of relaxed. I can get away with that position in hymns or the like, but anything with a bit more virtuosity (even Bach P&Fs) has me moving forward again.
This all has knock-on effects on bench height and distance from manuals, and to be honest I haven't yet settled on a final answer. Obviously "wherever you feel comfortable" is the correct answer, but for whatever reason I'm struggling to find that sweet spot on my home organ. I feel either uncomfortable or unstable a lot of the time, and I haven't quite figured out why yet.
So how do you sit on the bench?
I have always sat very forward on the bench, as it gives the legs the most freedom to move (I'm 5'9" but I have pretty short legs). In his book "Organ Technique", Jacques van Oortmerssen says:
To achieve maximum freedom, it is important that the area of contact between the body and bench is as small as possible. The area where the legs join the buttocks must be situated on the edge of the bench. One must not sit on the bench but, in a manner of speaking, against it. The point of balance is, therefore, the buttocks.
Of course this is only one point of view, but he backs it up with measurements from historical instruments, etc. I don't sit quite that far forward (there's definitely some leg still on the bench) but it's not far off.
When I look at videos on YouTube, most organists seem to sit very solidly on the bench, just as you would for comfort, but pedalling looks relaxed and movement is minimised, somehow. If I try to do that I just can't reach the higher pedal notes with my left foot or the lower notes with my right foot, no matter how much I swivel. It also seems to require a *lot* of movement for me to even attempt this, and when the going gets tough I'm the exact opposite of relaxed. I can get away with that position in hymns or the like, but anything with a bit more virtuosity (even Bach P&Fs) has me moving forward again.
This all has knock-on effects on bench height and distance from manuals, and to be honest I haven't yet settled on a final answer. Obviously "wherever you feel comfortable" is the correct answer, but for whatever reason I'm struggling to find that sweet spot on my home organ. I feel either uncomfortable or unstable a lot of the time, and I haven't quite figured out why yet.
So how do you sit on the bench?