Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast
Sep 9, 2026 · 17 min · 10 segments
Should an organist specialize in a specific era, style, or composer—or strive to master a broad, versatile repertoire across all musical periods? In this episode of the Secrets of Organ Playing…
Vidas PinkeviciusHost
Ausra Motuzaite-PinkevicieneHostWell, why do I need to talk about myself? Maybe I just, you know, say what I think about, uh, different, uh, period of time in organist life.
I think when you are a young student, you definitely must play everything.
Because otherwise, uh, how will you get acquainted with, you know, various styles and, uh, various repertoires? So I think it's required for young organist to play everything and to try everything, uh, in order later to choose what they maybe want to specialize.
For students it's, [laughs] it's would be very limited, limiting if, uh, if they only practice and, uh, perfect one historical, uh, style, o- one national school of organ composition, for example.
Somebody in love with North German music would only play music from Hamburg and Lubeck, uh, from 17th century, but not from 18th century, for example.
Um, or somebody in love with Italian r- romantic music, uh, those operatic transcriptions, um, or Padre David de Bergamo, for example, those really, uh, fun pieces to listen and to play, would only play Italian music, no- nothing else, during their formative years.
I think you wouldn't actually even receive a degree because e- each degree has its own repertoire requirements.
So as a young organist, you must play, you know, varied repertoire.
But later on, m- you know, I noticed that very often when, you know, I was young and we were, uh, taking summer academies, for example, in Gothenburg, uh, Sweden or Alkmaar, uh, the Netherlands, or others, you know, master classes, uh, very often, you know, particular professor, particular organist would focus on particular repertoire.
And I envy them because we could do it, you know, we could afford it.
It's so much, you know, easier to get really deep into one area of expertise.
And then, you know, to, [laughs] to play all the lifetime of, let's say, I don't know, pieces by Mattias Weckman or-
That's great if you can afford it, you know, and your school can afford, you know, to pay for you for doing just that.
But I think we, at least I, and I think Vidas, you as well, we don't have such a luxury in our life, you know, just to focus on really one, one part of, you know, the repertoire.
But, you know, um, for example, if, if you study all of the or many historical periods and national traditions, you become more or less like everybody else, right?
Well, why do I need to talk about myself? Maybe I just, you know, say what I think about, uh, different, uh, period of time in organist life.
I think when you are a young student, you definitely must play everything.
Because otherwise, uh, how will you get acquainted with, you know, various styles and, uh, various repertoires? So I think it's required for young organist to play everything and to try everything, uh, in order later to choose what they maybe want to specialize.
For students it's, [laughs] it's would be very limited, limiting if, uh, if they only practice and, uh, perfect one historical, uh, style, o- one national school of organ composition, for example.
Somebody in love with North German music would only play music from Hamburg and Lubeck, uh, from 17th century, but not from 18th century, for example.
Um, or somebody in love with Italian r- romantic music, uh, those operatic transcriptions, um, or Padre David de Bergamo, for example, those really, uh, fun pieces to listen and to play, would only play Italian music, no- nothing else, during their formative years.
I think you wouldn't actually even receive a degree because e- each degree has its own repertoire requirements.
So as a young organist, you must play, you know, varied repertoire.
But later on, m- you know, I noticed that very often when, you know, I was young and we were, uh, taking summer academies, for example, in Gothenburg, uh, Sweden or Alkmaar, uh, the Netherlands, or others, you know, master classes, uh, very often, you know, particular professor, particular organist would focus on particular repertoire.
And I envy them because we could do it, you know, we could afford it.
It's so much, you know, easier to get really deep into one area of expertise.
And then, you know, to, [laughs] to play all the lifetime of, let's say, I don't know, pieces by Mattias Weckman or-
That's great if you can afford it, you know, and your school can afford, you know, to pay for you for doing just that.
But I think we, at least I, and I think Vidas, you as well, we don't have such a luxury in our life, you know, just to focus on really one, one part of, you know, the repertoire.
But, you know, um, for example, if, if you study all of the or many historical periods and national traditions, you become more or less like everybody else, right?
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