Sir John Stainer is remembered today as a pioneer of English musicology.
Beyond his duties as organist of London's St. Paul's Cathedral, he was a
founder and president of the Musical Association, professor of music at
Oxford, vice president of the Royal College of Organists, and later
president of both the Plainsong and Medieval Music Society and the
London Gregorian Association.
In this highly readable volume, Stainer's objective was "to place the
true principles of organ playing before the beginner," so that the
student would "face at once the special difficulties of the instrument
and persevere until they are surmounted." He begins with a brief history
of the instrument followed by an explanation of organ construction, a
thorough discussion of the various stops and their management, and a
major section devoted to practical study -- including detailed pedal
technique, precision in manual touch, hand-foot independence, pedal
scales, trios, and finger substitution to achieve a perfect legato. With
the author's meticulous explanations and accompanying illustrations,
students can actually teach themselves to play.
Sir John's book, first published in 1877, quickly became the classic for
beginners -- so popular that publishers Schirmer, Ditson, and Presser
each issued its own "Americanized" edition in the early twentieth
century. In addition to the seven organ pieces of the original edition,
including five of Stainer's own works and two pieces by Guilmant, three
additional works round out this Dover edition.
