Today on the podcast we explore episode #2 of the Public Domain. Our focus today is primarily on keyboard and organ music! This week focuses on how to best use the public domain as an organist, both in manuals-only pieces, full pedal works and even arrangements best used for weddings.
When I started to think about the public domain, I thought first of my dependency on the free online tool when I was a student in my undergraduate degree. Like many students, I had very little money, and my music performance degree required me to learn repertoire at a faster pace than my paycheck could allow. Let’s admit it: music can be expensive! So I used the Public Domain to my advantage as much as I could, printing out scores of Vierne and Franck’s music and compiling them into my own 3-ring binder.
I forgot how much of a treasure trove it was to unearth organ pieces, big and small, on the public domain! And so I called my colleague and friend, Chaz Bowers, to explore how he best uses things like IMSLP for both him and his students at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. He currently serves as Director of Music at Saint Michael the Archangel Parish (incorporating St. Bernard and Our Lady of Grace church) in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is also an adjunct professor in the organ and sacred music department at Seton Hill, along with being the Dean of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Guild of Organists until 2021.
Chaz and I talked about the history of IMSLP, and how it can be used for any keyboardist of any skill level. All you have to do is sit down and explore.
