Widor's Toccata lesson Peter Hayward 

Thanks Peter, good luck with your music. Best wishes - Peter :)

Thank you for this special message, Simon, and I hope you can use music in some to re-connect with your grandmother, on this same organ. I wish you every success with this piece, and indeed with ALL your music. Kindest regards - Peter :)

+wersinut1 You are very welcome, Geoff. Thanks for watching... and enjoy playing this famous piece. Good luck and "Happy Music!!" - Peter :)

Hi David, I am really pleased that you found this helpful. I used to use a similar teaching approach when I was teaching in the UK, mainly to instil confidence which went a long way to a student progressing well with a new piece. I got a real kick from watching their rapid progress. Best wishes to Pauline and yourself, and keep playing "Happy Music!!" - Cheers, Pete :)

Hi Denis, Go on, have a go.... it's not as difficult as it sounds.... so impress you friends :)) Mind you, it gets a bit more difficult in the next part.... STILL, the trick could be... to play the first bit TWICE : and hope folk are impressed enough not to need any more proof that you are brilliant!! - all best wishes from us in Sweden - Peter :)

I realize I am quite randomly asking but do anybody know a good place to stream new series online?

@Angelo Legend lately I have been using FlixZone. You can find it on google :)

Thanks very much, Al. This one was a bit of fun, to demonstrate the benefit of breaking a "complicated" piece down into manageable (understandable) segments, to get a positive response from my students and to boost their confidence with the answer "Yes... I can do that" - and "Yes... is that all there is to it?". I tried to avoid "jargon" words wherever possible, until I had taught the point... THEN I would tell them what they had just done.... Any unnecessary complication around the "twiddle"... would simply have added... (wait for it...) "more dents" to their confidence. Thanks for watching this one, and for your kind comment which I really appreciate. Best wishes, and keep smiling, cheers - Peter :)

Hello Mike, Thanks very much for your friendly message and for watching my little video clip. This is just to "get you started" on playing the Toccata, and if it has given you the inspiration to have a go, then it has done what I set out to do. I wish you every success with your playing, and most of all, keep smiling. "Happy Music!!" - Peter :)

Thank you very much for watching this video, and for your kind comment, which is most appreciated. Kind regards - Peter :)

Glad you liked it! Many thanks, Peter :)

+Charmian O'Brien Thanks very much, Charmian. I really enjoy making music FUN to learn. If students smile, they learn a lot quicker. Welcome back again soon, and thank you for your kind comments, which I really appreciate. Best Wishes - Peter :)

You can get arrested for it nowadays!! LOL :))

+Mike Reed Hello Mike, Thank you so much for your kind messages. I am really happy you liked this bit of musical FUN. When I taught in the UK, I used to really enjoy taking away all the "mystery" of learning a new piece, and was especially happy to hear a student remark.... "OMG, Peter... that is so much easier than I thought!" I got a huge kick from hearing them master a new tune they originally thought "impossible". Thanks again for your friendship. All Best Wishes - Peter :)

Gracias por su comentario amistoso, y por ver mis videos. Saludos amistosos desde Suecia - Peter :)

You are very kind. Thank you for your kind comment, and for watching my video films. Best wishes from Sweden - Peter :)

Hello, thanks for watching this video and I am really pleased that you found it helpful. The problem with your request, is that after the section that I have shown in this video, the "movement" moves into the LEFT hand, and becomes impossible to show (as chord symbols) using the same simplistic chords method, as used in the first part. In other words, the whole thing becomes a LOT more complicated, and needs to be read and practised from the actual sheet music. I would suggest that you find yourself a good teacher, who can maybe help you be showing you, letting you hear the harmonies, and give you a few useful tips on working out those left hand patterns. Sorry I can't be of any more help here. I hope you can find a teacher. Kind regards - Peter :)

+zzzut You are absolutely right about the stamina to play through the whole thing without flagging. At weddings, it is probably a good idea to play it just up until the guests have all left the church, and the photographer has taken the first couple of pictures. This lesson is really just a bit of fun to at least give someone the confidence to try the first part.... hopefully they will then go on to learn the whole piece. Thanks for watching, and for your friendly comments. All best wishes - Peter :)

I agree, Chris. I think a lot of couples choose this one as their "Wedding March" music because : 1) As you rightly say, it is perceived to be difficult. 2) Didn't some royal (Princess Margaret???) have it played at their wedding... or am I imagining that?? Either way, like it or not (and I admit I am NOT a 100% fan of this one!) - It is very popular, and I have often been requested to play it for the "happy couple" - and after all, it is THEIR special day, so who am I to refuse them? Lets face it, during concerts, I HAVE been known to play "Blue Spanish Eyes" when it has been requested by the audience.... I must have NO pride....!!!... but have always been busy, and fully employed during a lifetime as a full-time pro organist. Remember the saying, "He who pays the Piper, calls the tune!" Ours not to reason why..... etc. Cheers :))

Hello, and thanks for listening to my music (and for your kind message). I think you are right when you say that it is the "overplayed" aspect of this piece, that takes the edge of its attraction for me. The piece is one of those that actually feels good to play ; especially on a good church organ. You get that wonderful feeling of sheer power, especially towards the end when you can really "blow their socks off" ! It does need to be played with a good bit of energy though. Played too shyly and it can drag. The middle section (when the left hand takes over the melody) is pretty difficult compared to the relatively simple part which I showed on this video, although as a pianist you will soon fall into it. Individual hand practice is the order of the day, to master this part which is quite taxing on the left hand. However, you can breathe a sigh of relief when you come back to the first section again, and look forward to putting your foot down, and enjoying that power of the full organ, as by now (if playing at a wedding?) everybody is outside, and the place is empty... so you can really let rip and enjoy!! Anyway, I wish you every success (and enjoyment) with your music making, and a very happy Christmas to you from snowy Sweden - "Happy Music!!" to you. Peter :)

That's very interesting to know, thanks Peter. The fact that wedding couples only hear the opening notes before parading off outside with their guests, leaving the rest of the piece to be performed to a deserted church has always struck me as quite bizarre!

Hi Patrick, Thanks for watching this video lesson. The rest of the piece is a bit more difficult as the chords change more frequently, and there is lots of left hand work. The principle is the same... Analyse each bar to look for a pattern to help the hands fit together, musically and logically. A good teacher will be able to help you find various patterns in ANY piece, that will help you to learn it quicker and more efficiently. Good luck with your playing. Best wishes - Peter :)

Hi, really pleased that you found this helpful (but NOT on piano, maybe!) - Thanks for watching and welcome back soon. All best wishes - Peter :)