# Widor Toccata causing leg injury.



## pwhs (Oct 2, 2013)

I recently started playing a church organ again after many years and naturally, there were two pieces I very much wanted to play - the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor and Widor's Toccata. The pedal work in the Bach is probably more challenging than the Widor but the Widor on only the second page has a two octave stretch on the pedals and in practising this I have managed to damage a muscle in my right leg. It is probably poor technique on my part but it is quite difficult to stretch the legs that distance without hitting the pedals at an angle which I think has caused my injury.

Does anyone have an insight into what I am doing wrong.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Muscle memory encouraging you to do things you are no longer fit to do?


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## pwhs (Oct 2, 2013)

Enthusiast said:


> Muscle memory encouraging you to do things you are no longer fit to do?


Quite possibly, yes. Sigh, maybe I should stick to playing "Sheep May Safeky Graze".


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## Monsalvat (11 mo ago)

I might have expected the Widor toccata to cause a finger/arm injury, but not a leg injury! Make sure the bench is placed correctly for your height. If you change the two-octave leap into a one-octave leap by bringing down the upper part, I doubt most people would be able to tell the difference, and it might help you practice the piece more comfortably until you are able to take the larger leap.


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## pwhs (Oct 2, 2013)

That is an eminently sensible suggestion - thank you. The organ bench is fixed and non-adjustable the church itself is cold - really cold. I used to step out of the church in January and think - it feels pleasently warm out here.


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