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Bach on the Organ

22K views 76 replies 33 participants last post by  Marc 
#1 · (Edited)
A search of the forum indicates a serious omission: A long-standing (and long) thread for general discussion of Bach's organ works. Favorite recordings? Favorite integrals? Favorite pieces? New and need some help? Post here.

Let's get started ladies and gentlemen.:tiphat:
 
#2 ·
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#4 ·
I love Bach's organ works. I came later to them than his other works, though. I pictured everything being the Toccata and Fugue, which I always thought of as "Dracula" music.

I have a few recordings that I love:
Door Font Curtain Metal Electric blue

This is a great collection of Walcha's recordings, and is my favorite organ recording.

Cloud Sky Building World Architecture

This recording by John Butt is only slightly behind the Walcha, and gets almost equal listening time.

Font Line Gas Circle Electric blue

This album with Biggs was the first I bought, and still enjoy quite a bit.
 
#5 ·
From a fan of Bach's organ works, I recommend the Peter Hurford Box Set:

Sleeve Font Blazer Biography Art


Some recommendations that come to mind:

Toccata & Fugue BWB 450, 565, 566, 538.

Toccata, Adagio & Fugue BWB 564.

Prelude & Fugue BWB 531 - 533, 535, 543 - 546, 551, 549.

Passacaglia & Fugue BWB 582.

Fantasia & Fugue BWB 537, 570/946, 561, 542.

Fantasia BWB 571.

Fugue BWB 574, 576 - 578, 579,

Prelude BWB 569.

Aria BWB 587.

Prelude, Trio & Fugue BWB 545b.

The Clavier Übung III is an outstanding oeuvre.

The Six Sonatas BWV 525 - 530 are equally outstanding.

The Six Concertos BWB 592 - 597 are beautiful; taken some of them from Vivaldi.

;)
 
#8 ·
I only have heard Tom Koopman and definitively Hurford is by far completely superior. His box set is must have for Bach lovers. The strength and depth of his style makes the experience of organ music an outstanding one, beyond that 'church-y' sound.
 
#7 ·
Be warned that some people find Hurford a bit too...monolithic. I'd suggest doing some YouTube 'sampling' before buying a box set. :) (I'm guessing his stuff is out there on YouTube...)

I have Butt's recording of the trio sonatas and they are fantastic. My current set of integrals consists of Foccroulle and Vernet. I'm actually looking for a third set right now and considered Alain's third recording (I'm a dedicated HIPster), but someone suggested that I try an approach that's a bit more Germanic for contrast with the French players. Doesn't seem like a bad idea... (I've heard Walcha II if anyone is wondering; it's not what I'm looking for right now.)

In any case, people looking for individual discs to start with would be well served by the American organist Joan Lippincott. She's done a wide swath of single disc recordings of many of the 'categories' of Bach's organ works and they can generally be found for reasonable prices on the MP at Amazon. She is generally recognized as being a solid (as opposed to transcendent) player at worst, so it's a great way to get a taste of modern Bach playing (as opposed to say, Walcha) and some high quality American organs.
 
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#9 ·
I see some organists receiving strong reviews, and wonder whether anybody has thoughts on them - Christopher Herrick, Kewin Bowyer, Hans Fagius. I have sampled them, and generally like the sound. But I have to admit that Bach's organ works are still very much a black hole for me.

For one who likes Walcha and Butt, what might one recommend in single albums? I have considered Walcha's Art of Fugue, or Herrick's Orgelbuchlein. Any other thoughts?
 
#12 ·
For one who likes Walcha and Butt, what might one recommend in single albums? I have considered Walcha's Art of Fugue, or Herrick's Orgelbuchlein. Any other thoughts?
Yes! I very, very highly recommend Helmut Walcha's "Art"!

The sound is incomparably grand, played with such learned hand. While I have not heard Herrick's album of the little organ book, the effect of Walcha's performance [not to mention the sound quality] is such that I would not hesitate to suggest it.

I've greatly enjoyed Walcha's complete Bach. Tangentially, blasting this music in my car is quite an experience.
 
#10 ·
Well, if you're looking for an excuse for a big box, Fagius' integral is contained in Brilliant's Big Bach Box. Just sayin'... :D

I'll admit that individual recordings are not entirely my area of expertise, but I may be able to help if you can be a bit more specific. Do you want suggestions on which works you should try, which organists, or both? If you have any specific works you want to hear in mind that would be helpful in determining recordings.
 
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#13 ·
At this point, I am not sure what it is I want. I don't know what individual works I would want. I have a 2-disc set of Walcha's recordings, which I showed above. I love it. But I also love that cleaner sound (I am guessing better recording techniques) of the Butt recording. I mentioned The Art of Fugue simply because I am familiar with it and have a non-organ recording of it. I'm not particularly interested right now in a comprehensive box set. In general I like HIP performances, but on organ, I am not sure what that equates to. What are the sound differences between an older organ that would have been contemporary to Bach and a more modern organ?

For now, I think the big thing would be what works to go to next. The Walcha recording I have is a sampling - famous organ pieces of Bach. The Butt recording has 4 Toccatas and Fugues, and the Schubler Chorales. Other than the Art of Fugue, what organ works would be good to go with next?
 
#15 ·
At this point, I am not sure what it is I want. I don't know what individual works I would want. I have a 2-disc set of Walcha's recordings, which I showed above. I love it. But I also love that cleaner sound (I am guessing better recording techniques) of the Butt recording. I mentioned The Art of Fugue simply because I am familiar with it and have a non-organ recording of it. I'm not particularly interested right now in a comprehensive box set. In general I like HIP performances, but on organ, I am not sure what that equates to. What are the sound differences between an older organ that would have been contemporary to Bach and a more modern organ?

For now, I think the big thing would be what works to go to next. The Walcha recording I have is a sampling - famous organ pieces of Bach. The Butt recording has 4 Toccatas and Fugues, and the Schubler Chorales. Other than the Art of Fugue, what organ works would be good to go with next?
Well, since you already like the Butt recording (and his playing style), I would strongly recommend you go for the Trio Sonatas played by him. They're an important part of Bach's organ works and that disc--in the US, at least--is uber-cheap on the marketplace. The Leipzig Chorales played by Lippincott would probably also be up your alley. :) Lippincott has also recorded the Art of Fugue, and it has a good review, but I can't speak to that one myself and feel uncomfortable recommending a more expensive (~$20) recording without having heard it personally.

RE: Kevin Bowyer, I've heard great things about him from several organ 'expert' listeners but haven't yet pulled the trigger on any of his recordings because I've been waiting for a box set, which I don't think is coming, unfortunately. His disc of Brahms organ works is great, though.
 
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#16 ·
I pulled the trigger on the Butt recording of the Trio Sonatas - I bought it through iTunes, so I will load it on my iPod and listen to it (maybe with the other recording as well). This thread is getting me craving organ music.
 
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#18 ·
I decided to download all of the James Kibbie recordings. I don't know how well they are esteemed, but considering they are free, I didn't think I could go wrong, and it at least lets me survey all the works. If I find something I really like, I can hone in on a better recording I may want to pay for. Does anybody know whether his recordings are comprehensive, or if there are still some missing? I had to make space on my iPod to load them all on.
 
#19 ·
I like a variety of organists, but in Bach (Baroque) the one's that I return to most often are Harald Vogel, Christopher Herrick and Gustav Leonhardt. Like many I was brought up on Walcha but I don't connect as well with his way of playing today, he don't do anything wrong, but there are certain mannerisms that bugger me.. (Which I had better words to describe this!). I often find Ton Koopman correct but slightly boooooring, I feel about the same on Preston, Hurford, Fagius, Rogg and Jacob! (I downloaded James Kibbie's free cycle that DrMike mentions above some years ago, after a sample listen I put him in a folder with the label; not bad for what You are paying, but not very exiting either..). Never got in to Kevin Bowyer's Bach, I have a faint memory that I disliked the sound of the Nimbus recording on the sample disc I got, ah, faint memories! :eek:

I have some Argo records with Carlo Curly that are great fun, I love the French organ school(s), fx. Pierre Cochereau, Maurice Durufle (and Marie-Madeleine), Jean Guillou or Oliver Latry to name just a few, but neither are perhaps my first choice in Bach even if most of their Bach recordings have great entertainment value that proves that Bach performance has a millions of variables!

I've probably forgotten a host of names writing this on a commuter train closing in on Copenhagen, but such is life, some pop's to mind easily, some lingers heavily before being remembered. BTW, just hits me Dutchmen Piet Kee and Feike Asma has also recorded some fine Bach...

/ptr
 
#20 ·
I hate the lightweight fast playing that was in vogue at some point. For that reason I am not a fan of John Butt. But even more unpleasant is Ton Koopman; at times it seems he was pretending he was playing a harpsichord.

My favorite type of performance are those similar to Peter Hurford's: something with clarity of counterpoint, natural tempos, and weight. I also love the sound of Silbermann organs and non-equal temperaments so my favorite organist is probably Hans Otto. Unfortunately I have only found 2 or 3 recordings of his on CD.
 
#21 ·
I love pretty much any interpretation of the Passacaglia and fugue, Fantasia and Fugue in G minor (542), Prelude and Fugue in A minor (543), "Dorian" Toccata and Fugue, Piece d'Orge in G major, and the famous Little Fugue in G minor.

If I had to choose an organist for the job, my pick would be Ton Koopman.
 
#23 ·
Peter Hurford's complete Bach is out of print right now, but there's a two disc sampler available. I've ordered it and I'll check this one out and see how it fits in with my more HIP-oriented Bach. Should be a fun experiment, and hard to resist given the price. :)

Meanwhile, I think I'll be checking out Weinberger's set when I get the chance. It seems to attract a wide variety of opinions, widely contradictory. This interests me.
 
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