The Organ, Master of them all - general organ thread

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

After a lot of serious organ listening the last two years, I am at a bit of a loss as to where to go now...I have greatly enjoyed the French set (22 CD) from Marie-Claire Alain, the Radio Netherlands set of the complete Sweelinck, the complete Buxtehude (Harald Vogel), along with various single disks (CD and LP) of Tunder, Cornet, Mendelssohn, etc. I will likely pick up the complete Marcel DuPre Mercury recordings soon (anathema around here I guess, but I still like him). I am not sure whether it is time for another Bach set yet... Any suggestions?

[Mandryka]

After a lot of serious organ listening the last two years, I am at a bit of a loss as to where to go now...I have greatly enjoyed the French set (22 CD) from Marie-Claire Alain, the Radio Netherlands set of the complete Sweelinck, the complete Buxtehude (Harald Vogel), along with various single disks (CD and LP) of Tunder, Cornet, Mendelssohn, etc. I will likely pick up the complete Marcel DuPre Mercury recordings soon (anathema around here I guess, but I still like him). I am not sure whether it is time for another Bach set yet... Any suggestions?

Just thinking of earlier music, What you've heard is a bit oriented towards the north, and mainland Europe. You didn't like Frescobaldi so we'll forget Italy. My suggestion is that you listen to some music from Spain and England. Maybe Ken Gilbert's The Golden Age of English Organ Music (if you search you'll see I explain somewhere how to get it) and Odile Bailleux Arauxo. Also some Pachelbel - try Rübsam on Naxos.

[Mandryka]

Just had an idea for you, get Andrea Marcon's Domenico Scarlatti CD

[Jo498]

Reger. I hardly know his organ music but in Germany he is considered #2 after Bach.

[Mandryka]

Well, Kollmannsperger plays exellent, buiilding this difficult piece up in a splendid way, I am however not that enthusiastic about the arrangement, which in many of the sections sounds rather un-Bachian.

Yes, I agree with this.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Just had an idea for you, get Andrea Marcon's Domenico Scarlatti CD

Thanks for the suggestions. Despite not liking the Tactus (Vartolo, Lorregiain) Frescobaldi set, I would not rule out further explorations in Italian organ music. The Scarlatti CD looks good. I am not a big fan of the sound of the Spanish organs, tilted as they are to the brass stops. Much of the Spanish music for organ I have heard seemed a bit on the bombastic side. Still, I admit is a small sample, so maybe there are some gems I've missed.

Reger, yes, I have a few CDs and am going to get the complete Naxos set one of these days. His music really takes effort to enjoy, but the effort generally does pay off, in my experience.

[kishnevi]

Thanks for the suggestions. Despite not liking the Tactus (Vartolo, Lorregiain) Frescobaldi set, I would not rule out further explorations in Italian organ music. The Scarlatti CD looks good. I am not a big fan of the sound of the Spanish organs, tilted as they are to the brass stops. Much of the Spanish music for organ I have heard seemed a bit on the bombastic side. Still, I admit is a small sample, so maybe there are some gems I've missed.

Reger, yes, I have a few CDs and am going to get the complete Naxos set one of these days. His music really takes effort to enjoy, but the effort generally does pay off, in my experience.

Re
Reger
I have the Naxos set and the Haas set on MDG. I prefer the latter, but not by much. Try listening to samples of both before you buy.

[bioluminescentsquid]

Bach's Passacaglia played by Serge Schoonbroodt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KBefZtaHoQ

The art installation reminds me of when I visited Amsterdam last year, since the Niewe kerk had several strange exhibitions going on at the same time, and the Oude Kerk had its floor covered in golden sheets!

But I like it a lot, the "plenum approach" on a romantic organ. Does anyone know of other performances like this?

Although at the end, I think because of the recording you can't hear the manual playing very well.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

After a lot of serious organ listening the last two years, I am at a bit of a loss as to where to go now... Any suggestions?

You might try a leapfrog into the twentieth century. I really enjoy Messiaen's organ music. I have the old Weir set below, long OOP but reissued piecemeal on Priory, although Priory's reissues don't seem be in print, either (but check BRO!).

I don't own any other organ discs of Messiaen so I can't compare but there's plenty on YouTube. That's where I got to know Weir.



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Weir also recorded some Messiaen for Decca. I'm assuming this predated the Collins Classics sessions:



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[Mandryka]

IVe been listening to Hans Davidsson's new recording of Bohm's  Ach wie nichtig. He takes his time, and there's lots of space in the music (can't explain it better), there's often a "chamber music" feel I'd say. His gestures, phrases, are very incisive. Beautifully recorded, organ sounds great, registrations are more complementary and harmonious than contrasting. He goes deep into the music - what I mean is the inner voices are very lively and contribute a lot to the effect. He makes Bohm sound like no-one else, not like early Bach, he's found a Bohm-voice.

It certainly held my attention, it's different,  and I'm looking forward to getting to know the set.

[Que]

Sounds good! 

The set was already on the wishlist.

Q

[Baron Scarpia]

You might try a leapfrog into the twentieth century. I really enjoy Messiaen's organ music. I have the old Weir set below, long OOP but reissued piecemeal on Priory, although Priory's reissues don't seem be in print, either (but check BRO!).

I don't own any other organ discs of Messiaen so I can't compare but there's plenty on YouTube. That's where I got to know Weir.



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At $6 I couldn't resist that (even though I already have Messiaen's organ music in the DG set).

[Dancing Divertimentian]

At $6 I couldn't resist that (even though I already have Messiaen's organ music in the DG set).

I haven't heard Latry on DG (although I may try and YouTube him) but I'm enamored with Weir. So, good catch, I'd say.

[Baron Scarpia]

I haven't heard Latry on DG (although I may try and YouTube him) but I'm enamored with Weir. So, good catch, I'd say.

I have to confess I also have Bate.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I have to confess I also have Bate.

I've listened to Bate on YouTube. Apparently she had Messiaen's seal of approval for her renditions. But I'd wager she's not alone in that.

I found her playing very worthwhile, and will probably someday pick up her set. What's most attractive about Bate is she and Weir are polar opposites, at least based on my YouTube listening. Bate's organ is bathed in reverb, with a huge range, sounding like it would rattle the roof off its hinges.

In contrast, Weir's organ has a sharper response, with a certain nimbleness to it: the complete opposite of Bate. The two would make perfect contrasting sets.

[Mandryka]

Sounds good! 

The set was already on the wishlist.

Q

Yes it's very stimulating, full of ideas. A slow, staggering approach in which musical lines are deconstructed 

[Que]

Yes it's very stimulating, full of ideas. A slow, staggering approach in which musical lines are deconstructed 

Well, that's not how I remember Hans Davidsson's style....  0:)

And it's not like any amount of restraint in tempo or any application of staggering as a phrasing technique (on the contrary) would amount to a post-modern "deconstructed" approach....  IMMO of course.... I'm not an expert.

Q

[prémont]

Yes it's very stimulating, full of ideas. A slow, staggering approach in which musical lines are deconstructed 

Now I get curious. Fortunately the set is in my listening-to pile.

[Mandryka]

Well, that's not how I remember Hans Davidsson's style....  0:)

You may be right

[Mandryka]

CPO's second installment of their complete Pachelbel contains something I've never come across before, some "psalmlieder" played by James David Christie, they're a sort of fantasy based on a psalm I suppose   -- am I wrong to think that no one else has recorded this music? Anyway here they are, and one of them at least is interesting enough (psalm 124 for example, a big set of variations on psalm 130 too, which I bet could be made very attractive.)  I can't find anything on the organ online either, and for some reason I can't download the booklet to see if there is a mention of them.