The Organ, Master of them all - general organ thread

[prémont]

1969 was the time when recreational drugs started to become popular in Paris and this is Lubeck on speed. It was recorded at the same time as his Bach and I think it incarnes the same aesthetic ideas - fresh and vigorous, with very little grandeur or emotional sensitivity.

The Klapmeyer organ was an interesting choice and I wonder if the booklet essay, which are often excellent for Astrée, discusses it.

Yes, I agree very much with this. Other than that I find his approach pretentious and ostentatious - maybe the works had not yet matured in his mind, he was about 40 years old. What bothers me the most however, is the strange and often tasteless registrations (reeds with tremulant or too little 8') he uses, when the music asks for a normal plenum. I think he might have made a much more memorable integral, if he had got the chance some 25 years later.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Funny and insightful comment. Thanks a lot.  I will stick with Coudurier and Flamme.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

The description corresponds to what I think about Jean-Yves Thibaudet, a French pianist.

Yes, I agree very much with this. Other than that I find his approach pretentious and ostentatious - maybe the works had not yet matured in his mind, he was about 40 years old. What bothers me the most however, is the strange and often tasteless registrations (reeds with tremulant or too little 8') he uses, when the music asks for a normal plenum. I think he might have made a much more memorable integral, if he had got the chance some 25 years later.

[Que]

Funny and insightful comment. Thanks a lot.  I will stick with Coudurier and Flamme.

My favourite:



Q

[ahinton]

Date for the diary...

The term "organ spectacular" has undoubtedly been so widely used as to have become something of a cliché, but it's certainly one that would fit the event taking place on 20 May 2018 in the Great Hall of Hamburg's prestigious Elbphilharmonie, commencing at 18.00, in which the three-movement Organ Symphony No. 2 by Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji will be performed by Kevin Bowyer, the only organist ever to have played it. Completed some 86 years ago, its première did not take place until 2010 and it has received two further performances since; it's one of the most challenging works in the organ repertoire. There will be intervals of c.30 minutes between the first and second movements and c.50 minutes between the middle movement and the finale. The performance is likely to end between 03.45 and 04.00 the following morning. The Theme and Variations middle movement plays for around 4 hours and the fugue that closes the finale alone occupies some 2 hours.

When I say "a date for the diary", that will only be for anyone who's able to get returns, as the 2,000+ seat venue has already been sold out for this concert for almost four months!

[Mandryka]

Falcioni's recording is not bad, but it is plastic and faceless. Any good recording on Georg Muffat??

Saorgin uses a nice old French organ (Malaucène) and  I think the music sounds good. There's a feeling of improvised virtuosity in his recording, as you'd expect from someone who has specialised in Stylus Fantasticus.

Having said that, I agree with the opinion that there's a lot to enjoy in Kelemen's CD.

Has anyone heard Tobias Lindner'a Muffat CD?

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Saorgin uses a nice old French organ (Malaucène) and  I think the music sounds good. There's a feeling of improvised virtuosity in his recording, as you'd expect from someone who has specialised in Stylus Fantasticus.

Having said that, I agree with the opinion that there's a lot to enjoy in Kelemen's CD.

Has anyone heard Tobias Lindner'a Muffat CD?

Thanks a lot. I will look for the Saorgin recording.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

My favourite:



Q

Thanks to the members' recommendation months ago, I listen Berben on Spotify, probably it is my fav now.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

When I was looking for Kelemen's Muffat, I saw these. The north German box set includes Lubeck and Bruhns. Probably I will buy it unless you senior members oppose it. Have any of you checked his Bach set? Any opinion?

[prémont]

When I was looking for Kelemen's Muffat, I saw these. The north German box set includes Lubeck and Bruhns. Probably I will buy it unless you senior members oppose it. Have any of you checked his Bach set? Any opinion?

Kelemen's North German box is excellent.

His Bach CD arrived to me yesterday, I expect to listen to it in the nearest future.

[prémont]

The description corresponds to what I think about Jean-Yves Thibaudet, a French pianist.

I do not think these traits are reserved for Frenchmen. 

[prémont]

Has anyone heard Tobias Lindner'a Muffat CD?

It is in my "awaiting listening" pile.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Very good idea to issue north and south German box sets, separately. Hate to sound ignorant, but is the north-south musical difference largely tied to Protestant-Catholic division? Were these North compositions played in Protestant churches, and the south compositions in Catholic churches?   

Kelemen's North German box is excellent.

His Bach CD arrived to me yesterday, I expect to listen to it in the nearest future.

[Mandryka]

Very good idea to issue north and south German box sets, separately. Hate to sound ignorant, but is the north-south musical difference largely tied to Protestant-Catholic division? Were these North compositions played in Protestant churches, and the south compositions in Catholic churches?

In fact, I've only ever seen work linking theological ideas and musical style in the case of Bach, maybe the work still needs to be done for some other composers.

Snyder argues that the biggest shaping force on Buxtehude was the nature of the organs he played -- and of course the music that he had heard. The extent to which Frescobaldi's music was known about may have been a bigger influence on organ music style that anything coming from church teaching.

I know that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but from my position of ignorance Bach seems uniquely theological/philosophical -- as if his music is sometimes a text in sound, an  articulation of his beliefs. I think this is one of his main areas of genius.

[Mandryka]

Matthew Owens, Frobenius Edinburgh, Pachelbel, really nice playing, sober and intense and poetic, and a very attractive organ too. It does not sound like equal tuning to me, but I can't be totally sure. Either the selection of pieces, or Owen's performances, or my mood, has me convinced that Pachelbel was a very great writer of organ music.

[prémont]

Matthew Owens, Frobenius Edinburgh, Pachelbel, really nice playing, sober and intense and poetic, and a very attractive organ too. It does not sound like equal tuning to me, but I can't be totally sure. Either the selection of pieces, or Owen's performances, or my mood, has me convinced that Pachelbel was a very great writer of organ music.

The organ is equally tuned. Information here:

http://www.canongatekirk.org.uk/organ/

I acquired Owens' Pachelbel vol.1 (on another organ). Found him a bit earthbound and matter of fact (like so many Pachelbel interpreters - Payne, Christie e.g.). Pachelbel's music is obviously difficult to play in an engaged way, and I have not considered vol.2., but now I wonder if I should download it from Presto.

[prémont]

Very good idea to issue north and south German box sets, separately. Hate to sound ignorant, but is the north-south musical difference largely tied to Protestant-Catholic division? Were these North compositions played in Protestant churches, and the south compositions in Catholic churches?

Both North German and South German organ composers wrote music for use at services at their respective churches. Concerning the style I think the most influential factor was local composing traditions, more than how the music was used.

[Marc]

I ordered 'something completely different' today:



It's got Stanford, and Kitson, and Wood, and... Widor... and... Bach.

[Maestro267]

I picked up a disc the other day that included two organ works by Ligeti: Volumina and Harmonies.

Insane! That is all.

[prémont]

I ordered 'something completely different' today:



It's got Stanford, and Kitson, and Wood, and... Widor... and... Bach.

One more BWV 565  played with at least some dexterity