The Organ, Master of them all - general organ thread

[prémont]

Codex Robertsbridge ca.1360 is as far as I know the earliest manuscript with music designed for organ (keyboard) It contains just six pieces.
Codex Faenza (early 14th century) contains a number of instrumental pieces - mostly for two voices, which probably at least alternatively was played on the organ.
But I think the Buxheimer organ book is the earliest greater collection of music intended for organ.

Here is a recording of one of the three estampies from Codex Robertsbridge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY_duFIJ5oI

And one of the others:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnE2MDqYtLw&feature=related

[Jake]

Magical! Those recordings are really interesting.

I shall investigate further. Thank you both!

[Geo Dude]

This recording is wonderful.

[asin]B000001494[/asin]

I was worried that it would be a bit too simplistic and uninteresting, but that's certainly not the case.  I'll definitely be picking up more recordings in this series. (And the other early organ recordings on Naxos!)

[Leo K.]

This recording is wonderful.

[asin]B000001494[/asin]

I was worried that it would be a bit too simplistic and uninteresting, but that's certainly not the case.  I'll definitely be picking up more recordings in this series. (And the other early organ recordings on Naxos!)

That looks interesting, thanks for the heads up!


My latest acquisition is Leonhardt's Sweelinck recording, which my wife got me:



I have not heard yet, and I'm new to Sweelinck!

[Geo Dude]

Make sure to give some thoughts on that recording when you get a chance to hear it.

[Mandryka]

I've been playing Daniel Chorzempa's record of Mozart K608, the Fantasia for mechanical organ.

This is one of my favourite pieces of music by Mozart, and over the years I've listened to lots, including transcriptions for piano and winds. Up to now I'd contented myself with E Powers Biggs's brash bravura take on the music. It's fun.

Nothing had quite prepared me for what Chorzempa makes of it. There's a depth of feeling here which goes way beyond what I've heard from others. The central passage is extremely inward looking.

It's an old recording but one which I'd somehow passed over.  Then premont mentioned Chorzempa and that set me thinking about him. I've got to know it through spotify, where there are lots of other K 608s. But this one is really standing out at the moment.

K608 is one of Mozart's darker pieces, like the Masonic Funeral Music and K475. It's a masterpiece.

[milk]

Having recently gotten into Bach's organ music, I downloaded this for contrast. It is quite a contrast.
It's a very interesting sounding instrument. I'm enjoying this earlier (though not "really, really early") organ music.

[Opus106]

Having recently gotten into Bach's organ music, I downloaded this for contrast. It is quite a contrast.

Next, you should probably try Christopher Herrick or Alain II, for a contrast in sound in Bach.

[milk]

Next, you should probably try Christopher Herrick or Alain II, for a contrast in sound in Bach.

For Bach I have some Herrick, Weinberger, and I bought the integral sets from Foccroulle and Walcha.
Alain II might have to wait. But perhaps I'll get there. 

[Opus106]

A programme that interests me very much.

[asin]B007X8ZDZE[/asin]

This original program brings together composers from 4 centuries: from Kerll, Couperin, Buxtehude and the monumental Passacaglia in C minor by J.S. Bach, far into the 20-th century with Reger, Shostakovich and Jan Welmers.

Recorded on the magnificent Martti Pothan organ Kotka Church in Sweden, by young virtuoso Matthias Havinga, whose earlier recording on this organ (Brilliant Classics 94203) with Italian Concertos by J.S. Bach received enthusiastic reviews in the press.


Bach, J S: Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV582
Buxtehude: Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV161
Couperin, F: Pièces de clavecin II: Ordre 8ème in B minor: Passacaille
Kerll: Passacaglia in D minor -- Edited by C. David Harris
Mendelssohn: Passacaglia in C minor
Reger: Introduction and Passacaglia
Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Passacaglia
Welmers: Passacaglia

Matthias Havinga (Martti Porthan organ in Kotka Church, Sweden)

[JaapT]

I recently bought Joris Verdin's 2 discs with Cesar Franck's organ works. They are in general enjoyable, but he plays all works much faster than any other version I know. But I must say that a fast tempo for Final works very well, with a slow tempo the whole point of the works seems obscure. Another organ player who played Final quite fast was Jeanne Demessieux (from the early sixties). I must say I like her version better. Verdin tries sometimes to do a bit too much with music, changing tempos, playing with dynamics, which I find every now distracting.

Anybody else some thoughts on Verdin, Demessieux or other interpretations of Franck's works?

[Marc]

A programme that interests me very much.

[Passacaglia / Havinga / Brilliant Classics]

This original program brings together composers from 4 centuries: from Kerll, Couperin, Buxtehude and the monumental Passacaglia in C minor by J.S. Bach [....]

[....]

Heard Bach's Passacaglia this evening in the medieval church of Noordbroek (Groningen, NL). American organist Craig Cramer gave a superb performance on the Schnitger organ there. Plus some other titbits from the baroque period, a.o. by Scheidemann, Buxtehude and Böhm. Cramer was in great shape, probably because I wished him good luck beforehand. 0:)

http://www.organists.net/cramer.html



I will be in Cloud Country Land for some days now.

[Kontrapunctus]

This new SACD is quite enjoyable--has amazingly clear sound:



Tracklist:

Präludium & Fuge BWV 533
Passacaglia BWV 582
Toccata & Fuge BWV 565
Toccata, Adagio & Fuge BWV 564
Choräle BWV 617, 636, 648, 709, 727, 731
Chaconne aus Partita BWV 1004

[petrarch]

The Convent of Mafra is a large baroque monastery, built by King John V of Portugal in 1730. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafra_National_Palace.
 
The church includes a set of 6 historic baroque organs and 2 carillons, unique in the world. The 6 organs were recently restored and a concert with the complete set was held a few months ago.  This excerpt is only a small aperitif  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eet-yGNW-EA&feature=related

This is now on DVD + book, a very worthwhile and interesting concert.

[petrarch]

New, and currently on offer at Presto. Has anyone watched this series?

Got it last December. Loved it; great organists, great music, some absolutely fantastic instruments.

[Opus106]

Got it last December. Loved it; great organists, great music, some absolutely fantastic instruments.

Thanks for letting us know.

[milk]

On Saturday, I was fortunate to attend Masaaki Suzuki's Sweelinck harpsichord and organ recital at Kobe Shoin Women's University Chapel in Kobe, Japan. I had purchased Suzuki's organ recording of Sweelinck a week before the concert. However, I went into the event feeling sorry I wasn't going to hear Bach and thinking that I would experience enough Sweelinck to last me a while. Even though I was equally surprised by my reaction to the harpsichord and the organ parts of the program, I'll limit my comments to the organ. I'm not musically educated and this is only the second organ concert to which I've been. The first was a performance by Lorenzo Ghielmi at Izumi hall in Osaka. Izumi hall is a fairly large concert hall and the organ there is, I believe, a large German-made instrument (I'm guessing it was built to accommodate many periods of music). I have to say that this was the most memorable classical recital I've ever experienced. Kobe Shoin chapel is small (ovular shaped?) and only accommodates about 250 people. The instrument is described as a copy (built by Mac Garnier) of a 17th century French organ. I was mesmerized by both the sound of the instrument and by Suzuki's performance. I'm not sure how organ aficionados describe it: wonderful clarity; distinct and interesting variety of tones in the registrations? I've never had quite this experience before. It was a powerful experience for me. Perhaps it was the combination of the wonderful instrument, insightful performance and, I suppose, the beauty of Sweenlick's music. During the concert, I was struck by the depth of Sweelinck's toccatas and fantasias. I feel lucky to have been able to experience Suzuki's recital in such an intimate setting on such a beautiful instrument. I hope I have a chance to attend an event like this in the future. I'm guessing that it's rare to see a top-notch performer in such an intimate setting. I'm enjoying Sweelinck a bit more since the concert - although I'd still like an opportunity to hear Suzuki play Bach live on this organ.     

[Marc]

[....]
On Saturday, I was fortunate to attend Masaaki Suzuki's Sweelinck harpsichord and organ recital at Kobe Shoin Women's University Chapel in Kobe, Japan. I had purchased Suzuki's organ recording of Sweelinck a week before the concert. However, I went into the event feeling sorry I wasn't going to hear Bach and thinking that I would experience enough Sweelinck to last me a while. Even though I was equally surprised by my reaction to the harpsichord and the organ parts of the program, I'll limit my comments to the organ. I'm not musically educated and this is only the second organ concert to which I've been. The first was a performance by Lorenzo Ghielmi at Izumi hall in Osaka. Izumi hall is a fairly large concert hall and the organ there is, I believe, a large German-made instrument (I'm guessing it was built to accommodate many periods of music). I have to say that this was the most memorable classical recital I've ever experienced. Kobe Shoin chapel is small (ovular shaped?) and only accommodates about 250 people. The instrument is described as a copy (built by Mac Garnier) of a 17th century French organ. I was mesmerized by both the sound of the instrument and by Suzuki's performance. I'm not sure how organ aficionados describe it: wonderful clarity; distinct and interesting variety of tones in the registrations? I've never had quite this experience before. It was a powerful experience for me. Perhaps it was the combination of the wonderful instrument, insightful performance and, I suppose, the beauty of Sweenlick's music. During the concert, I was struck by the depth of Sweelinck's toccatas and fantasias. I feel lucky to have been able to experience Suzuki's recital in such an intimate setting on such a beautiful instrument. I hope I have a chance to attend an event like this in the future. I'm guessing that it's rare to see a top-notch performer in such an intimate setting. I'm enjoying Sweelinck a bit more since the concert - although I'd still like an opportunity to hear Suzuki play Bach live on this organ. 
[....]   

Sounds like a great experience indeed. Sweelinck's music is fantastic IMHO. In May, I attended a Sweelinck concert in the village church of Zeerijp, on a 17th century organ (by Th. Faber, A.D. 1651), played by Stef Tuinstra, and that was something quite special.



This next box is a gem. About a year ago there were several opportunities to get it for a nice price ....

http://www.amazon.com/Jan-Pieterszoon-Sweelinck-Complete-Keyboard/dp/B000065618/

These Naxos discs (with Glen Wilson on harpsichord and James David Christie on organ) are very worthwhile, too:

http://www.amazon.com/Jan-Pieterszoon-Sweelinck-Music-Harpsichord/dp/B0020MSTH2/
http://www.amazon.com/Sweelinck-Organ-Works-Jan-Pieterszoon/dp/B000001409/

Btw, I was lucky to hear Suzuki 3 weeks ago in Groningen, NL, playing the historic instrument (a.o. Schnitger/Hinsz) in the Martinikerk. He played Sweelinck, Buxtehude and Bach (a.o. BWV 768 and 582). Another fine experience!

[milk]

Sounds like a great experience indeed. Sweelinck's music is fantastic IMHO. In May, I attended a Sweelinck concert in the village church of Zeerijp, on a 17th century organ (by Th. Faber, A.D. 1651), played by Stef Tuinstra, and that was something quite special.



This next box is a gem. About a year ago there were several opportunities to get it for a nice price ....

http://www.amazon.com/Jan-Pieterszoon-Sweelinck-Complete-Keyboard/dp/B000065618/

These Naxos discs (with Glen Wilson on harpsichord and James David Christie on organ) are very worthwhile, too:

http://www.amazon.com/Jan-Pieterszoon-Sweelinck-Music-Harpsichord/dp/B0020MSTH2/
http://www.amazon.com/Sweelinck-Organ-Works-Jan-Pieterszoon/dp/B000001409/

Btw, I was lucky to hear Suzuki 3 weeks ago in Groningen, NL, playing the historic instrument (a.o. Schnitger/Hinsz) in the Martinikerk. He played Sweelinck, Buxtehude and Bach (a.o. BWV 768 and 582). Another fine experience!

Perhaps I will have to get to the Netherlands! Thanks for these recommendations.

[Marc]

[....] Thanks for these recommendations.

How could I forget this one?



http://www.amazon.com/Psalms-Geneva-Jan-Pieterszoon-Sweelinck/dp/B000J10K64/

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/BIS/BISCD1614

http://www.mdt.co.uk/sweelinck-psalms-from-geneva-organ-works-masaaki-suzuki-bis.html

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=144597

Reviews:

http://www.allmusic.com/album/psalms-from-geneva-mw0001857312

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2007/may07/Sweelinck_geneva_biscd1614.htm