J.S. Bach on the Organ

[bioluminescentsquid]

Stray thought.

If Koopman was a a painter, he would be a mannerist.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Stray thought.

If Koopman was a a painter, he would be a mannerist.

Not disagreeing. But rephrased, it sounds quite different:

If Koopman was a a painter, he would be Michelangelo.

[North Star]

Not disagreeing. But rephrased, it sounds quite different:

If Koopman was a a painter, he would be Michelangelo Bronzino.

Leonhardt would be Michelangelo, of course...

[bioluminescentsquid]

Leonhardt would be Michelangelo, of course...

Continuing this little fancy, I would say Leonhardt is Durer.



But based on his artwork collection, he seems to have more of a 18th-century type of aesthetic.

[bioluminescentsquid]

Fear not, it's in the pipeline, although I do not know which recording they take, neither do I know the date Brilliant will release.
The Molardi set has not been the success they expected.

(I think this is in reference to the Bram Beekman set on Coronata?)
Is this true, or just a stray rumor? If true, this is awesome!

[Marc]

(I think this is in reference to the Bram Beekman set on Coronata?)
Is this true, or just a stray rumor? If true, this is awesome!

As far as I understood, it is about either one of Ewald Kooiman's first two OOP integrals.
The first has only been issued on vinyl, and the 2nd one was the cd integral for Coronata.

(Bram Beekman's OOP integral was for Lindenberg. Lindenberg went bankrupt in the autumn of 2008. The firm was well-known in the Lower Countries for a.o. its yummy organ discs catalogue.)

[bioluminescentsquid]

As far as I understood, it is about either one of Ewald Kooiman's first two OOP integrals.
The first has only been issued on vinyl, and the 2nd one was the cd integral for Coronata.

(Bram Beekman's OOP integral was for Lindenberg. Lindenberg went bankrupt in the autumn of 2008. The firm was well-known in the Lower Countries for a.o. its yummy organ discs catalogue.)

Although I'd still like to have a listen of the Beekman (and probably Wiersma's Bach in Groningen), I think this is excellent news!

How would you describe Beekman's playing, as compared to other organists, in his Bach set?

Edit: Just found this. Wow. (Perhaps I shouldn't have leaked it? )
http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/cd-s-en-dvd-s/cd-s-klassiek/m1139867470-zeldzame-complete-bach-serie-bram-beekman-orgel-18-cd-s.html?c=8c285449651fa109c354bbabe740c1b&previousPage=lr&pos=2

[Marc]

Although I'd still like to have a listen of the Beekman (and probably Wiersma's Bach in Groningen), I think this is excellent news!

How would you describe Beekman's playing, as compared to other organists, in his Bach set?

Edit: Just found this. Wow. (Perhaps I shouldn't have leaked it? )
http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/cd-s-en-dvd-s/cd-s-klassiek/m1139867470-zeldzame-complete-bach-serie-bram-beekman-orgel-18-cd-s.html?c=8c285449651fa109c354bbabe740c1b&previousPage=lr&pos=2

Beekman's style is mostly straightforward in a very relaxed and comfortable way, in a style close to the freshly breathing HIP-manner, with a great feeling for registrations. I especially like his choral playing. I listen to his Leipziger Choräle and CU III an 'awful' lot. Only a few free works are played a tad too stiff.
The recording sound is, IMO, impeccable. Ideal combination of the churches acoustics and the sound and features of the historical instruments.

About the Marktplaats add: could be an expensive one. I bought all the orgininal boxes except one (CU III) in 2009, when they were available for still reasonable prices. I borrowed CU III from the Dutch library and made a copy. In later years some folks offered me almost ridiculous prices for a few volumes of both the Beekman/Lindenberg and the Koopman/Coronata set (up to around € 100,-- for either a Beekman or Koopman volume)... but I refused.

I could have been a rich man.

[prémont]

I heard "BACH - Saorgin, organ - O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross BWV 622" on internet, And frankly found it to be quite good! Anyone has more listening experience with this performer?

I have several times recommended his Orgelbüchlein on Harmonia Mundi Fr. The choral O Mench is part of Orgelbüchlein. He did not record much other Bach. He was an interesting and reasonably informed performer. Most of his recordings are on HMF. Buxtehude complete, Georg Muffat Apparatus Musico-Organisticus, some Frescobaldi e.g. Much of it OOP since long.

https://www.amazon.fr/gp/offer-listing/B0000007HN/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

https://www.amazon.fr/Orgues-Historiques-Italiens-Brescia-Bastia/dp/B000FUKNP2/ref=sr_1_30?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1488188852&sr=1-30&keywords=rene+saorgin

https://www.amazon.fr/Orgue-Historiques-France-French-historical/dp/B000FPLUUO/ref=sr_1_31?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1488188929&sr=1-31&keywords=rene+saorgin

[Harry]

I have several times recommended his Orgelbüchlein on Harmonia Mundi Fr. The choral O Mench is part of Orgelbüchlein. He did not record much other Bach. He was an interesting and reasonably informed performer. Most of his recordings are on HMF. Buxtehude complete, Georg Muffat Apparatus Musico-Organisticus, some Frescobaldi e.g. Much of it OOP since long.

https://www.amazon.fr/gp/offer-listing/B0000007HN/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

https://www.amazon.fr/Orgues-Historiques-Italiens-Brescia-Bastia/dp/B000FUKNP2/ref=sr_1_30?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1488188852&sr=1-30&keywords=rene+saorgin

https://www.amazon.fr/Orgue-Historiques-France-French-historical/dp/B000FPLUUO/ref=sr_1_31?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1488188929&sr=1-31&keywords=rene+saorgin

Yes I know you did my friend. I followed your advice and ordered at several places recordings with Saorgin. I always read your postings with interest, for you are far better informed and knowledgeable as I am when it comes to Organ/Choral music (Renaissance)

[Mandryka]

Does anyone have a list of what was on each of Piet Wiersma's Bach in Groningen CDs?  They come up from time to time, I'd like to buy more of them, but it's hard to find out what music is on the CDs when they're offered for sale.

At the moment I could buy 5, 6 and 7. I have the CU3 (was that 1?) Are there any exceptional ones besides the CU3? We're there any disappointments?

[Mandryka]

 

I've been listening to some Leipzig Chorales by Kooiman on Coronata and Aeolus. I couldn't help think of a comment that Sofronitsky made about his approach to Chopin towards the end of his life, in the last studio recordings he made in the early 1960s. He said that he'd found a simpler, purer new style. Maybe a similar thing happened to Walcha too.

[bioluminescentsquid]

Does anyone have a list of what was on each of Piet Wiersma's Bach in Groningen CDs?  They come up from time to time, I'd like to buy more of them, but it's hard to find out what music is on the CDs when they're offered for sale.

At the moment I could buy 5, 6 and 7. I have the CU3 (was that 1?) Are there any exceptional ones besides the CU3? We're there any disappointments?

This isn't complete, but you can see tracklists here
https://freedbcd.ru/?words=wiersma&type=0

Piet Wiersma's Bach also sounds very interesting.

[bioluminescentsquid]

 

I've been listening to some Leipzig Chorales by Kooiman on Coronata and Aeolus. I couldn't help think of a comment that Sofronitsky made about his approach to Chopin towards the end of his life, in the last studio recordings he made in the early 1960s. He said that he'd found a simpler, purer new style. Maybe a similar thing happened to Walcha too.

I would agree, although I've only heard extraits from the rather pricey Aeolus set.
But it seems like something most Dutch organists have in common is that their playing is often stately and muscular, even profound but simple. (Examples like Piet Kee, Beekman, van Beek, de Vries, Doeselaar, van Dijk, Winsemius... let's throw Leonhardt in the mix too)
Most aren't prone to over-ornamentation, even in the Baroquest of works, but tend to convey the "shapes" of the counterpoint extremely well.

Ton Koopman's an outlier.

[bioluminescentsquid]

I would agree, although I've only heard extraits from the rather pricey Aeolus set.
But it seems like something most Dutch organists have in common is that their playing is often stately and muscular, even profound but simple. (Examples like Piet Kee, Beekman, van Beek, de Vries, Doeselaar, van Dijk, Winsemius... let's throw Leonhardt in the mix too)
Most aren't prone to over-ornamentation, even in the Baroquest of works, but tend to convey the "shapes" of the counterpoint extremely well.

Ton Koopman's an outlier.

I just listened to this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xthKosW4Djc
which was a promo for the Aeolus Kooiman set.

It was quite nice, but at some times, he made a few agogics that reminded me unpleasantly of Lena Jacobsen's trigger-finger syndrome music. I guess this piece was still meant for harpsichord, as these agogics probably would be perfectly fine on a harpsichord. (Or is it just how Kooiman plays it? Leonhardt's version of it on organ is also glorious and fits the organ well)

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Hi, any review on Robert Quinney, Christopher Houlihan, or Robert Costin ?
Thanks a lot!

[prémont]

Hi, any review on Robert Quinney, Christopher Houlihan, or Robert Costin ?
Thanks a lot!

Quinney is Bach in modern neo-baroque sound, interpretation straightforward, no-nonsense.

Houlihan I have not heard - probably I shall acquire his Bach CD.

A few days ago I ordered Costin's WTC, may take some time for it to be delivered.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Quinney played at the wedding of Prince William and Princess. I thought you found his playing too fast.
http://www.theroyalforums.com/22452-musicians-for-the-wedding-of-prince-william-and-catherine-middleton/

[Mandryka]

Hi, any review on Robert Quinney, Christopher Houlihan, or Robert Costin ?
Thanks a lot!

Cotlin's WTC Bk 2. Perfectly OK organ, but with limited bass. Tempos, voicing, rubato are middle of the road HIP. The registrations seem absolutely fine to me.

[Mandryka]

Hi, any review on Robert Quinney, Christopher Houlihan, or Robert Costin ?
Thanks a lot!

Houlihan's Bach. I listened to the G Major trio sonata, I was hoping for something interesting because on his website he says

The past sixty or so years have seen numerous, groundbreaking recordings of Bach's music on historic and historically informed instruments; this recording is a decidedly modern take on this repertoire. You'll hear crescendos and diminuendos as well as registration changes that are only possible on a modern organ. I do not believe this distorts Bach's genius, but rather highlights different aspects of it. It's a little like playing Bach on a piano: perhaps one doesn't play it like Liszt would have, but how much does one pretend the piano is a harpsichord?

However I didn't notice anything special.

I thought the first movement was underarticulated and a bit breathless, with undistinguished rubato and not much by way of interesting voicing. The largo was kaleidoscopic and IMO the music just never came off the page, this is partly because Houlihan doesn't seem to able to create a meaningful relation between the voices. I thought the brash registrations in the allegro, and the speed, was irredeemably vulgar, like circus music.