J.S. Bach on the Organ

[Harry]

It's not my favourite boxset, but it's good 'fun'.
I saw the reissue has got 15 cds, which means that the former 4 bonus discs have gone (a.o. his first disc of 1988, and a disc with transcriptions of harpsichord concertos (together with a.o. Marie-Claire Alain)). It's a pity, but... the 15 disc set is still very enjoyable'.

I never understood the fascination for Marie Claire Allan, A set, well all the sets she recorded, sound for me so unlike Bach, and more like Alain. I dislike her playing, and her ego on top of the music.
So having the 15 cd box I do not regret that the additional cd's are not in there.
I probably have to move to my bomb shelter in the garden to avoid all the abuse that will follow after this opinion.

[Harry]

To me, Koopman is a hit or miss, in other words a in-between. (Sorry, Harry.)

I generally appreciate his playing in the chorale-based works, but his overly energetic approach of the free works can be tiresome indeed. Especially when, as in his Teldec integral, the grouping is rather strictly genre-based. It's heavy stuff already to listen to a 70+ minutes disc or recital of only free works in plenum registration by any other more relaxed organist, let alone by Ton ADHD Koopman himself.
But really, I think there is much too enjoy in the chorale stuff. I've heard him play live more than once, and I've heard beautiful renderings of f.i. "An Wasserflüßen Babylon" BWV 653, "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele" BWV 654, "O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig" BWV 656 and "Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ" BWV 639. These works, and a lot of other chorales, are also very convincing IMHO on his DG/Novalis/Teldec recordings.

At home, when I decide to listen to a Koopman/Bach organ disc, it's mostly a 'combined' disc of the unfinished Novalis (later Brilliant Classics) cycle. All 6 volumes are presented in 'recital' style, i.c. free and chorale works mixed, and I really enjoy all of them. Like the first disc, with a spectacular and fast BWV 542, followed up by three very well played chorales BWV 659, 645 and 639.

I.c. the freedom he allows himself (with tempi and ornamentation): he firmly believes that's the imaginative way to play baroque keyboard music, either it being Bach or someone else. And he believes that historical sources prove him right. (Plenty of other musicians and scholars think otherwise, but, hey, that's nothing new.)

One of my main 'problems' with Koopman's live organ recitals was, that he didn't seem to care about the variety of church acoustics and reverberation. Tempi were always (more or less) the same. And his hands and fingers sometimes didn't manage to keep up with the tempi he apparently had in mind. Which led to complete chaos in f.i. Bach's Passacaglia, a couple of years ago in Groningen's Martinikerk.

That is quite alright my friend, I know many that like Koopman's approach, but it's simply not for me.

[Harry]

It's not my favourite boxset, but it's good 'fun'.
I saw the reissue has got 15 cds, which means that the former 4 bonus discs have gone (a.o. his first disc of 1988, and a disc with transcriptions of harpsichord concertos (together with a.o. Marie-Claire Alain)). It's a pity, but... the 15 disc set is still very enjoyable'.

Vernet is certainly in my Top 5.

I played some Bach on the Krewerd organ, and although the music came out alright, the renaissance organ did not like it, so better some Scheidemann.

[Marc]

[...]
I played some Bach on the Kantens organ, and although the music came out alright, the renaissance organ did not like it, so better some Scheidemann.

You lucky lucky...

[Marc]

I never understood the fascination for Marie Claire Allan, A set, well all the sets she recorded, sound for me so unlike Bach, and more like Alain. I dislike her playing, and her ego on top of the music.
So having the 15 cd box I do not regret that the additional cd's are not in there.

I'm not fascinated by the late Marie-Claire, but yes, I do like her JS Bach (and some other stuff, too). And actually I consider her approach rather objective and non-idiosyncratic, compared to many others (a.o. Vernet, who has a much more personal approach IMO).
Funny how taste and reception can differ.

I probably have to move to my bomb shelter in the garden to avoid all the abuse that will follow after this opinion.

Nah, I'm not the bomb throwing type of guy.
But if you were a friend of mine, I'd poison your tea.

[Harry]

I'm not fascinated by the late Marie-Claire, but yes, I do like her JS Bach (and some other stuff, too). And actually I consider her approach rather objective and non-idiosyncratic, compared to many others (a.o. Vernet, who has a much more personal approach IMO).
Funny how taste and reception can differ.

Nah, I'm not the bomb throwing type of guy.
But if you were a friend of mine, I'd poison your tea.

Ik ga dus geen thee met jou drinken, dat zul je begrijpen.
I did not express myself well in regard to Alain. I appreciate a personal approach, but I never was able to accept Alain's. And yes taste and reception differ, and the logic in it is a mystery.

[Marc]

Ik ga dus geen thee met jou drinken, dat zul je begrijpen.

Dan moet het maar een biertje worden.

Btw, I was referring to a (spurious) conversation between Lady Nancy Astor and Sir Winston Churchill.
"Sir, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea."
"Madam, if you were my wife, I'd drink it."

I did not express myself well in regard to Alain. I appreciate a personal approach, but I never was able to accept Alain's. And yes taste and reception differ, and the logic in it is a mystery.

The logic in it is a mystery.
I'll remember that one.
Could be a very fine summary to describe Bach's (organ) works.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Me, too! [Quote adjusted]

Jet, did you perhaps mean Cringing? I'm sure there's a funny there but I can't quite make it out.

[kishnevi]

Actually, at least the latter have been reissued as well:



Couldn't find it on Amazon yet, but it is already on Spotify.

The physical CD version is available through the European Amazons. The US Amazon has it only as a download.
I do thoroughly recommend it. The four extra CDs are a different approach to Bach, and I enjoyed them all.

As for Alain herself--I have what's usually called Alain II. The freeform works are good, but I had the feeling the chorales were churned out to meet a contractual obligation. Definitely not a favorite set.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Jet, did you perhaps mean Cringing? I'm sure there's a funny there but I can't quite make it out.

Of course, I did. Plain bumble-headed of me. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Of course, I did. Plain bumble-headed of me. 

0:)

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

As you may expect I agree with you in this.
A propos Bach and Gravitas: I own a recording of BWV 565 by Gabor Lehotka on a historical organ in Sopron, Hungary. The organ is a 4ft organ and listening to this you suddenly understand that the parallel octaves in the toccata was written in this way to add some gravitas and to make the organ sound bigger.

Listening to his recordings, and I like them. Not a sharp performance, but there is a nostalgic feel.

[Mandryka]

Juan de la Rubia plays Bach at Poblet (Spain), a Metzler organ and a very very interesting one - worth hearing.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

FYI: Bach Organ Survey updated with re-issue of Vernet and a few other details. A Survey of Bach Organ Cycles (http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-survey-of-bach-organ-cycles.html)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Jet, did you perhaps mean Cringing? I'm sure there's a funny there but I can't quite make it out.

Of course, I did. Plain bumble-headed of me. 

Actually, the more I think about it, Gringing is a very sustainable amalgam of cringing and grinning. You know, as in the jokes we fight within ourselves not to laugh at ("that's just wrong") all the while we're grinning from ear-to-ear. Gringing.

So I'd say you've inadvertently coined a winning new 21st century word, Jet. There may be some gringing involved during the lexicon break-in period but this too shall pass.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Actually, the more I think about it, Gringing is a very sustainable amalgam of cringing and grinning. You know, as in the jokes we fight within ourselves not to laugh at ("that's just wrong") all the while we're grinning from ear-to-ear. Gringing.

So I'd say you've inadvertently coined a winning new 21st-century word, Jet. There may be some gringing involved during the lexicon break-in period but this too shall pass.

We're onto something. It's exactly what my wife does, when I have punned and it's not awful enough to cringe outright. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

We're onto something. It's exactly what my wife does, when I have punned and it's not awful enough to cringe outright. 

[king ubu]

The physical CD version is available through the European Amazons. The US Amazon has it only as a download.
I do thoroughly recommend it. The four extra CDs are a different approach to Bach, and I enjoyed them all.

Hmmm ... got my box now, and got this disc separately a few days before:



... and lo and behold, the box contains a coupon with which you can order a free copy of this. Couldn't they have told me about that in advance, please?!? 

[Marc]

Hmmm ... got my box now, and got this disc separately a few days before:



... and lo and behold, the box contains a coupon with which you can order a free copy of this. Couldn't they have told me about that in advance, please?!? 

Just order it for your dearest (friend). 0:)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Landed today. The first thing of note is the beautiful presentation, with the outer box much more hardy and stylish than the dull Amazon image conveys, with a slip-off top. 

The second thing of note is the colorful insides, with the sleeves color-coordinated in rainbow-like shades of the red/purple/blue spectrum.

The third thing of note is the French-only booklet, though thankfully the notes are available in English via emailing Ligia: ligia-digital@sfr.fr.

The fourth thing of note is how physically shaken I was by the jaw-dropping beauty of the music. Not to mention the organ (Gérald Guillemin, Chavagnes, 1988) is a stunner, with Vernet lightening it up for all the music's worth. As disc 1 came to a close (all 65 minutes of it) I was very nearly in a state of euphoric overload.

The fifth thing of note is my box also includes that coupon for the free organ concertos set. However, it remains to be seen if Ligia will deliver to the US. Crossing my fingers.

(The sixth thing of note is I will be tipping my hat to Jeffrey Smith from now until time ends )