J.S. Bach on the Organ

[André]

A pity that one has got to accept a whole Glass CD too.

I have listened to some clips. The organ is a typical post-war equally tuned German all round organ, which adds a degree of colorlessness to Bach's music. The interpretation is informed but other than that rather run-of-the-mill. I choose to pass it by.

Thanks for the comment. Actually I might order it, as it is part of a special 3disc offer at JPC and the item I'm really interested in (the Braunfels disc) is available singly at a much higher price. IOW the Bach/Glass would be a « bonus », so to speak 

[prémont]

And according to the booklet Astronio played the organ chorales on an organ made by Verschueren Orgelbouw in 2002, in a place called St Paolo in the South Tyrol. The "Radiokapelle St. Benedikt Convento Muri-Gries di Bolzano" was where they recorded the singing, but the booklet doesn't mention the organ there.

Thanks, we must believe the booklet. But except stating, that there is Verschueren organ there:

https://orgeln.musikland-tirol.at/ob/Verschueren.html

I can't find other information of this organ. It is not mentioned on Verschueren's home page.

[prémont]

IOW the Bach/Glass would be a « bonus », so to speak 

Well, that puts the question in another light, I think.

[Marc]

Thanks, we must believe the booklet. But except stating, that there is Verschueren organ there:

https://orgeln.musikland-tirol.at/ob/Verschueren.html

I can't find other information of this organ. It is not mentioned on Verschueren's home page.

I think it is mentioned on their site, probably opus 1084.

http://www.verschuerenorgelbouw.nl/nl/orgels/98-opuslijst.html

If that's the one, I think it's the Verschueren-Schwalbennestorgel (2002) an der Südwand Langhaus der Pfarrkirche St. Paolo, Eppan, South Tirol, Italy.

http://www.pauls-sakral.eu/de/orgellandschaft/pfarrkirche-st-paulseppan/index.html

[André]

Well, that puts the question in another light, I think.

In a way, yes. But if it had been bad I would have given it a pass, concentrating instead on acquiring the Braunfels later. The french works disc is of no interest to me (who wants to hear the 2 L'Arlésienne suites on organ    ?). So it all came down to that Bach/Glass twofer. I must admit I like Glass and wouldn't mind exploring that facet of his oeuvre.

[prémont]

I think it is mentioned on their site, probably opus 1084.

http://www.verschuerenorgelbouw.nl/nl/orgels/98-opuslijst.html

If that's the one, I think it's the Verschueren-Schwalbennestorgel (2002) an der Südwand Langhaus der Pfarrkirche St. Paolo, Eppan, South Tirol, Italy.

http://www.pauls-sakral.eu/de/orgellandschaft/pfarrkirche-st-paulseppan/index.html

Thanks, you are certainly right.

How did you find the Pauls-sacral site?

[Marc]

Thanks, you are certainly right.

How did you find the Pauls-sacral site?

After finding the instrument on the Verschueren site, i searched at Google on Verschueren Epan Orgel. It was the 4th or 5th link.

[Mandryka]

Here's a good modern organ for Bach, the Caspirini inspired organ at Rochester USA (it's rather more attractive than the one Asrronio uses for the Leipzig Chorales.) I've been listening to it over the past couple of days and the performances are just about listenable.

Re Astronio's Leipzig Chorales I've listened to the first CD, it's a bit brash, and a bit tough, not very spiritual. The organ hasn't got much gravitas, or indeed bass. The registrations he uses don't seem specially imaginative or expressive.

Astronio can talk the talk but I am not so sure he can walk the walk. When I read

I allowed myself to improvise some divisions in the ritornelli, such as the extraordinary sarabande of "Schmuecke dich.." and its fantastic image of the sould intent on adorning itself to be pre-sentable to God

I was expecting something a bit more exciting and imaginative than what I got. I'll listen to the second CD before the end of the week.

[Mandryka]

Does anyone know anything about the organ Thierry Mechler is using here? It sounds clean and new, transparent. Well recorded. First impressions are that the performances are what Don used to call "celebratory" --  very pleasant and easy to listen to.

[Marc]

Does anyone know anything about the organ Thierry Mechler is using here? It sounds clean and new, transparent. Well recorded. First impressions are that the performances are what Don used to call "celebratory" --  very pleasant and easy to listen to.

Wow. It took me some time to find out.
Apparently, it's the Didier organ (1923) of the Basilique de Thierenbach, France (Alsace). Restored in 2010-2012 (?) by Manufacture d'Orgues MUHLEISEN in Strasbourg. It looks as if a Rückwerk was added.

Here are some pics with added information:

[prémont]

Wow. It took me some time to find out.
Apparently, it's the Didier organ (1923) of the Basilique de Thierenbach, France (Alsace). Restored in 2010-2012 (?) by Manufacture d'Orgues MUHLEISEN in Strasbourg. It looks as if a Rückwerk was added.

Excellent work.Hats off.

How did you find out? The organ isn't mentioned on any of the sites, where the CÜ III can be downloaded.

[Mandryka]

Thanks Marc. I should have guessed, I can see on his website that he is "Organiste titulaire de la Philharmonie de Cologne et de la Basilique de Thierenbach."

It's a fun recording, it's not deep and the organ doesn't have the magic patina of an old one, but he plays with such joy and healthiness and simplicity, frankness,  that it's kind of irresistible! 

[Marc]

Excellent work.Hats off.

How did you find out? The organ isn't mentioned on any of the sites, where the CÜ III can be downloaded.

Yeah, I discovered that, too. And it's also not mentioned not on Mechler's own website, another example of a sloppy and not-so-informative website of a musician by the way.
However, I found this text on Mechler's Facebook site, even though it was difficult to scroll down and searching information, being not a Facebook member.

Six ans après mon dernier album, j'ai le plaisir de vous annoncer la sortie de mon nouvel album « Clavier-Übung III » le vendredi 22 juin 2018 sur toutes les plateformes digitales (iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, ... ) avec mon label Tonalis Records ! Il s'agit d'un enregistrement de la Messe luthérienne de Jean Sébastien Bach aux orgues de la Basilique Notre-Dame de Thierenbach.

After that, I managed to find a few sites with information about the instrument.

For those interested, here's the final fugue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aecOT2vyesY

[SurprisedByBeauty]

#morninglistening & #Thanksgiving to magnificent #Bach. #Clavierbüchlein 1-4 on @OehmsClassics

: http://a-fwd.to/2HEWtSJ

w/@BachChor; performed and transcribed (where necessary) by #HansJörgAlbrecht

I find transcriptions TO the organ, such as those of the GVs and the Partitas, rather more difficult to pull off than going in the reverse... from organ (aerophone) to, say, harpsichord or piano (percussive).

[Mandryka]

In fact Thierry Mechler plays the Goldberg Variations on an organ, and he's proud enough of it to have released it as a recording! I haven't heard it.

[Mandryka]

A nice interview with Piet Wiersma here, which I've run through Google translate

Infected with the organ virus
By G. de Looze
After Bram Beekman, Ewald Kooiman, Ton Koopman and Jacques van Oortmerssen, Piet Wiersma also jumps on Bach. De Groninger hopes in 2002 to have completed the recordings of all his organ works. It is striking that all compositions are played on Groningen instruments. The organist guarantees a quiet Bach: "His music must sound decent."

Piet Wiersma
Pediatrician Henk Wieringa, a student of Piet Wiersma (53), threw the bat into the henhouse two years ago. "He launched the idea to record all Bach works on historic Groningen organs. I thought about that for years, long before Beekman and Koopman started their recordings. "

It was no punishment for Wiersma to limit himself to the Groningen organs. "I fell in love with it, grew up with it. My first organ teacher, Johan van Meurs, advised me to go into the province by bike on free afternoons. At the age of thirteen, I visited Loppersum and crawled behind the organ. Suddenly, in my opinion much too soon, the door opened: the sexton asked me if I should not go home. It was half past three at night. I almost could not get away, something that I still have trouble with when I am sitting behind an organ. I have been infected with the organ virus. "

The Aders-born Wiersma studied main subject organ with Wim van Beek at the Municipal Conservatory of Groningen. In 1971 he obtained the final diploma solo play, with distinction, and in 1975 the Prix d 'Excellence. Wiersma has been the organist of the Grote of St.-Nicolaaskerk in Monnickendam since 1983. He teaches his students, among other things, in his hometown Haren, in Bolsward, Haarlem and in Harderwijk. Every year he gives about one hundred (choir) concerts.

Wiersma knows the Groningen organs as his pocket. "Bach fits perfectly on these instruments. The first part of the Pastoral sounds enchanting with the Vox Humana in Bellingwolde. The Woudfluit 2 'van Uithuizen is one of the most beautiful I know. I use it in the fifth triosonate. "

Koopman, Kooiman and Beekman mainly chose large organs in cathedral churches. Piet Wiersma selected 21 more modest instruments besides the large organ in the Groningen Martini, most of which were built during Bach's life. It gives its Bach series its own, multicolored face. Coral previews performed with the Prestant 4 'in Midwolde (7 voices) or the Prestant 8' in Kantens (10 voices) sound surprising and intimate. "Most of the churches where Bach was organist are no bigger than those in Noordwolde. A larger instrument (19 votes) is therefore not necessary for the coral operations. "

Piet Wiersma has not thoroughly studied the interpretations of Beekman, Koopman, Kooiman and Van Oortmerssen. "I try to remain myself, not to imitate anyone and not to be trend-sensitive." The Groninger plays Bach with audible ease. His playing lacks the fireworks and contrast that characterizes Ton Koopman's interpretation. Wiersma's Bach sounds calm, stately. Every note has been thought about, every note is put down with care. This offers the listener the opportunity to experience the harmonious richness of this music. The programming, an alternation of major works and chorale prerecording, prevents listening fatigue.

De Groninger is convinced that speed is taboo. "I am happy that I only now have the opportunity to record Bach. My interpretation has crystallized. Thirty years ago I played faster: "If you are good, you play fast", was my conviction then. My game is quieter now. I do not believe that his music requires a fast pace and take the time to tell my story. Every note has an intention, that's why I want to hear every note. People lived more quietly in Bach's time. They lived in one place for a long time. No planes flew over their heads, no cars rushing past them. That has certainly translated into music: they have never played wildly. Of course, Bach's adaptations of Vivaldi's concerts can sound playful,

The Groningen organist hardly adds decorations. "I stick to the text, because if Bach had wanted vibrators, he would have noted it. Perhaps this choice also has to do with my sober, Groningen-like nature. Nevertheless Bach is a party for me, even though that party is a bit more subdued than with someone like Ton Koopman. "

Piet Wiersma also made a development in the choice of registrations. "I used to prefer a neo-baroque, stingy, thin sound. Now I think more vocal and instrumental. I can tell a story about the registration of each work. I'm not just doing something. On every organ, for example, I try to play a composition with the Vox Humana. The Vox Humana's in the north are so beautiful singing! "

Wiersma exchanged a lot of thoughts with friends. "For years I went to the coffee every Monday morning with Dr. Jan Luth. Together we then focused on Bach's works. The Pedal Exercitium I let cellist Marius van Delden play. He was very enthusiastic about it and confirmed my suspicion that it is a work for cello. That is why I no longer play it in Leens with the full work, but with the Prestanten 8 'and 4'. "

The Groningen organist has not yet looked forward to Bach. He hopes to play all organ works next month during a trip to German cities in seven days. "Bach is for me the organ composer. I put works of Mendelssohn and Franck in the closet for a while after playing, because I saw it again. Bach's music is always equally beautiful, a powerful experience to play it. Bach is never boring. You can not separate from his compositions. "

https://www.rd.nl/oud/bach/bach14.html

In the translation he sounds like quite a fun person, I don't know whether the same effect is there in the dutch -- what am I to make of " "I stick to the text, because if Bach had wanted vibrators, he would have noted it. Perhaps this choice also has to do with my sober, Groningen-like nature?"

[prémont]

A nice interview with Piet Wiersma here, which I've run through Google translate

https://www.rd.nl/oud/bach/bach14.html

In the translation he sounds like quite a fun person, I don't know whether the same effect is there in the dutch -- what am I to make of " "I stick to the text, because if Bach had wanted vibrators, he would have noted it. Perhaps this choice also has to do with my sober, Groningen-like nature?"

Thanks, Mandryka, nice interview displaying Wiersma being the warm and human person I thought he was.

Vibrators means trills

[Mandryka]

nice interview displaying Wiersma being the warm and human person I thought he was.

Agreed, he comes across like a certain type which I appreciate in real life.

Vibrators means trills

This is the most disappointing thing I've heard all day.

The interview inspired me to listening to Wiersma playing a Vivaldi/Bach piece -- BWV 593, I think it's outstanding and I'm going to listen to him playing the rest of these pieces. Where does he use the Woudfluit in the 5th trio sonata? I'm not sure which sound he's talking about.

Oh and he even managed to make the Pedal Exercitium sound interesting!

[prémont]

Where does he use the Woudfluit in the 5th trio sonata? I'm not sure which sound he's talking about.

It is a 2' stop in the RP, which he uses for the right hand part in the first and the third movement combined with Holpyp 8' (a flute stop) and Praestant 4' (a principal stop).

[Marc]

A nice interview with Piet Wiersma here, which I've run through Google translate

https://www.rd.nl/oud/bach/bach14.html

In the translation he sounds like quite a fun person, I don't know whether the same effect is there in the dutch -- what am I to make of " "I stick to the text, because if Bach had wanted vibrators, he would have noted it. Perhaps this choice also has to do with my sober, Groningen-like nature?"

Good job!

Wiersma mentions Jan Luth, who was working at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (university). Luth was also a good friend of Ewald Kooiman. He didn't play that much and I don't know of any record by him, but I attended Luth's In Memoriam Ewald Kooiman concert in Leens (Hinsz organ) in 2009 and it was great.
I once sent him an open application, to no avail alas.

Wiersma's unfinished Bach in Groningen cycle is still a gem. Wiersma playing those beautiful instruments is a very satisfactory listening experience.
But the set is completely OOP and I already heard around 2011/2012 from the Stichting Groningen Orgelland that any chance of a reissue is (less than) zero.