J.S. Bach on the Organ

[Elk]

A little late to the party here. I did a brief comparison of the 14 versions I have: Rawsthorne's Chalfont, Rogg's HM, Fox x 2, Walcha, David Goode, James Kibbie, Pierre Bardon, Rubsam's Naxos, Richter's Decca, Hurford's Decca, Murray at Methuen, Kee, and Biggs. I also listened to the Kraft online.
There are many I like: Biggs, Kee, Murray, and Rawsthorne. Easily, the best recorded is the Murray, sounding perfectly natural with oustandingly even and extended bass. The old Chalfort recording in Liverpool Cathedral is my preference for performance. It is Very exciting and well recorded, particularly for LP. It has the distinction amongst my LPs of having 8 Hz recorded. 582 requires the whole of one side! Marred only by the 40 to 60 Hz range which is too loud.

[prémont]

I agree that Murray is well recorded at Methuen but I don't find much of interest in his performance.

As far as I recall Rawsthorne plays on the 100 years old romantic Willis organ - which may be the reason why I found it unsatisfying.

Except for Fox, whom I consider a showman, I think the others you mention are very worthwhile. Richter's Victoria Hall recording from 1956 is fascinating because of its slow steady pulse and the way he builds up the climax. Rübsam's Naxos recording is as far as I recall even slower but contains very much energy. My own favorite, if I am only allowed to mention one, is probably Koopman's recording on Archiv.

[Elk]

I enjoyed the Koopman more than expected. I often find his performances over the top though there are really good ones like his Handel Organ Concertos. However, the recording is rather hot and a little hard to take at concert volume. I guess the judicious use of a treble control would help (it's buried under many menus in my AVR), but perhaps, the fault lies in the upload to Spotify.

[prémont]

I enjoyed the Koopman more than expected. I often find his performances over the top though there are really good ones like his Handel Organ Concertos. However, the recording is rather hot and a little hard to take at concert volume. I guess the judicious use of a treble control would help (it's buried under many menus in my AVR), but perhaps, the fault lies in the upload to Spotify.

I suppose he plays BWV 582 all through on combined HW / RP plenum. This results of course in a forceful sound. There are no problems with this on my HIFI system, so the problem may , as you write, be Spotify.

[Rodsamwt]

I've only just begun exploring organ music, so could you recommend some especially HIP performances and recordings, particularly of the free organ works with BWV numbers preceding 582?

[prémont]

I've only just begun exploring organ music, so could you recommend some especially HIP performances and recordings, particularly of the free organ works with BWV numbers preceding 582?

Which medium do you use? CDs, digital download or streaming. I'm not well-versed in streaming.

Concerning HIP. A performance may be rather definitive HIP as to choice of instrument, tuning and choice of stops. But as to the performance itself there is no specific HIP way of playing. Every performer has got his own style (tempo, agogigs, articulation e.g.), so at best one can talk of a performance within the frames of HIP. And it is a matter of taste how one prefers the music performed.

Some organists who perform within the frames of HIP are: Ewald Kooiman, Gerhard Weinberger, Bernard Foccroulle, Ton Koopman, David Goode, Benjamin Alard, Wolfgang Rübsam. Most of their Bach recordings are worth to know.

Individual CDs with exclusively chorale-free organ works by Bach are relatively rare except for the organ trio sonatas. It is to day cheaper and better to purchase a complete Bach organ set, but of course one has to try the organists by streaming first to choose which one to get (youtube is excellent for this purpose). My own situation is that I'm a completist, and this makes the question of choice much easier but also more expensive.

[Elk]

Check out Marie-Claire Alain on YouTube. Hers is a fine set, and you should be able to find used copies for very little. This is her second go at all the works (while the free works such as you want now excite, eventually you may want everything. I have):

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxXjllvtBC_rRInshy8w7jGiypzlCU_7X

[prémont]

Check out Marie-Claire Alain on YouTube. Hers is a fine set, and you should be able to find used copies for very little. This is her second go at all the works (while the free works such as you want now excite, eventually you may want everything. I have):

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxXjllvtBC_rRInshy8w7jGiypzlCU_7X

Alain's second set is one of my favorite sets, but it's not strictly HIP because of the choice of instruments and their tunings, and this is the reason why I didn't mention it. Her third set (Erato digital) is more HIP but not quite as satisfying musically.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Friends, any opinion or explanation on this recording? I personally like it.

[prémont]

Friends, any opinion or explanation on this recording? I personally like it.

Sympathetic and beautifully flowing playing. I only think his choice of modern Italian generic organ(s) is less fortunate (for Bach).

[Selig]

I've only just begun exploring organ music, so could you recommend some especially HIP performances and recordings, particularly of the free organ works with BWV numbers preceding 582?

Berben would be a good choice for the free works BWV 532, 538, 540, 564, 565, 566:



And one simply must hear Leo van Doeselaar in 546 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SopaCsjEKPM - only released in box sets...) and 548 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4RF87OOmKw - issued on single-CD by Fidelio and reissued by Brilliant Classics)

[Mandryka]

I've only just begun exploring organ music, so could you recommend some especially HIP performances and recordings, particularly of the free organ works with BWV numbers preceding 582?

Rainer Oster on Arte Nove

https://www.discogs.com/master/2537458-Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Rainer-Oster-Organ-Pieces
https://www.discogs.com/release/15678013-Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Rainer-Oster-Orgelwerke-Organ-Works

[prémont]

Berben would be a good choice for the free works BWV 532, 538, 540, 564, 565, 566:

Yes, and the accompanying harpsichord toccatas on this twofer are some of my favorite recordings of these.

And one simply must hear Leo van Doeselaar in 546 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SopaCsjEKPM - only released in box sets...) and 548 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4RF87OOmKw - issued on single-CD by Fidelio and reissued by Brilliant Classics)

Yes, very much so. It's a pity that a complete Bach set obviously didn't interest van Doeselaar.

[prémont]

Rainer Oster on Arte Nove

https://www.discogs.com/master/2537458-Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Rainer-Oster-Organ-Pieces
https://www.discogs.com/release/15678013-Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Rainer-Oster-Orgelwerke-Organ-Works

The first of these played on a modern Mühliesen organ from 1991, the second played on the Schnitger, Sct. Jacobi, Hamburg.

[prémont]

Another option is Stefan Johannes Bleicher

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9731685--johann-sebastian-bach-famous-organ-works-vol-1

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9647653--johann-sebastian-bach-great-organ-music-played-on-historical-instruments-vol-2

And a reference to post number one of this very thread is still relevant.

[prémont]

And one simply must hear Leo van Doeselaar in 548

I wonder if you know this live performance of 548:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj5KzWtY3IY

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Rainer Oster on Arte Nove

https://www.discogs.com/master/2537458-Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Rainer-Oster-Organ-Pieces
https://www.discogs.com/release/15678013-Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Rainer-Oster-Orgelwerke-Organ-Works

Love the recordings!

[Mandryka]

Love the recordings!

Yes I started to listen to one of them after I made that post and really enjoyed it. BWV 547 and 590 

[prémont]

Yes I started to listen to one of them after I made that post and really enjoyed it. BWV 547 and 590 

Oster did also make a very interesting Buxtehude CD (label Arte Nova) on the same Hamburg organ.

[Selig]

I wonder if you know this live performance of 548:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj5KzWtY3IY

No, I didn't know about it, but that concert programme looks very appealing