J.S. Bach on the Organ

[Marc]

Marie-Claire Alain is decidedly on my wish list.

Make sure it's this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Organ-Works-Marie-Claire-Alain/dp/B000RZOR2K/

One disadvantage: no Neumeister Choräle, but there are many good issues with those .... like this one (just to give an example):

http://www.amazon.com/Organ-Chorales-Johann-Sebastian-Bach/dp/B00006FIC6/

[karlhenning]

Make sure it's this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Organ-Works-Marie-Claire-Alain/dp/B000RZOR2K/

One disadvantage: no Neumeister Choräle, but there are many good issues with those .... like this one (just to give an example):

http://www.amazon.com/Organ-Chorales-Johann-Sebastian-Bach/dp/B00006FIC6/

Thanks!

Say, do you ever have occasion to play with a brass quintet?  Or have I asked you that already?

[Marc]

Thanks!

Say, do you ever have occasion to play with a brass quintet?  Or have I asked you that already?

Mm, I don't play brass. But I did enjoy some Bach fugues once in a concert with four/five saxophones, especially the Fugue in G-minor BWV 578.
At home, I sometimes play a little piano, like Purcell, Burgmüller, Clementi, Heller, Cimarosa and an arrangement of Old Joe Clark's Boogie.

[prémont]

At home, I sometimes play a little piano, like Purcell, Burgmüller, Clementi, Heller, Cimarosa and an arrangement of Old Joe Clark's Boogie.

Friedrich Burgmüller op. 100. 25 leichte Etuden??

[Marc]

Friedrich Burgmüller op. 100. 25 leichte Etuden??

Dear Premont, this is OT.

But yes, it's op. 100. After some 30 years, I'm almost able to play no. 2 (Arabesque) with only 3 mistakes.

[prémont]

Can you make some recommendations for Clavier-Übung III  -- especially the choral preludes therein?
Which are the real landmark recordings?

This is a difficult question to answer.

During the years I have collected 57 different recordings of Clavierübung III, and this lot represents the lions share of the existing recordings of the work. I have  memorised these briefly, and some of them I like better than others, but I can neither recall any landmark recording or any recording which is completely superfluous.
If you give me some time, I will make up some recommendations for you.

[Marc]

[repeating a question]

Not so hasty, my fwiend.

[prémont]

Dear Premont, this is OT.

But yes, it's op. 100. After some 30 years, I'm almost able to play no. 2 (Arabesque) with only 3 mistakes.

You make somewhat nostalgic, since I played these with great pleasure in my youth.

[prémont]

Not so hasty, my fwiend.

So I have edited the post.

[Marc]

This is a difficult question to answer.

During the years I have collected 57 different recordings of Clavierübung III, and this lot represents the lions share of the existing recordings of the work. I have  memorised these briefly, and some of them I like better than others, but I can neither recall any landmark recording or any recording which is completely superfluous.
If you give me some time, I will make up some recommendations for you.

Come to think of it (I even forgot to mention it myself in my attempt to answer Mandryka): do you know Wim van Beek's recording?

[prémont]

Come to think of it (I even forgot to mention it myself in my attempt to answer Mandryka): do you know Wim van Beek's recording?

No; I did not even know it exists.

[Marc]

No; I did not even know it exists.

Some examples:

Kyrie, Gott, Heiliger Geist BWV 671
http://www.mediafire.com/?acj173180obaty2

Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam BWV 684
http://www.mediafire.com/?hvgt5l7wydon6ln

Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV 689
http://www.mediafire.com/?ae7pxewcx1xetp7

If one's interested in Wim van Beek's Bach recordings, here's his website:
http://www.helior.nl/

It's in the Dutch language, but it's not that difficult to check out his recordings. I really can't tell if it's possible to order something from abroad, but who knows .... it's free to ask!

Here's the e-mail adress:
info@helior.nl

[prémont]

Some examples:

Kyrie, Gott, Heiliger Geist BWV 671
http://www.mediafire.com/?acj173180obaty2

Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam BWV 684
http://www.mediafire.com/?hvgt5l7wydon6ln

Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV 689
http://www.mediafire.com/?ae7pxewcx1xetp7

If one's interested in Wim van Beek's Bach recordings, here's his website:
http://www.helior.nl/

It's in the Dutch language, but it's not that difficult to check out his recordings. I really can't tell if it's possible to order something from abroad, but who knows .... it's free to ask!

Here's the e-mail adress:
info@helior.nl

Thanks for the musical examples and the information, Marc . Being on duty now I have not heard the music yet, but  I have enjoyed the Roskilde CD very much, and I am certainly going to write to the label to morrow. These recordings are indeed mandatory.

[Mandryka]

This is a difficult question to answer.

During the years I have collected 57 different recordings of Clavierübung III, and this lot represents the lions share of the existing recordings of the work. I have  memorised these briefly, and some of them I like better than others, but I can neither recall any landmark recording or any recording which is completely superfluous.
If you give me some time, I will make up some recommendations for you.

I didn't realise I was asking such a difficult question!

Anyway, I've followed one of  marc's recommendations and got hold of Koopman's performance. I've also ordered Walcha's mono (thanks for the lead to the cheap box). So I've got something to keep me occupied for a while. The Walcha stereo is permanently playing in the car, so I'm getting to know this music much better (the mood changes in the music  are really interesting.)

By the way marc, thanks for the review of the Jacobs CD, which I only just saw. I think I'll leave it.

[prémont]

While I can support the recommendation of Holm Vogel´s Clavierübung III as well as his Triosonatas

this release contains all six sonatas:
http://www.amazon.de/Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Holm-Vogel/dp/B00004KDCN/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1305642783&sr=1-4

I do not particulary care for Michel Chapuis´ Bach, even if he is playing the 18 Chorales on the magnificent Botzen/Marcussen organ in Vor Frelsers Kirke, Copenhagen (my avatar), and even if his 18 Chorales (and Clavierübung III as well - though played on a more uninteresting generic von Beckerath-organ) are among the most successful parts of his set. His playing is generally swift and mechanical with little care for details, and his registrations are ultrasharp with too weak 8´ foundation.

[Marc]

Top Bach ..

[....]

[asin]B000001WJB[/asin]
And check out Walcha's pupil the blind german organist Holm Vogel...his recordings of the Trio Sonatas are the best I've ever heard and I've heard lots.

Thanks for the reminder! Managed to grab the nicely priced twofer on some marketplace site:

[Coopmv]

Top Bach ..

[asin]B000027OE1[/asin]
Organ chorale preludes, some of the best music ever. The 18 Leipzig Chorales, his end of life gathering together/summation of the best of his organ work. With this set, they get it so right. Above all, the highest of recommendations.

[asin]B000001WJB[/asin]
And check out Walcha's pupil the blind german organist Holm Vogel...his recordings of the Trio Sonatas are the best I've ever heard and I've heard lots. Perfection. I also love his recording of Clavier-Übung III, which is also very great.

Helmut Walcha himself went blind when he was 18 or 19 ...

[jlaurson]

via Alex Ross




Collateral Damage

The True Cost of Uploading

http://thewire.co.uk/articles/6715/

[Marc]

Uploading some files from Piet Wiersma in Uithuizen, from an OOP set, which was only available once in the Netherlands, produced and sold by a non-profit foundation.

Now, without any message sent to me, these files were deleted.

In the past, almost every file that I uploaded came from an OOP disc. Like the (also deleted links of the) Rübsam Philips integral set, which Universal apparantly refuses to re-release.

Meanwhile, many of those large recording labels keep producing the same re-releases in brisk tempo again and again, with and/or without some 'attractive' add-ons, to tempt the music lover again, in different packages for diffferent prizes at different sublabels, fooling consumers all around the world, and GMG needs to advertize for them to maintain its forum's existence.

Good luck!

[Scarpia]

Uploading some files from Piet Wiersma in Uithuizen, from an OOP set, which was only available once in the Netherlands, produced and sold by a non-profit foundation.

Now, without any message sent to me, these files were deleted.

In the past, almost every file that I uploaded came from an OOP disc. Like the (also deleted links of the) Rübsam Philips integral set, which Universal apparantly refuses to re-release.

Meanwhile, many of those large recording labels keep producing the same re-releases in brisk tempo again and again, with and/or without some 'attractive' add-ons, to tempt the music lover again, in different packages for diffferent prizes at different sublabels, fooling consumers all around the world, and GMG needs to advertize for them to maintain its forum's existence.

Good luck!

It does not strike me as unreasonable that the managers of this site do not want it tagged as a distributor of copyrighted material, since that might make them subject to legal action by copyright holders. 

Beyond that, your criticism of the record labels for not having every recording they ever made continuously in print strikes me as bizarre.  The amount of music that is available at a low price is unprecedented, the copyright holders of the Rübsam set have two complete Bach organ work cycles in print, ~15 discs for $50.  The Rübsam set has only been out of print for a few years, and it is their right to decide when would be an opportune time to re-release it.