J.S. Bach on the Organ

[Mandryka]

I don't have time now but if you want i'll post a side by side comparison among selected pieces.

I would appreciate it too. I have both sets of recordings and it could be fun to listen with your ideas in mind.

[Josquin des Prez]

Very well. Mind you i haven't finished exploring the Rubsam set, this is how far i got. I'll put the name of the performer i like best for a given piece in parenthesis:

B0531, Prelude and Fugue in C (Rubsam)
B0533, Prelude and Fugue in e (Rubsam)
B0536, Prelude and Fugue in A (Walcha)
B0550, Prelude and Fugue in G (Rubsam)
B0551, Prelude and Fugue in a (Rubsam)
B0578, Fugue in g (Walcha)
B0588, Canzona in d (Walcha)
B0535, Prelude and Fugue in g (Rubsam)
B0537, Prelude and Fugue in c (Rubsam)
B0562, Fantasia in c (Walcha)
B0564, Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C (Rubsam)
B0565, Toccata and Fugue in d (Walcha)
B0532, Prelude and Fugue in D (Rubsam)
B0534, Prelude and Fugue in f (Walcha)
B0768, Chorale partita in g (Rubsam)
B0541, Prelude and Fugue in G (no preference)
B0545, Prelude and Fugue in C (no preference)
B0538, Toccata and Fugue in d (Walcha)
B0540, Toccata and Fugue in F (Rubsam)
B0582, Passacaglia et Fuga in c (Walcha)
B0543, Prelude and Fugue in a (Walcha)
B0547, Prelude and Fugue in C (Rubsam)

As you can see i still have a lot to go but this should give you an idea of how i see those performers in comparison to each other.

[Marc]

Very well. Mind you i haven't finished exploring the Rubsam set, this is how far i got. I'll put the name of the performer i like best for a given piece in parenthesis:

B0531, Prelude and Fugue in C (Rubsam)
B0533, Prelude and Fugue in e (Rubsam)
B0536, Prelude and Fugue in A (Walcha)
B0550, Prelude and Fugue in G (Rubsam)
B0551, Prelude and Fugue in a (Rubsam)
B0578, Fugue in g (Walcha)
B0588, Canzona in d (Walcha)
B0535, Prelude and Fugue in g (Rubsam)
B0537, Prelude and Fugue in c (Rubsam)
B0562, Fantasia in c (Walcha)
B0564, Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C (Rubsam)
B0565, Toccata and Fugue in d (Walcha)
B0532, Prelude and Fugue in D (Rubsam)
B0534, Prelude and Fugue in f (Walcha)
B0768, Chorale partita in g (Rubsam)
B0541, Prelude and Fugue in G (no preference)
B0545, Prelude and Fugue in C (no preference)
B0538, Toccata and Fugue in d (Walcha)
B0540, Toccata and Fugue in F (Rubsam)
B0582, Passacaglia et Fuga in c (Walcha)
B0543, Prelude and Fugue in a (Walcha)
B0547, Prelude and Fugue in C (Rubsam)

As you can see i still have a lot to go but this should give you an idea of how i see those performers in comparison to each other.

Am I right in guessing that you seem to prefer the 'young' Rübsam in the 'young' Bach, with the 'old' Walcha gaining some ground in the more mature works?

Even though I personally prefer Rübsam's set as a whole, it would be an opinion that I'd understand quite well.

[Josquin des Prez]

Its possible. I'll try to continue to evaluate the set against the Walcha within the next few days. Lets see what happens when i get to the later pieces.

[jlaurson]

piano bach, on the organ.





Organic Bach
Clavierübung II
Hansjörg Albrecht
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/03/organic-bach.html

[Todd]

Okay, so I've caught a mild case of Bach organ music fever.  I've acquired five "complete" sets of the organ music (all with differing numbers of CDs, curiously enough) in a little over a year: Walcha II, Preston, Alain II, Vernet, and today I ordered Koopman.  So far, Vernet and Alain tickle my fancy most.  I really dig Vernet's set.  Rather than go over years of posts, and given what I own and what I like, what would make a good next step (or two).  Complete sets or individual discs would be fine.  I plan on going a bit slower than with LvB sonatas just given the volume of music.

[jlaurson]

Okay, so I've caught a mild case of Bach organ music fever.  I've acquired five "complete" sets of the organ music (all with differing numbers of CDs, curiously enough) in a little over a year: Walcha II, Preston, Alain II, Vernet, and today I ordered Koopman.  So far, Vernet and Alain tickle my fancy most.  I really dig Vernet's set.  Rather than go over years of posts, and given what I own and what I like, what would make a good next step (or two).  Complete sets or individual discs would be fine.  I plan on going a bit slower than with LvB sonatas just given the volume of music.

Is more Bach-on-the-organ what you are looking for? Because you do seem rather set. Alain II, Koopman, Walcha II are all terrific (I like Vernet just fine, too; in fact, there's no set I have that I don't like... except perhaps Walcha I which I find notably inferior to the later recordings) -- and what else is there to be had?

Except of course this:

The one disc (set of 3 discs, to be precise) I recommend everyone who wants to start on Bach organ works (and wishes to hear it) is--without a doubt--this one:


J.S. Bach,
(Important) Organ Works
Karl Richter
DG Originals

Mini-reviews here: http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2005/03/dg-originals-review.html and here:
Best Recordings of 2005 (Re-Issue, No.6) : http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2005/12/best-recordings-of-2005.html

And perhaps some Schoenberg-transcribed-Bach.


Schoenberg's Bach transcriptions of BWV 552, BWV 654, and BWV 631
Christoph Eschenbach's RCA recording with the Houston Symphony

[milk]

I attended a Lorenzo Ghielmi Bach organ recital in Osaka tonight. I very much enjoyed it. Organ music in general is new to me. It was a real treat to be able to focus on the music without any distractions. Also, the instrument sounded great. What a contrast between Chorales and prelude/fugues. I feel like I'm really missing some of the context for this music, especially the chorales, not having grown up Christian or attended church and not being familiar with Christian liturgy. The pyrotechnics of BWV543 were dazzling. I know Ghielmi from his fortepiano and harpsichord recordings. I thought Ghielmi was wonderful but I have only my cursory listens at home to a sampling of other performers with which to compare him. For an encore, Ghielmi played a chorale that he dedicated to the victims of the Tsunami. He described it as meditative. However, as it wasn't on the program, I don't know which one it was. I realize now what a treat this was as there are no other notable organists on the calendar as far as I can see. Great performers just don't get to Osaka (and maybe not to Japan) that often.   　

[Karl Henning]

Okay, so I've caught a mild case of Bach organ music fever.

Surprises you, how that bug can just take over!

[Karl Henning]

. . . And perhaps some Schoenberg-transcribed-Bach.


Schoenberg’s Bach transcriptions of BWV 552, BWV 654, and BWV 631
Christoph Eschenbach’s RCA recording with the Houston Symphony

The Schoenberg Bach transcriptions are great fun!

[Opus106]

I attended a Lorenzo Ghielmi Bach organ recital in Osaka tonight. I very much enjoyed it. Organ music in general is new to me. It was a real treat to be able to focus on the music without any distractions. Also, the instrument sounded great. What a contrast between Chorales and prelude/fugues. I feel like I'm really missing some of the context for this music, especially the chorales, not having grown up Christian or attended church and not being familiar with Christian liturgy. The pyrotechnics of BWV543 were dazzling. I know Ghielmi from his fortepiano and harpsichord recordings. I thought Ghielmi was wonderful but I have only my cursory listens at home to a sampling of other performers with which to compare him. For an encore, Ghielmi played a chorale that he dedicated to the victims of the Tsunami. He described it as meditative. However, as it wasn't on the program, I don't know which one it was. I realize now what a treat this was as there are no other notable organists on the calendar as far as I can see. Great performers just don't get to Osaka (and maybe not to Japan) that often.   　

Nice to know you had a good time.

As for the dearth of organ recitals in Japan, would you mind travelling 30 Km (is that the correct figure?) for one?
http://www.bach.co.jp/MS%20Solo%20concertschedule_En%202005.htm

[PaulSC]

piano bach, on the organ.

What's "piano bach"?

[Karl Henning]

What's “piano bach”?

One of the nephews, wasn't he?

[PaulSC]

One of the nephews, wasn't he?

Oh right, middle initials "DQ"...

[Marc]

What's "piano bach"?

It's 'Soft Bach'.

One of the nephews, wasn't he?

Oh right, middle initials "DQ"...

No.
It's that nephew or cousin, whose initials I forgot, nicknamed 'the Soft Bach', who was friends with 'the London Bach' and 'the Bückeburg Bach'.

[Karl Henning]

Which was the puffy Bach again? : )

[Marc]

Which was the puffy Bach again? : )

Just pick one of them, it'll do:

[Karl Henning]

Rare photograph of "Lips" Bach:

[Marc]

Rare photograph of "Lips" Bach:

Oh man, this thread could go outta hand!

[jlaurson]

piano harpsichord bach, on the organ.





Organic Bach
Clavierübung II
Hansjörg Albrecht
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/03/organic-bach.html

What's "piano bach"?

Did I just betray a bias?