Bach's Organ Works
Bach's Organ Works
The Gramophone Choice
Preludes and Fugues – E minor, BWV533; G minor, BWV535; D minor, BWV539; D minor, BWV549a; G, BWV550. Prelude in A minor, BWV551. Fantasia in A minor, BWV561. Fantasia con imitazione in B minor, BWV563. Toccata and Fugue in E, BWV566. Preludes – in G, BWV568; A minor, BWV569. Fantasia in C, BWV570. Fugues – C minor, BWV575; G, BWV576; G, BWV577, ‘Jig Fugue’; G minor, BWV578. Trios – D minor, BWV583; C minor, BWV585; G, BWV586. Aria in F, BWV587. Canzona in D minor, BWV588. Allabreve in D, BWV589. Pastorale in F, BWV590. Four Duets, BWV802-05. Trio Sonata in G, BWV1027a. Musikalisches Opfer, BWV1079 – Ricercar a 3; Ricercar a 6
Christopher Herrick org
Hyperion CDA67211/2 (155' · DDD) Recorded on the Metzler organ of the Stadtkirche, Rheinfelden, Switzerland. Buy from Amazon
Some might be tempted to describe what we have here as the ‘scrapings from the barrel’, for when you’ve taken out the chorale-based works, the trio sonatas, the concertos and the big preludes, fantasias, toccatas, passacaglias and fugues this is what’s left. However, you could be tempted almost to prefer these crumbs from the table of great genius to those stupendous musical feasts which are everybody’s idea of the real JS Bach. And when you have those crumbs seasoned with such loving care, such elegance and such finesse as Christopher Herrick gives to, say, the G minor fugue (BWV578) or the enchanting Trio Sonata (BWV1027a), you realise that here’s music every bit as worthy of close attention as anything Bach wrote for the organ. In matters of registration, tempo, articulation and phrasing, Herrick displays immaculate taste.
This is playing of the very highest order. The modest two-manual Metzler, built in 1992, makes an enchanting sound, and the recording fully supports the superlative artistry of the playing.
Additional Recommendations
‘Works for Organ, Vol 1’
Trio Sonata No 1 in E flat, BWV525. Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV542. Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV565. Pastorale in F, BWV590. Organ Concerto No 1 in G, BWV592. Erbarm’ dich mein, o Herre Gott, BWV721. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, BWV1099
Kevin Bowyer org
Nimbus NI5280 (67' · DDD) Recorded on the Marcussen organ of St Hans Kirke, Odense, Denmark. Buy from Amazon
This disc includes the best-known of all Bach’s organ pieces – although some would dispute that it’s an organ piece or even that Bach wrote it; Bowyer’s account of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor is invigorating, exciting and very fast. It sets the scene for a CD of virtuoso performances and sound musicianship. The whole is a well-chosen, self-contained programme which also includes an indisputably ‘great’ organ work, a Trio Sonata, a transcription Bach made of an effervescent concerto by Prince Johann Ernst, a youthful chorale prelude as well as one from a collection only discovered in 1985 and one real oddity. Much thought has gone into the choice of organ and this instrument serves its purpose admirably; roaring magnificently in the Fantasia and emulating the tranquil sounds so characteristic of the Pastorale.
‘Works for Organ, Vol 13’
Preludes and Fugues – A minor, BWV551; A minor, BWV894. Preludes – A minor, BWV569; G, BWV568. Trio in C minor, BWV585. Canzona in D minor, BWV588. Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV694. Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV696. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV699. Gottes Sohn ist kommen, BWV703. In dich hab’ ich gehoffet, BWV712. Fantasia: Jesu, meine Freude, BWV713. Ach Gott und Herr, BWV714. Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV723. Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzugleich, BWV732. Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g’mein, BWV734. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV739. Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh’ darein, BWV741. Auf meinen lieben Gott, BWV744. Herr Jesu Christ, mein’s Lebens Licht, BWV750. O Vater, allmächtiger Gott, BWV758. Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV762. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV763. Toccatas – D, BWV912; D minor, BWV913. Concerto in D minor, BWV974. Partite diverse sopra ‘O Gott, du frommer Gott’, BWV767. Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV655c. Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt – BWV705; BWV1011. Christ, der du bist der helle Tag, BWV1120. Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott, BWV704. Partita, ‘Herr Christ, der einig Gottessohn’, BWVAnh77. Jesu, meine Freude, BWV1105
Kevin Bowyer org
Nimbus NI5669/70 (155‘ · DDD) Recorded on the Marcussen organ of St Hans Kirke, Odense, Denmark. Buy from Amazon
This is probably by far and away the best release in this comprehensive survey of Bach’s organ works. What distinguishes it is, first of all, the recorded sound, which has lost that underlying feeling of artificiality in its mix between instrument and acoustic which has occasionally surfaced in previous Nimbus recordings from the St Hans Kirke in Odense. Most of all, however, the outstanding feature is Bowyer’s playing. Always able to come up with enjoyable and eminently listenable performances as a result of his phenomenal technique and intense musicianship, his playing here has real authority. There may be stylistic quibbles (Bowyer’s ornamentation can be a little too sparing), but few would argue that the playing lacks real understanding of the music’s essential spirit. You sense here a level of empathy with the world of Bach which has been missing from earlier releases. The chorale preludes are sweet sounding but really do sound like the musings of a great master on both the chorale melodies and their texts, while the handful of large-scale display works here seem to look beyond superficial virtuosity and into the mind of a composer for whom every note of music (good or mediocre) was of real intrinsic value. Those not so far tempted to explore this gargantuan series could do a lot worse than invest in this release.
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr: BWV715; BWV717; BWV711; BWV260. Christ lag in Todesbanden: BWV4a; BWV695. Fugue on a Theme by Corelli in B minor, BWV579. Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend: BWV332a; BWV655. Jesus Christus unser Heiland: BWV363a; BWV688. Preludes and Fugues – C minor, BWV549; G, BWV550; E flat, BWV552. Prelude in A minor, BWV569. O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig: BWV401a; BWV618. Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele: BWV180a; BWV654. Trio Sonata No 1 in E flat, BWV525. Valet will ich dir geben: BWV415a; BWV736
Caroline Magalhaes mez Philippe Froeliger ten Francis Jacob org
Zig-Zag Territoires ZZT001001 (90' · DDD) Recorded on the Aubertin organ of the Parish Church, Saessolsheim, Alsace. Buy from Amazon
This might look like just another organ recital, but in reality it celebrates the remarkable philanthropy of a small Alsatian community who have collectively funded, over nine years, a beautiful organ in Saessolsheim in the north of Alsace. Here it’s played by a local son, Francis Jacob, an accomplished young player whose programme is an imaginative cross-section of Bach’s organ works. He’s not afraid to play a fugue without a prelude if he feels it serves the greater architectural good of the programme. Indeed, his ideals of passing through carefully ordered genres, keys and colourific possibilities are engaging and perceptive.
The performances are striking for the ebullience and vitality of Jacob’s fast playing, which is rhythmically assured and with a strong feel for instrumental timbre, not just organ sound – the key to discovering allusions and subtexts as the Bach player must. Lift and immediacy of articulation prevail over endless swathes of legato. How refreshing it is to hear such glowing colours in the opening chorale prelude, Valet will ich dir geben.
However invigorating Jacob’s playing though, there’s a tendency to resist the poetic instinct, as if he’s mistaking it for indulgence. Schmücke dich sounds unyielding, calculated and even wearing. He produces an idiosyncratic equivalent in the middle movement of the Trio Sonata in C major (what possessed him to break this restful melody up into little squares?), and yet all is forgiven in a deeply touching O Lamm Gottes, a chorale marvellously disguised as a taut canonic web irradiating ethereal harmonic consequences – this is where the expressive effect of dissonance is more at consonance with the underlying conceit than consonance could ever be! Jacob rattles off Allein Gott with supreme dexterity, and the dazzling upper partials are further evident in a compellingly neurotic reading of the A minor Prelude.
The programme of two short CDs ends with the E flat St Anne Fugue, not as grand or mature in conception as some, but carefully considered and, like most of this recording, it conveys a notably immediate, ‘one-off’ and animated musical presence.
