This famous organ, restored to its early 18th-century state by Jürgen Ahrend between 1976 and 1984 is a marvellous instrument for Suzuki to record the second half of the 18 Leipzig Chorale Preludes (BWV 662-668a) and the six Schübler Chorales (BWV 645-650), the seventh recording in his complete Bach series. The Leipzig Chorales were Bach’s revised versions of earlier preludes, and compiled between 1739 and 1747. Apart from the massive organo pleno heard in Komm, Gott, Schöpfer Heiliger Geist, this CD shows off the many subtle tonal colours of the organ. The solo line in Allein Gott in der Höh sei Her (662), surprisingly, is played to sound at 16’ pitch with 32’ Pedal, creating a récit en taille rather than a récit de dessus, but the interpretation is effective and interesting. Fluency of line is a commendable characteristic of Suzuki’s playing, with very relaxed tempi in the Leipzig chorales. Conversely, tempi in the Schübler chorales are on the lively side, and some of the forward movement in sequential passages (in, for example, Wo soll ich fliehen hin) seems to race through the phrases before the building has had time to ‘process’ the sound. Balance between clarity and ambience is always an issue, and some pedal action noise in Kommst du nun may have suggested an increased distance between organ and microphones. However, the whole CD is played by a Bach enthusiast with obvious love for the music and the instrument.

★★★★