Herr Johann Sebastian Bach

[Robert Newman]

J.S. Bach
Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor
BWV 582
Soloist - Virgil Fox - Organ
1971
(Lincoln Centre for Performing Arts, New York, USA)
(Vinyl Record)

As a verbal description of this great work I suggest, ‘The immovable object meets the immutable force’ - Bach’s tremendous BWV 582. This recording is itself legendary. Virgil Fox in his prime.

Apologies for surface noise from time to time on this old and much loved vinyl record. Not from 1963 but 1971. Made in New York. (Thankfully surface noise is not too much of a factor).

http://www.mediafire.com/?ikmw3ngnd0g

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha Mr. Newman,

I heard Virgil for the first time when I was only knee-high to grasshoppers

Ok, I might have exaggerated just a smidgeon but hearing Virgil live at Riverside Church was an experience I'll never forget. Imagine if Virgil was around to perform in the acoustics that are there today...especially after the congregation contracted a firm to apply sealant to those blasted Guastavino tiles used on the walls and ceiling.

Now that place is quite alive and well with a most proper acoustic setting - the organ definitely has come into its own. Anyway, as a working organist I have been critiqued for liking Virgil's playing too much. All what I can do is say: *Hey, if you don't like it there's always an exit door waiting for you to pass through it*.

The current cream of the crop of organists are, in no particular order, Olivier Latry, Daniel Roth, Stephen Tharp, Paul Jacobs, and Ian Tracey, Franz Hauk, and Vincent Dubois. Of course, others have their picks as to who is masterful in their interpretive skills.

Humbly,

CD

[Robert Newman]

Hi there Corno Dolce,

Thank you. Great to know you had the privilege of hearing Virgil Fox live. We in Europe learned of him only slowly, through various great recordings in the 70's. His sheer love of this music is wonderful. I greatly admired that side of him. Viva Virgil Fox !! Here IS music !!!! That ability, to play music and bring joy to ordinary people is so inspiring. Other people may disagree but there is something divine about this.

Can you please tell us if the volume at such Virgil Fox concerts was very loud ? Was there much reverb ? How did they arrange the speakers etc ?

On the Youtube clip where he plays the Bach 'Jig Fugue' the sound quality is quite poor but the audience in that vast hall seems to have heard it well. I wonder how the loudspeaker system worked on such concerts ? Anyway, this great American organist has his place as one of the greatest organists and teachers of all time.

'Bright sunlight, magnificent uplift, true inspiration' (Virgil Fox)

So too E. Power Biggs -

E. Power Biggs - Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UlYPLDJ8TOE

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0gRBCAdC7wI


Regards

Robert

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha Mr. Newman,

Tbh, I don't recall how the speakers were arranged - the reverb was not like a smear of sound - the volume, if my memory serves me, was not blastingly loud...I've never heard Virgil *blast*. He always tastefully balanced the capacity of the instrument and the acoustic space. He knew well when an electric organ would distort.

Virgil was a class act who will not be easily displaced, although many will now say that Cameron Carpenter is the next Virgil Fox. I freely admit to finding Cameron's quixotic brand of interpretation as interesting to say the least. True interpretive maturity comes to different artisans at different times, so I do find it premature to say that Cameron takes over from Virgil.

Oh boy, Biggs and I have a very contentious *relationship*. His Bach leaves me feeling cold and clammy...but his riff on Mozart's F-minor Fantasy on the Passau Cathedral organ I do very much enjoy.

Back to Virgil: Yes, the recordings from his concerts leave very much to be desired - no doubt about it!

Back to Biggs: Lest you think I'm too harsh about British organists I will state that I like Simon Preston's Bach as more enjoyable. And Ian Tracey is fabulous just like David Briggs and John Scott who left St. Pauls in London for the un-acoustic barn that is St. Thomas in New York, wherein the congregation is pitching the Aeolian-Skinner into the trash heap for a Dobson. Well, its easy for a congregation to play with dead-men's monies.

Sorry for ending with a rant - I had to get it off my chest.

Humbly,

CD

[Robert Newman]

Thanks Corno Dolce, that's very helpful and I agree with you. We keep looking for another Virgil Fox and there isn't one. He was unique - one of a kind. He clearly got back to basics, to introducing the sheer joy and simplicity of great music to audiences. And they responded. He created happiness and reverence at the same time. He was a real character, a real person. And he loved what he did. One of the problems of our age - 'superstars' everywhere but hardly a real person. Same in music today as in politics and any other sphere of life. There's nothing better than infectious enthusiasm for creative things. Virgil Fox is in my view among the great musicians of our times for all these reasons. Wish I had seen/heard him.

Regards

Robert

[marval]

Some more lovely music, thank you Robert for that.


Margaret

[Robert Newman]

Great pleasure Margaret.

R

[Robert Newman]

Improvisational Bach -

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=slUW5I...eature=related

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=duZhnb...eature=related

Improvisation and Air

Bobby Mcferrin - Soloist
From Live Bach Concert ('24 Hour Bach Extravaganza')
2007

and

Allegro from D Major Concerto
Jaques Loussier Trio
Live Concert
2008

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_x0R0vFBHdE

[Robert Newman]

J.S. Bach
Ending Chorale from Cantata No. 167
BWV 167/6
Bach Collegium Stuttgart
Figuralchor der Gedeachtniskirche Stuttgart
Conductor - Helmuth Rilling (1974)
Hannsler

http://www.mediafire.com/?mlwnmwzzmin

[marval]

Hi Robert,

Thank you very much for sharing the videos, and the music.. I like the way Jacques loussier does Bach, Bobby McFerrin, is very clever. I like the way he interacts with the audience.


Margaret

[Robert Newman]

Hi there Marval,

Yes, I love to know that musicians and audiences everywhere keep finding in this music such tremendous depth. Another wonderful thing about Bach is that in spite of being so greatly loved and respected by musicians and audiences there is really no fanaticism about him as a person. The music he wrote succeeds so well there is no need for mythology or exaggeration.

[marval]

Hi Robert,

Yes I agree with you.


Margaret

[Robert Newman]

Margaret,

I'd like to post a few more Bach tracks here in the coming days. Perhaps some of the lesser known ones.

Where is your Rachmaninov thread ? I like a lot of his works too.

Regards

RN

[marval]

Hi Robert,

In the Classical Music thread, CD posted this "Memories Of A Great Composer". That is Rachmaninov, so I think if anyone wants to post about Rachmaninov, that would be where to post it. Unless you wanted to start a completely new thread. CD posted some lovely Videos.


Margaret

[Robert Newman]

Thanks Margaret. It seems there was a major internet problem in the London area this morning so I could not post till now. (Sudden loss of internet connection across large areas of London is very rare but it has happened twice today).

Good to know there is already a thread on Rachmaninov. I'll visit it.

Now, must see what other Bach I can put here.

Regards

R