Dutch newbie

[rovikered]

Wow ! What an impressive performance !

[Marc]

welcome Marc form another organist/teacher. One of my modern favorite organist for Bach is Paul Jacobs, head of the Organ Dept of Julliard School of Music in USA. Here is link to one Performance of Him lately playing Bach. Take Care and Have fun here, Bill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hczd6WKMBUc

Thanks for the kind welcome (again ),
and thanks for the link, too.

Bill, please don't take this personally, but I must admit to you: this performance (big, bigger, best) is not really my cup of Bach tea.
The organ is impressive, true, but the sound of this intrument is far too large and thundering to my ears.
I'm curious how Paul Jacobs would perform on a historic organ of f.i. the Schnitger- or Silbermann family.
Or, if we stay in the US of A: on a 20th century Flentrop (there are some, I've heard) that's more or less based on 18th century organ building.

Right now, I'm listening to an Arp Schnitger organ of the St. Peter & Paul Church of Cappel, County of Niedersachsen, Germany. It's a Preambulum by Vincent Lübeck (1656-1740). It´s part of a 2cd Arp Schnitger in Niedersachsen, published by the Arp Schnitger Gesellschaft in Germany.
To be honest: that's far more to my likings! If necessary, there´s power in these performances, but it´s a more delicate power.

Some Bach links with a different sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ2xjd0912o
(organ of 1743, built by A.A. Hinsz)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnv8gjbx-0Q
(organ of 1734, built by Chr. Müller)
The organist is Jacques van Oortmerssen.

[rovikered]

Hi Marc !

Like you, I prefer the clearer, balanced sounds of the baroque organs, although I find Paul Jacobs's playing very impressive.
I have listened to van Oortmersson playing on the two links you gave (the second one incidently is played on the Waalse Kerk Organ in Amsterdam) and found them very interesting. However, I have to say that I find his interpretation of BWV565 somewhat laboured and that of BWV530 stately, rather than lively.
Of present day organists performing Bach, I have recordings of Marie-Claire Alain, Christopher Herrick, Peter Hurford, Piet Kee, Ton Koopman, Gerhard Weinberger, Gillian Weir and John Scott Whiteley, but my favourites are Weinberger, Kee and Whiteley whose interpretations I find well-paced, balanced and possessed of an overall refined musicianship. That is not to say, however, that other players lack these attributes but that they are, to me, better demonstrated by those three.

rk

[Marc]

Hi Marc !

Like you, I prefer the clearer, balanced sounds of the baroque organs, although I find Paul Jacobs's playing very impressive.
I have listened to van Oortmersson playing on the two links you gave (the second one incidently is played on the Waalse Kerk Organ in Amsterdam) and found them very interesting. However, I have to say that I find his interpretation of BWV565 somewhat laboured and that of BWV530 stately, rather than lively.
Of present day organists performing Bach, I have recordings of Marie-Claire Alain, Christopher Herrick, Peter Hurford, Piet Kee, Ton Koopman, Gerhard Weinberger, Gillian Weir and John Scott Whiteley, but my favourites are Weinberger, Kee and Whiteley whose interpretations I find well-paced, balanced and possessed of an overall refined musicianship. That is not to say, however, that other players lack these attributes but that they are, to me, better demonstrated by those three.

Thanks for reacting. Message 'understood'.

Sure, Paul Jacobs is without doubt a great organist. (And who am I to judge him anyway?) That's why I'm curious how he would handle Bach's music on f.i. a baroque or neo-baroque instrument.
About Van Oortmerssen: he might be an example of the (Dutch) more strict and calvinistic no-nonsense way of playing. His fellow countryman Ton Koopman is in many ways his opposite. Sometimes I prefer V.O., sometimes Koopman. The main reason behind the links was to show the organ sound, that I prefer in Bach and his contemporaries. I discovered that choice of instrument is more important to me than I thought at first.
Other example: the Duruflé's playing Bach on the great organ of the Soissons cathedral (EMI). I consider them both as great organists, but the organ wouldn't be my choice, either.

This is a funny welcoming thread, btw!
It somehow has flown into a real Bach organ thread.

[rovikered]

Thanks for reacting. Message 'understood'.
This is a funny welcoming thread, btw!
It somehow has flown into a real Bach organ thread.

Yes, Marc. We ought really to transfer it to the Pipe Organ Forum, but I don't know how to go about that. Perhaps a more experienced poster could help us out.
Bws.
rk

[Mat]

I'm willing to create a brand new thread in The Pipe Organ Forum for you. Just tell me how should I name it. Unless you want to have the previous postings there as well - then you need to ask moderators for help.

[Marc]

I'm willing to create a brand new thread in The Pipe Organ Forum for you. Just tell me how should I name it. Unless you want to have the previous postings there as well - then you need to ask moderators for help.

Mat, thanks for the suggestion.
I sent the administrator a PM to ask him about the possibilities to move the entire thread.
Now, we have to wait and see.

[rovikered]

If we're asked for a new name for the thread what about 'Organ Music of J.S. Bach' ?

[Marc]

If we're asked for a new name for the thread what about 'Organ Music of J.S. Bach' ?

I suggested 'Bach organ works'. Of course, J.S. Bach would be more specific. But now I created the opportunity to add remarks about the organ compositions of his sons, cousins, uncles and every other Bach, too.

[rovikered]

I support widening the scope of the thread to include other composer members of the BACH Family.

[rovikered]

re: Helmut Walcha.
You said you own a Walcha integral on CD, his second verture. This is the stereo box set, years 1959-1971?
Because, if you want to listen to a fine remastered version of his first mono set, maybe you'd be glad to know that there is a budget edition available:
http://www.amazon.com/Bach-J-S-Organ.../dp/B000E6UL6I

Though without a booklet with (detailed) information, I think it's worth every penny!

Marc,

I have now got the remastered version of Walcha's first (mono) set and how glad I am to have it! You are indeed right about it being a 'fine' version. I have a soft spot for those particular performances and recordings because they were the first Walcha ones I heard and a revelation to me when I did first hear them. I do prefer some of those recordings / performances on the Lubeck and Cappel Organs to all others.
Thanks again for leading me to the remasterings. Finally, I got them from Archivmusic.com at an even lower price than Amazon.com

Best wishes.
rk

[Marc]

Marc,

I have now got the remastered version of Walcha's first (mono) set and how glad I am to have it! You are indeed right about it being a 'fine' version. I have a soft spot for those particular performances and recordings because they were the first Walcha ones I heard and a revelation to me when I did first hear them. I do prefer some of those recordings / performances on the Lubeck and Cappel Organs to all others.
Thanks again for leading me to the remasterings. Finally, I got them from Archivmusic.com at an even lower price than Amazon.com

Best wishes.
rk

You're very welcome! Enjoy the listening (as you were already doing ).

[CMB]

HI Marc -

Welcome!! I don't have much to add to the discussion about the organ, except this from my old boss at a radio station who played the organ at services every Sunday.

"Don't ever program 3 types of music on a classical station: harpsichord, opera, and the organ."

Why is that, listers? I have seen it happen - listeners drop off in DROVES whenever those 3 (and anything modern) plays on my station.

I hope you are all having a relaxing weekend!

-Kelly

[Marc]

HI Marc -

Welcome!! I don't have much to add to the discussion about the organ, except this from my old boss at a radio station who played the organ at services every Sunday.

"Don't ever program 3 types of music on a classical station: harpsichord, opera, and the organ."

Why is that, listers? I have seen it happen - listeners drop off in DROVES whenever those 3 (and anything modern) plays on my station.

Thanks for the welcome!

Well, of course my favourite music is sheet music.

Apart from that, I mostly listen to vocal, organ and harpsichord.
I never listen to the radio, because the radio seems to avoid these kinds of music, especially for the last decade or so.
Luckilly for all the broadcast stations there are millions of music lovers who haven't dropped off and still listen to the Music for the Millions every day.