The organ Works of J S Bach

[BBMmk2]

I have over the past few months been collecting various organists' recordings of Bach's organ music. I had started to collect Robert Quinnay's cycle on Coro, but then he left The Sixteen, and it seemed to have stopped at that. I have begun collecting Masaaki Suzuki's cycle, so far rather good, as you might expect. I've also started to collect Olivier Latry's recordings as well. Any other suggestions most welcome.

[Braunschlag]

Kevin Bowyer, Nimbus. He can wipe the floor with any organist technically. He can play anything however difficult and Bach is no challenge for him, rock solid.
No fuss, no nonesense musician. They’ve been around for a while but still stand up in my view.

[vinteuil]

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... current favourites -

Weinberger

http://amzn.eu/5bcsjx6

.
Hanssler edn

http://amzn.eu/h6urlx6

.
Molardi

http://amzn.eu/aKKmUGf

.
Foccroulle

http://amzn.eu/imfWzRS

.
Chapuis

http://amzn.eu/1dSFkPL

.
Isoir

http://amzn.eu/9Y0JXjf

.
Rogg

http://amzn.eu/1Y8B8Oq

.
Vernet

http://amzn.eu/48oizNA

The uncompleted series by Oortmerssen is lovely, too...


Happy listening!

( ... I hope you have understanding neighbours! )




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[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Kevin Bowyer, Nimbus. He can wipe the floor with any organist technically. He can play anything however difficult and Bach is no challenge for him, rock solid.
No fuss, no nonesense musician. They’ve been around for a while but still stand up in my view.

- the only complete set I have.

[Dave2002]

In LP days Lionel Rogg's versions were regarded highly, and I enjoyed several of the LPs. I don't know if the recordings are still available, or if they are so highly regarded these days.

Maybe they are only available as used CDs now - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-LOeuvr.../dp/B000027OAA

Note also the Helmut Walcha set for under £11 currently -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/J-S-Bach-Organ-Helmut-Walcha/dp/B000E6UL6I/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_15_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=J639QW51PHETN6N2KYZB

[Bryn]

In LP days Lionel Rogg's versions were regarded highly, and I enjoyed several of the LPs. I don't know if the recordings are still available, or if they are so highly regarded these days.

Maybe they are only available as used CDs now - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-LOeuvr.../dp/B000027OAA . . .

I have just ordered a set in "Very Good" to "As New" condition from amazon.com for £24 89 including free Prime trial p&p. I just have to wait and see if I get hit for import duty.

[Alain Maréchal]

Maurice Duruflé at Soissons, (shared with Madame Duruflé-Chevalier).

Anton Heiller in Copenhagen

Édouard Commette at Lyon, in a style now vanished for ever, I suspect.

and how could one overlook Marie-Claire Alain, partout?

[gurnemanz]

I will always have a particular fondness for the set, Bach on Silbermann Organs, many of which I had on old East German Eterna LPs. I spent some time teaching English in Leipzig and indeed married a citizen of that city. I heard some of these organs in situ, some in local village churches. I got to know Hannes Kästner, the organist at St Thomas's, Leipzig, now passed on, and helped him with practising his English prior to a tour of Japan.

[Bryn]

I will always have a particular fondness for the set, Bach on Silbermann Organs, many of which I had on old East German Eterna LPs. I spent some time teaching English in Leipzig and indeed married a citizen of that city. I heard some of these organs in situ, some in local village churches. I got to know Hannes Kästner, the organist at St Thomas's, Leipzig, now passed on, and helped him with practising his English prior to a tour of Japan.

I only ever has the one LP volume of Rogg playing a Silbermann. All the rest I had, some 12 of the 18 volumes, were of him playing the Metzler Organ Grossmunster, Zurich. I am not sure whether or not they ever made it to CD. I can find no evidence of such. Looking forward to hearing the Harmonia Mundi Silbermann set. I wonder if it comprises the same recordings as the Berlin CLassics box. An amazon.com customer review suggests not.

[gradus]

I only ever has the one LP volume of Rogg playing a Silbermann. All the rest I had, some 12 of the 18 volumes, were of him playing the Metzler Organ Grossmunster, Zurich. I am not sure whether or not they ever made it to CD. I can find no evidence of such. Looking forward to hearing the Harmonia Mundi Silbermann set. I wonder if it comprises the same recordings as the Berlin CLassics box. An amazon.com customer review suggests not.

I have the complete Rogg mono recordings made over 3 years from 1961-1964 on the Metzler organ in the Grossmunster in Zurich.
In case anyone is interested, the recordings were made by Radio Zurich and they still sound good. Three mics were used, 2 for the 2 Positifs and one for the Great and Pedals. The set originally appeared in the UK on the Bach Recordings label with a printed insert talking about Rogg and the recordings, as well as a full specification of the Metzler.
I have no other complete set but have other recordings of favourite pieces eg the F major toccata and the Passacaglia in C.

[MickyD]

I got hold of the Koopman/Erato set a few years ago - rather quirky in places, as Koopman often is, but enjoyable.

Vints, which box do you consider to be the most HIP?

[VodkaDilc]

My recommendation would be Margaret Phillips on Regent. I have eight CDs - I'm not sure if she recorded more. Mainly recorded on carefully selected European organs, though including Trinity, Cambridge.

From earler decades, I always enjoyed Peter Hurford's LP sets. I believe they were all released on CD, though I'm not sure if they are still available. He (or the record company, Argo) were particularly skilled in making each side a well-balanced recital in its own right.

[vinteuil]

I got hold of the Koopman/Erato set a few years ago - rather quirky in places, as Koopman often is, but enjoyable.

Vints, which box do you consider to be the most HIP?

.... yes, Koopman is fun. But it's very Koopman too, with all that that entails...

I believe Weinberger's is the most complete set, and he uses nice historical instruments - as do most of those in my list of favourites. Oortmerssen I like a lot, but he never finished his survey. Chapuis, Vernet, and Isoir may be a bit too 'French' for some tastes; I love them. Rogg is pretty pure, some might find him too austere. The Hanssler set and the Silbermann set referred to by Gurnemanz in his #8 above all have lovely instruments.
And don't forget Fagius -

http://amzn.eu/0VPGzLb

So - spoilt for choice really. Largely depends on the kind of organ sound that gets you going...



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[Dave2002]

I have just ordered a set in "Very Good" to "As New" condition from amazon.com for £24 89 including free Prime trial p&p. I just have to wait and see if I get hit for import duty.

Good luck with that. Would be interested to know if the set’s good, and also whether you get clobbered.

[BBMmk2]

I cannot see any Kevin Bowyer complete sets, just single CDs. I may collect Masaaki Suzuki's canon as it comes out? Any advixce?