Bach and the North German Tradition, Vol 1

Bach and the music that influenced him, played on a fine Bavarian organ

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Georg Böhm, Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Sebastian Bach

Genre:

Instrumental

Label: Audite

Media Format: Super Audio CD

Media Runtime: 0

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: AUDITE92 547

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Praeludium Dietrich Buxtehude, Composer
Dietrich Buxtehude, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
(10) Chorale Partite and Variations, Movement: Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig, WK ii 74 (hpd Georg Böhm, Composer
Georg Böhm, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
Toccata and Fugue Dietrich Buxtehude, Composer
Dietrich Buxtehude, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
Orgel-Büchlein, Movement: Christ ist erstanden, BWV627 (3 vers) Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
Preludes and Fugues, Movement: Prelude and Fugue in D, BWV532 Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
(18) Chorales, 'Leipzig Chorales', Movement: ~ Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
Capriccio Georg Böhm, Composer
Georg Böhm, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
(10) Chorale Partite and Variations, Movement: Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele, WK ii 115 (?hpd) Georg Böhm, Composer
Georg Böhm, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
Passacaglia Dietrich Buxtehude, Composer
Dietrich Buxtehude, Composer
Martin Neu, Organ
Although Bach gets top billing (being alphabetically top of the class), the most pleasurable highlights are the three delightful pieces by Georg Böhm (1661-1733), who Bach got to know between 1700 and 1702 when he attended school in Lüneberg. As a musician of wide musical tastes – informed, no doubt, by a spell working in Hamburg’s opera house – Böhm is remembered best for establishing the chorale partita as a fully fledged musical form. Two examples are recorded here, mostly on the manuals alone, with sparing use of the pedals. Böhm’s encouragement of Bach manifested itself in a love of elegant dance forms (Lüneberg being celebrated for its love of all things in the French taste), flowing bass-lines and a willingness to experiment. Although it is usually played on the harpsichord, Böhm’s Capriccio in D sounds quite at ease on the organ. Bach’s early Prelude and Fugue in D is rattled off in a similarly strong, no-nonsense manner. Where Bach excelled, of course, was in the trio sonata. Martin Neu produces a perfectly poised chorale trio on Herr Jesus Christ. Buxtehude’s contributions emphasise how indebted Bach was in matters fugal. In Buxtehude’s Passacaglia the Ahrend organ’s tuning strains somewhat under full load as Neu climbs the steep summit to the crowning final tierce de Picardie. Although this new Bavarian organ has a modest specification on paper, such is the variety of its timbral beauty that the ear never tires. The documentation, recorded sound and playing are all of the first order.

Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music. 

Stream on Presto Music | Buy from Presto Music

Gramophone Print

  • Print Edition

From £6.67 / month

Subscribe

Gramophone Digital Club

  • Digital Edition
  • Digital Archive
  • Reviews Database
  • Full website access

From £8.75 / month

Subscribe

                              

If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.