Neither Kay Johannsen nor Martin Lucker are particularly familiar names outside their native Germany, but both have something distinctive to say in their Bach interpretations. Not that what they say always makes agreeable listening. Lucker is clearly of the deep significance school, imbuing every note with such profound emotion and spirituality that prosaic matters of rhythm and tempo are cast aside. The music trudges along with all the ease of wading through waist-deep mud, a sensation heightened by copious use of a 16-foot manual Prinzipal. Even the deeply moving Vor deinen Thron is so overburdened with melodramatic gestures that its fundamental message is obscured. Those brought up on a diet of crisp, tight-lipped Bach performances adopting clockwork rigidity of pulse should avoid this, but they should certainly seek out Lucker’s scintillating account of the E minor Fugue, BWV548. His intensity of purpose, ideally paced tempos and admirable sense of structure are splendidly supported by a vivid recording of the superb 1990 Rieger in St Katharine’s Church, Frankfurt.
Johannsen’s disc is distinguished by uniformly stylish, immaculately tailored readings of the Trio Sonatas. At the beginning of this decade I found in Herrick’s Hyperion recording what was then, for me, the most persuasive, vivid and compelling performances ever of these sonatas. At the end of a decade during which numerous attempts were made to usurp Herrick’s pre-eminence in these works, he has, at last, met his match. Johannsen has every bit as much verve, spirit and musical persuasiveness, the organ is ideal both for these sparkling performances and the transparency of the musical textures (like Herrick, Johannsen has chosen a glorious Swiss Metzler – this time the 1992 instrument in the municipal church of Stein am Rhein), and Hanssler Classic’s recording has exceptional presence and clarity. What many will prefer is Johannsen’s avoidance of those glissandos and exuberant over-the-top gestures which litter Herrick’s playing.'