The Organ, Master of them all - general organ thread

[Que]

I'm looking for a good recording of the organ music by Nicolaus Bruhns!
Any recommendations?

Some candidates I found at jpc:







Q

[Don]

The best Bruhns organ disc I know isn't all Bruhns - also has a few pieces of Hanff that are exceptional.  The disc is Loft Recordings 1012 and performed by William Porter on the Cathedral Organ at Roskilde; the organ was originally built in 1554 and sounds fantastic.  One of my treasured organ discs, and that includes Bach.  BUT, it might not be easy to find.

[Bulldog]

I've got a warm spot for Scheidemann's organ music.  Naxos recorded five volumes, vol. 2 by Karin Nelson being the gem of the cycle. 

[Bulldog]

Another superb Scheidemann organ disc is played by Gwendolyn Toth on the Zefiro label - includes bird stops and some chant.

[Coopmv]

I am just baffled by the fact that Stefan Bleicher has not recorded more organ works by Bach.  I have the following set, which is quite nice in my opinion.  But then I am no expert in Franz Liszt.  Isn't he supposed to be one of the promising younger-generation German organists?

[Marc]

Organ lovers have been talking a lot about the compositions of J.S. Bach, and the various interpreters.

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,638.0.html

Let's talk about others & their compositions, too, as well as recordings of their work!
Of course it's allowed to talk about Bach. His work might be well suited for making comparisons.

[71 dB]

CPO label has a wonderful ongoing series of North German Baroque organ works played by Friedhelm Flamme. I have the first 2 volumes consisting works by Nicolaus Bruhns, Georg Dietrich Leyding and Vincent Lübeck. I am waiting for the 3rd volume (Johann Adam Reincken, Andreas Kneller, Christian Geist) to arrive.

[Coopmv]

Nicholas Bruhns composed some nice organ works and I have the following SACD.

[Marc]

It's gonna be a CPO thread!

I recently bought the complete organ works of Franz Tunder and Nicolaus Hasse. I think it's part of the Northern German Baroque Organ Works series, mentioned by 71dB:



But I'm also happy with a Pachelbel CD of the series Süddeutsche Orgelmeister, a production of Oehms Classics.



I think I'm falling in love with the German organ tradition. Alas, nowadays every love one holds costs money.
Nevertheless: I'll keep your advices in mind!

[Coopmv]

The best Bruhns organ disc I know isn't all Bruhns - also has a few pieces of Hanff that are exceptional.  The disc is Loft Recordings 1012 and performed by William Porter on the Cathedral Organ at Roskilde; the organ was originally built in 1554 and sounds fantastic.  One of my treasured organ discs, and that includes Bach.  BUT, it might not be easy to find.

And I missed the chance to visit the Roskilde Cathedral back in spring of 94 when I visited Copenhagen.     

[Que]

I've merged with an earlier thread, started by Harry. I do hope nobody is going to be upset or anything...

An excellent idea to revive the organ discussion beyond Bach!
I'll follow this thread will interest, perhaps someone will have the answer to my earlier question on comparisons between the various Bruhns recordings?

I'd like to point out that besides the Bach thread there is also a separate (and interesting) thread on Buxtehude.

Q

[Marc]

NO!!!!

IT WAS MY IDEA!!!!

O, my mistake. Sorry, Harry.

........

Yeah, thanks Que, for merging the threads.
I still consider myself an organ rookie, and probably will be attached to Bach for a while. Hopefully this thread will be filled with interesting posts by organ lovers, from Heinrich Scheidemann up to Messiaen (and the rest).

[Que]

I still consider myself an organ rookie, and probably will be attached to Bach for a while. Hopefully this thread will be filled with interesting posts by organ lovers, from Heinrich Scheidemann up to Messiaen (and the rest).

Well, it seems that we Dutch have a thing with organs....

And luckily we have plenty of superb instruments around!

Q

[Harry]

Wonderful, this thread revived. That makes me happy.

[Marc]

I'll follow this thread will interest, perhaps someone will have the answer to my earlier question on comparisons between the various Bruhns recordings?

Que, I only have the recordings of Helmut Winter on the Coci/Klapmeyer organ at the St. Nicolaskirche in Altenbruch, Germany. I like them a lot, but I can't compare them to others.

BTW, Winter also plays works of Pachelbel on that disc.
Here's the playlist:
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/hmu1230.htm

If you're interested, these recordings were recollected in a 6cd-box set by Harmonia Mundi France, entitled Les Orgues Historiques: labelnumber 2901225.30. I'm not sure if these recordings are still available, though.

[Coopmv]

These are all the CD's I have on Bruhns' organ works with the respective labels indicated.  The big boys like the DG and Philips are nowhere to be found ...

Bruhns   Organ Works                Winter/Organ       Harmonia
   Organ Works                Christensen (SACD)   ARSIS
   Complete Organ Works   Flamme (SACD)       CPO

[Marc]

These are all the CD's I have on Bruhns' organ works with the respective labels indicated.  The big boys like the DG and Philips are nowhere to be found ...

Bruhns   Organ Works                Winter/Organ       Harmonia
   Organ Works                Christensen (SACD)   ARSIS
   Complete Organ Works   Flamme (SACD)       CPO

And what can you tell us about your personal preferences, in terms of both interpretation and recording sound?

[Coopmv]

And what can you tell us about your personal preferences, in terms of both interpretation and recording sound?

I have not played any of these CD's in a while.  My initial impression of Bruhns' organ works was, wow, this fellow composed some nice organ works.  I will have to re-listen to these CD's before I can make any comments ...

[71 dB]

I have not played any of these CD's in a while.  My initial impression of Bruhns' organ works was, wow, this fellow composed some nice organ works.  I will have to re-listen to these CD's before I can make any comments ...

Nicolaus Bruhns was extremely talented but sadly died at age 32. What's worse, most of his music is lost. The cpo SACD is a no-brainer but there is also a brilliant disc of Bruhns' organ works (+3 cantatas) on Tempéraments label (Jan Willem Jansen/Le Parlement de Musique/Martin Gester).

[Marc]

Nicolaus Bruhns was extremely talented but sadly died at age 32. What's worse, most of his music is lost.

Yes, too bad, I listen to his organ music with great pleasure.
I do recall that, after listening to the Helmut Winter recording and after reading Bruhns' biography (being a violin & organ virtuoso), for a moment I thought: well, could he be the composer of Bach's BWV 565?