| Comments: | Recording Bach on a modern organ is nothing new, but with just 24 stops divided over two manuals and pedal, the organ used for this recording is smaller than the ones usually encountered on disc. As far as I'm concerned, that is a welcome change. This organ's relatively modest size, together with its clear and distinct stops, results in an immediate and intimate sound picture which exposes every nuance of an organist's playing. With vigorous and precise playing, Simon Preston makes the most of these qualities.
- The overly-familiar Toccata and Fugue in d get a fresh rendition with frequent and engaging changes of tone colour and volume, brought about by both manual and registration changes.
- The Fantasia in G's three movements, each very different from the other, are brought together by a uniform sense of momentum that pervades each individual movement.
- The Canonic Variations are used very effectively to show some of the organ's diverse tonal possibilities. Their cheerful and nimble performance lingers in the mind long after the ears have stopped listening.
- Among a dozen or so recordings I have of the Prelude and Fuge in D, this one stands out because of the bravura, vitality, variety of registration and sheer virtuosity with which Simon Preston treats this composition.
- The registration of the opening movement of the Pastorella immediately and appropriately evokes a pastoral mood because of the way the reed stop used is reminiscent of the "drone" of a bagpipe. The remaining movements are played in an attractive, light-hearted manner, especially the final one
which murmurs like a brook in springtime.
- The concluding Prelude and Fugue in E-flat (from the "Clavieruebung III") are given a driven and energetic performance. As such, they form a worthy "finale" to a varied and enjoyable recital.
Overall, the enduring merits of this CD boil down to two things: the impression that Simon Preston thoroughly enjoys this music and is able to communicate his enthusiasm to the listener, plus the fact that his performances are very much personal ones, resulting, I imagine, from years of involvement with this music, and as such show this familiar repertoire in a pleasant new light.
Alastair Asher said:
This recording is by far the single best performance of Bach's organ works. But the main reason I am writing is to point out the interesting (to me at least) fact that the great BWV 552 recorded here is different to the one on the Simon Preston's complete recording 'Das Orgelwerk'. It is far better. I mentioned the version that the one in the complete recording wasn't much good; this one is, because it was done at a time when he was in absolute top artistic form (as evidenced by the other recordings on the disc).
This is another thing which speaks against the wisdom of whoever is in charge of releases at Deutsche Grammophon. In the complete edition 'Das Orgelwerk', they left out a great deal of stuff Simon Preston had recorded, excellently, because in their opinion it was probably not really by Bach (e.g. BWV 597, the eight short preludes and fugues, BWV 571). That is all very well, but some of it (BWV 571)is, in fact, probably by Bach (according to the editors at Barenreiter), and the other works are at least good organ music - why should they be left out? Add to this that Simon Preston gives by far - even compared to other great organists who have recorded complete editions - the best performance of these works on record, and it's a huge shame that their complete edition is not complete. And then there is this version of BWV 552 they left off, because they recorded a new (inferior) version. Christopher Herrick has two versions of this in his complete edition, so why not Preston? But then Herrick's record label (Hyperion) has far more common sense and understanding with regards to this kind of thing. |
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