Buxtehude: Complete Organ Works Volume 1
Buxtehude: | Praeludium in D major, BuxWV139 Fantaisie chorale : "Nun freut euch lieben Christen g'mein", BuxWV 210 Fugue in C major, BuxWV174 Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BuxWV 178 Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BuxWV221 Ich dank dir schon (F), BuxWV 195 Canzonetta in D Minor, BuxWV 168 Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist, BuxWV208 Prelude BuxWV 150 Ciacona in C minor, BuxWV159 Toccata in F Major, BuxWV157 Magnificat Noni Toni (d), BuxWV 205 Praeludium in G, BuxWV 162 Auf meinen lieben Gott BuxWV 179 Chorale Prelude BuxWV184 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott' Praeludium in A Major, BuxWV151 |
Christopher Herrick (Organ of Helsingør Cathedral, Denmark) Dieterich Buxtehude was famously visited by J S Bach who walked from Arnstadt for Lübeck to hear him play. Bach
stayed far longer than his employers expected, so captivated was he by the older man’s playing. That Handel also
visited Lübeck, in 1703, further underlines Buxtehude’s stature.
The indefatigable Christopher Herrick has embarked on a complete series of Buxtehude’s organ music. The repertoire
falls into two basic categories: free works, and works based on pre-existing melodies. To the first category belong the
preludes and fugues, toccatas and fugues, ostinato works, and single-movement pieces such as the Fugue in C,
BuxWV174. To the second belong the works based on chorale and plainsong melodies. A tantalizing selection of
these is recorded here on the great organ of Helsingør Cathedral, Denmark. “Buxtehude's organ music dives into two categories. There are the freely composed works in the standard forms of his time, and the pieces based on pre-existing music. The first disc in Christopher Herrick's series is a neat mixture of both. Preludes, fugues, toccatas and a chaconne are mixed with chorale preludes, variations and the chorale fantasia on Nun Freut Euch, Lieben Christen Gemein. Herrick's performances, on the organ of Helsingør Cathedral in Denmark, sometimes try a bit too hard to be ear-catching, yet their rhythmic vitality bodes well for the discs to come.” The Guardian, 16th May 2008 *** “The recorded sound is warm and reassuring offering an ideal balance twixt instrument and acoustic. Production, engineering and playing are all splendid/” Gramophone Magazine, July 2008 “Herrick's razor-sharp articulation is at one with Buxtehude's fastidiously chiselled counterpoint…” BBC Music Magazine, June 2008 **** |
