Bach, J S: Fugue in G minor, BWV578 'Little'

Any collection of recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) must include a good proportion of his compositions for the organ on which he must have been a master-performer and for which he provided a treasure trove of works. With organs requiring large acoustics they are usually to be found in churches, but such is the expense of maintaining them and the buildings in which they are housed that some are falling in to a state of disrepair or are being removed to be replaced by modern electrical or electronic instruments which, for all their good workmanship, completely fail to match the majesty of the original. Recordings, therefore, on a fine Hi-fi system are a superb alternative to travelling long distances to sit on often uncomfortable pews in cold churches (however that is not to say that they should completely replace the chance of hearing an original in real life, like other forms of music a live performance has added dimensions, it is just that it is becoming harder to attend such occasions). Lionel Rogg, in this second of several planned sets, brings together the remainder of the more extended works which are either a Fantasia, Prelude or Toccata followed by a Fugue, together with works which are Fantasias and Preludes without Fugues and some Fugues on their own.

‘He (Bowyer) is supported by a recording of absolutely top-class quality……….He has the intellectual and technical wherewithal, as well as remarkable gifts for communication from the organ console, to produce performances of great authority.’ (Gramophone) of Vol.

The transcriptions of Bach’s keyboard works for full symphony orchestra by Leopold Stokowski, one of the greatest conductors of the twentieth century, formed a successful part of his crusade to increase the accessibility of music. In reality Stokowski’s transcriptions had little to do with Bach: they are rather complete re-compositions in the manner of Wagner or Tchaikovsky for the late-romantic symphony orchestra. They have enjoyed continuing popularity since Stokowski first introduced them, and took a central rôle in the internationally popular film which he made with Walt Disney, Fantasia.

The recordings on this CD were made between 1927 and 1939, with Stokowski conducting in all instances The Philadelphia Orchestra, whose lush orchestra style was clearly well suited to his musical vision of Bach.

This is a very important record for collectors of great orchestral interpretations, in that it reveals aspects of the great Hungarian-born but naturalised American conductor Fritz Reiner which have rarely been made available on disc before. There are two major highlights on this CD – Prokofiev’s ‘Peter and the Wolf’ with the magnificent tenor Lauritz Melchior adopting a new role on disc as narrator, and an early war-time performance of Shostakovich’s epic Sixth Symphony with the Phlharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York. This very well-filled CD is completed by a brilliant performance of Mozart’s ‘Impresario’ Overture, and masterly accounts of the March from Tchaikovsky’s First Orchestral Suite, Debussy’s Fetes from his three Nocturnes and a beautifully transcription by Lucien Caillet of Bach’s ‘Little’ Fugue in G minor – the last three with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Excellent sound.

The innovative pianist and composer Jacques Loussier has taken the idioms of jazz and classical music and grafted elements of both into a single innovative sound. This 2 CD set, originally recorded in the early 1990s, spotlights Loussier’s strengths as both a jazz innovator and a classical composer. Disc 1, features the Loussier Trio which delivers innovative jazz renditions of J.S. Bach compositions and Disc 2 features the Violin and Trumpet Concertos, Loussier’s own original classical compositions.

recorded in Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, Indianapolis, USA, 9-10 May 1994