Bach, J S: Chorale Prelude BWV690 'Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten'

Volume 6 of Margaret Phillips’ on-going and critically-acclaimed cycle of the complete organ works of JS Bach Two CD set at ‘two-for-one’ price, each disc is a self-contained recital featuring major works, a trio sonata, a concerto and a selections of chorale preludes.

The first disc features one of the worlds most iconic historic organs, built in 1738 by Christian Müller, in St Bavo’s church in Haarlem. The second disc features the large 2004 Bernard Aubertin organ in St Louis-en-l’Île, Paris. Built in eighteenthcentury German style this instrument is a similar size to the one in Haarlem and offers a fascinating comparison.

Repertoire includes some of Bach’s largest works for organ, with the Prelude and Fugues in Eminor (‘Wedge’) and B minor at Haarlem and the Fantasia and Fugue in G minor at Paris.

The discrepancy between virtuosity, artistry and genius on the one hand and the reality of the musical profession on the other has probably never been more aptly expressed than in the Arnstadt church council´s criticism of the young Johann Sebastian Bach:" He confuses the congregation." He confused them with his chorale arrangements full of brilliant and ingenious ideas and his free organ works. Fortunately, posterity mostly sees Bach in quite a different light than his immediate contemporaries!

Anyone who plays a pedal harpsichord for the first time is inevitably fascinated by its possibilities. We know that Bach himself preferred a rich, resonant sound and this CD celebrates the repertoire.

Luc Beauséjour is renowned for the elegance, virtuosity and expressiveness of his playing.

In celebration of master organist Jean Guillou’s 80th birthday Dorian Sono Luminus is proud to announce the re-issue and remastering of Guillou’s Bach Organ recordings for Dorian Recordings as a six CD box set and part of the “Best of Dorian” Series.

Jean Guillou is unique in our time. He is the last in a distinguished line of composer-organists, a virtuoso who creates, a Frescobaldi, a Sebastian Bach, a Liszt, a Widor. This rare blend of creator and interpreter imbues his traversal of Bach’s oeuvre for organ with a special vision, a unique spirit. Sebastian Bach, who owned a copy of Frescobaldi’s Fiori Musicali, approached the music of his great Roman predecessor as though it were contemporary, the creation of a peer, the handiwork of an esteemed colleague. To Bach, the keyboard works of Frescobaldi were as “new” as his own, as new as the Organ Masses of Couperin-le-Grand and de Grigny. To Guillou, the organ works of Bach are as “new” as those of Dupré, Messiaen, or Guillou. In these innovative, iconoclastic performances, virtuoso-composer meets virtuoso-composer, creator meets creator, and recreator meets recreator, all on an equal footing; together Bach and Guillou span the centuries like the Shakespearean colossus. Those who seek an “authentic,” “scholarly” approach to the Bach organ works “will,” to quote Sir Adrian Boult, “have no difficulty in finding many excellent recordings in this vein.”

Recorded on the The Kleuker-Steinmeyer Organ of the Tonhalle, Zürich and The Kleuker Organ of Église Notre Dame des Neiges, Alpe d’Huez, France this box set contains 5 discs that were volumes 1-5 of Bach’s organ works as recorded by Guillou as well as his transcription of the Goldberg Variations on disc 6. All of the albums have been newly remastered by the Dorian Sono Luminus staff and packaged in this handsome 6 CD Set. With eight additional discs available in the catalog, Guillou’s legacy as a master of his instrument is well represented and alive in the Dorian Sono Luminus Catalog.

Played on Silbermann organs.