Bach, J S: Chorale Prelude BWV676 'Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr'

Audiophile recording with special techniques and produced in SACD format

“Clavier Übung III is a series of profound meditations on the central doctrines of Lutheran faith, written with all the traditional expressive and communicative musical means of which Bach was the greatest master. It is the summit of his achievement as an improviser and composer of chorale-based organ works, and as such has never been equalled, let alone surpassed” writes David Ledbetter in his liner notes for this new Bach CD from Maya Recordings.

Born in Dublin, Malcolm Proud studied with Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam and won first prize at the Edinburgh International Harpsichord Competition in 1982. Since then, he has established an international career as an organist and harpsichordist, performing with such groups as the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Leonhardt, the English Baroque Soloists under Sir John Eliot Gardiner, the Gabrieli Consort and the Academy of Ancient Music, and touring throughout Europe, North America and Japan. He is a member of the Irish Baroque Orchestra and a founder member of Camerata Kilkenny.

“An insightful player… epic quality… awesome” The Irish Times

“Dramatic and flawlessly controlled” Los Angeles Times

Chances are that anyone who has ever heard organ music has been exposed to the organ music of J. S. Bach. More than just a daily staple of the organist's diet, Bach's organ music represents the pinnacle of the art.

Grand toccatas and fantasies; the sophisticated counterpoint of preludes and fugues; virtuoso sets of variations; show-off concertos; astonishingly tuneful trio sonatas; and chorale preludes ranging from complex fugal subjects to simply elaborated harmonization's of Lutheran chorales - in all these genres, Bach built on existing, inherited models and launched them into new territories of the imagination.

The current collection presents the most beautiful selections from the critically acclaimed Edition Bachakademie, bringing together the diverse talents of Europe's most exciting young organists - Kay Johannsen, Bine Katrine Bryndorf, Andrea Marcon, Wolfgang Zerer,and Martin Lücker. For as long as there are organs, it is inconceivable that Bach's organ music will not be performed upon them.