Customer Reviews

24 Preludes & Fugues 1

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have one other recording by Anthony Newman: Bach's Art of Fugue played on a Casavant organ which was equal to the task of faithfully rendering Bach's music in all it's grandeur and clarity, but it was recorded in such a way as to suggest the microphones were placed at the windchests: you had no idea of the acoustics of the church the organ resided in, unless you could listen carefully enough for brief pauses in the music. Although "Art of Fugue" listed in the credits the church the recording was made in, we have no such luxury here. (Perhaps the elders at THIS church previewed the recording and decided they would not have listeners believe the church had more carpeting than the Astrodome, and therfore requested the church and organ remain anonymous). Although Mr. Newman plays with flawless technique, he obviously took a page out of Virgil Fox's book on interpreting Bach. He throws enough extracurricular ornamentation into such works as "Fantasy & Fugue in G minor" to render the outset of the Fantasy nearly unrecognizable. It brings to mind the words of Mozart's patron (from the film "Amadeus"): "Too many notes." Mr. Newman does select some thought-provoking registrations at places in certain selections which struck me as quite refreshing, but, as a whole, I found this VoxBox offering a disappointment. I'm ready to go back to E. Power Biggs, bad edits and all.

Anthony Newman is possessed of a formidable technique. This means, inter alia, that he is able to play very quickly and at the same time, accurately. Because he is able to play very quickly and accurately, he all too frequently does; often destroying the musical sense of the piece in the process. This is a pity for he has a well-founded understanding of Bach's music and the North German instruments for which it was written, although he is given to adding embellishments not contained in the score and not within the stylistic traditions of the time. This is Bach; not Balbastre!

As an aside, this wondrous technical ability allows him to play the Trio Sonatas (not included in these discs) with no 16' stop drawn; mercilessly revealing of any shortcomings in pedal performance (of which there are none!) but introducing a wonderful clarity to these important works. I envy him this facility. But in the case of these Preludes and Fugues, he gets so much right and then seems to veer off at some totally disconnected and eccentric tangent.

Some may wonder at his choice of instrument but it is well chosen and makes a welcome change from those symphonic leviathans which popularly and erroneously are supposed to be de rigeur for this music. Another reviewer has indicated a preference for another recording involving a large Casavant Frères instrument. This organ builder, like numerous others, has modelled many of his instruments very much in the character of the hugely influential Cavaillé-Coll organs but these are of a type, specification and building tradition very different from the German instruments and introduced nearly 100 years after Bach's death. They have absolutely no relevance to the German Barok.

The organ employed in these recordings is to be found at the Wooster School in Danbury, Connecticut, where the chapel seats about 250. 23 stops are included in three divisions of the late-nineteenth century instrument which recently has been enlarged and voiced in the North German/Dutch ethos and the one familiar to Bach. The fairly dry, non-reverberant acoustics and "chamber" proportions of the organ allow a wonderful clarity of performance.

It largely was for this type/scale of organ that Bach wrote and is most revealing of the contrapuntal nature of his work. Virgil Fox and fellow circus performers have much to answer for . . .

Unfortunately, Mr Newman lets himself down here for there are better collections of the Preludes and Fugues. Sadly, the superb recordings made by Lionel Rogg in the early 'sixties have been unavailable for a long time and his subsequent cycle is very mediocre by comparison. In preference, I would choose the incomparable Helmut Walcha. Alternatively, I would recommend the cycles done by Hans Fagius and George Ritchie. I am unable to develop much enthusiasm for this particular collection.

The first thing you'll notice after you get this collection, or perhaps even before you get it if you've actually looked at the track listings here, is that this certainly isn't the Well-Tempered Clavier played on the organ. "24 Preludes and Fugues, Vol. 1"? I don't think so, Tim. Must've been some kind of labeling misprint at the factory. What it is, is a hodge-podge of organ music from the Baroque master played in a most unconventional manner.

I'll be honest, when I first got this collection over a decade ago, I felt like throwing it into the garbage after the first hearing. It sounded as if these great masterpieces of music were being played by a drunken baboon. I bought it because I wanted to hear Bach, not Anthony Newman's...let us say, unique...attempt at dazzling the listner with his uniqueness. This collection is not, I repeat, NOT for those who are looking for the Bach that they know and love.

That being said, I'm glad I didn't toss it out. There are few pieces on these two discs that, unconventional though they may be, are really good in their own way. The Toccata, Adagio, & Fugue, Toccata and Fugue in F, Prelude & Fugue in Fm, and the "St. Anne" Prelude & Fugue are all among my favorite versions of those works I have yet heard. Newman's unique approach does seem to breathe life into these works in such a way as to make them a one-of-a-kind sonic experience. Other than the works I mentioned, though, my original impression stayed with me. Newman generally just plays to fast, to choppy, for me to truly enjoy.

When all is said and done, if you give this one a chance, and take the time to sift through the hyperactive, muddled interpretations, and Mr. Newman's presumptuous musical ego, you should be able to find some jewels in the dung heap, so to speak. As the saying goes: Buyer Beware!

Well, since this is a bargain-priced collection, it's probably worth your while to pick it up and give it a listen. Heck, who knows? You may end up agreeing with some of those here who rave about it.

That's what our church organist (Ph.D., Eastman) said when I asked him about Newman, after I had bought and enjoyed the above recording. (I have heard so many BAD recordings of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor that I was relieved to hear it played sensibly on this wonderful CD.)

I'm sorry if one reviewer didn't like Newman's added notes; he should look up 'ornaments' in the Norton/Grove concise Encyclopedia of Music - or listen to contemporary soloists in Handel's Messiah for ornamentation in the spirit of the Baroque and classical eras.

Is the recording dry? Yes - but it's not muddy, as cathedral organ music is. Every week I sit five feet from a 22-stop tracker action organ built in the North German style and hear glorious music, often Bach, performed impeccably. Our church seats 300 and doesn't have cathedral acoustics - I still get a thrill from Bach, played well.

Mr. Newman is an admirable technician whose manual and pedal virtuosity are truly extraordinary. Unfortunately, his dexterity gets in the way of the music. At these hyperkenetic speeds the effect is the aural equivalent of disco-era strobe lighting. Thank you, but I don't like it at all. I don't like dutiful plodding in Bach's organ works either, but the music needs a little breathing space for the granduer to make its effect. The chorale based preludes aren't badly done at all. It's a shame that some of the reflection exhibited in the chorale works didn't filter into the free compositions. Yes, the notes are all there, but the polyphony doesn't have time to register at these speeds. While I appreciate ornamentation in this music, it should add expression not the here-it-comes-again predictability we get in these run throughs. Mr. Newman also has a preference for garish, reedy registrations. All in all, the race to the finish line and the monotonous,blaring screech of the organ make for some unpleasant listening.

first i will like to answer to the two reviews above: mr.harry a.nass iii from texas usa sir if you do not hear all the notes you have a problem for sure. the intention in recording in this small istrument was for that idea.on the contrary if you hear recordings made in big churches the reverberation makes it difficult to hear all the notes,on the contrary on a small and clear organ the idea is the contrary. mspalmer@prodigy net: you will be better with the second set of complete organ works mr.newman recorded on the 4 manual rieger organ (tracker action) in new york city. you must be more respectful and careful before giving your opinion on a public media about the speed he and mr.fox played. hapens that these two organists are considered by many the two best artists we americans had and have. by the way when you record jsbach comlete organ works let us know... hugo s

review:

mr.newman is the best american organist alive. and we americans should be proud to have a man of such a talent. not everybody agrees on everything but please give him five stars for the great job and effort he puts on every note he records. hugo s

This is the second release effort of major organ works by JS Bach for Mr. Newman ca 1977. There is no doubt of the technical genius of Mr. Newman upon listening. The organ however is a small instrument in a small room (located in a school chapel) and it had been recently revised when this recording was made. The very dry acoustics and close microphone placement (while leaving no sense of depth) does allow one to "hear" all of the notes!

This is definitely a "must" for anyone interested in the organ works of JS Bach despite the "dry" recording and odd organ.

The people who gave this one star don't know what they're talking about. Anthony Newman takes Bach and cranks it up to Insane. I'm a huge fan of Bach and this is the most original interpretation i've heard. He creates out of his mind insane builds followed by an instant switch into a ghostly haunted church style whisper. If you want Back like you've never experienced it, grab this up.

Mr. Newman plays with the accuracy and passion of a machine. This recording is truly lifeless. At the very least, he plays way too fast as so the listeners ears are only assaulted briefly.