Customer Reviews

Bach: Favorite Organ Works

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

 

 

Do these performances have anything at all to recommend them? Yes: it is interesting to hear non-autograph manual changes on a modern recording of Bach's organ works. Younger organists who know only the monochromatic everything-pleno performance practices of contemporary players may profit from studying Newman's approach to concertato interpretation.

But ye gods! the playing is out of control. Another review praises the lack of "adagio boring stuff", but there is no virtue in speed alone - in a piece such as the C major trio (BWV 529) it verges on blasphemy. It would be laughable, if it wasn't disturbing. This is music written with a higher purpose than mere virtuoso display, so the shockingly fast tempi are all about Newman, not about Bach.

I will admit that the Passacaglia comes off best (even at this pace) and I do appreciate his over-the-top cadenza with the following grand rallentando: too many performances never really "bring it all home." But please don't look to this as your only recording of these masterpieces. There is far more depth and delight in this music than Newman's flashy approach can ever reveal.

This CD is worth every penny. The organ sounds incredible, and it has a booming, thunderous sound to it. Every track is interpreted masterfully by Newman, and contains classics such as the Passacaglia and Toccata and Fugue. Many of the tracks left me breathless, hairs on end and chills down my spine, and others left me feeling happy, and lighthearted. This CD is a must have for any Bach collection.

The Passacaglia alone is worth owning this album. Other interpretations are too slow - so slow that you don't even notice the climax. Sure slower pace might satisfy the trained ears who want to hear the flows and harmonics in every stanza, but remember Bach is a dramatic composer and he writes music because music is emotional and pleasant. The only way to tie the whole piece together is to maintain the thread of melody by playing the progressions faster. Bach played this piece in a competition to showcase not only his intellect but also his organist virtuosity and his ability to captivate the audience. I believe Newman got it right.

I am an organist. I have listened to the masters: Virgil Fox, Michael Murray, E. Power Biggs, etc. While I DO admit that the works are some what fast; it shows the INCREDIBLE talent of the organist. The Gigue Fugue and the Fugue in A minor and C minor are examples of almost music that incourages "self abuse!!" To have the talent to play the music at the speed he does with his feet FASTER than most people can play with both hands is impressive. Why not just appreciate the RAW talent of the man and forget about nit-picking the speed!

Just like the other reviewers said, Newman is simply too fast. I also own his Goldberg Variations, which it turned out pretty good and unique, but not this CD. In my personal taste, most organ players, I have heard suffers for being slightly slower than I would have liked, but in the case of Newman, it seems that he is just testing himself to see how fast he can play. Now, if Newman makes another CD with the speed between this CD and what is considered to be the average speed, then I would gladly pay 10$ for such CD; for example, Toccata and Fugue in D minor he plays in 7:10. The "average" speed would be around 8:40 for that piece, and if he played "a bit slower" (say, at 8 minutes) then at that point the music could be enjoyable. But at this speed, Bach masterpieces are simply ruined.

OK - so scholarly research indicates that Bach was a user of ornaments. However, Mr. Newman's added ornaments and twiddly bits simply vex me to death.

His interpretations are shallow, his tempi are so fast as to blur the line (in my humble opinion) and his choice of registration unimaginative. It's one CD I won't be listening to again ... might even give it away.

...his playing is way too fast in places. He just flies through phrases that E. Power Biggs would linger over and let develop.

However, I think his rendition of the Passacaglia actually benefits from the speed, and BWV 543 isn't shabby at all in his interpretation.

Look, the product is $5. It's not a bad deal at all. One thing is that the recordings will not put you to sleep; he does achieve a melodic line, it isn't all bluster and loudness and speed. There are musicians who, sad to say, can't figure out how to keep the melody going at all. Newman has no such problem.

This one is worth buying just for the Passacaglia. Anthony Newman has the best interpretation of Bach's organ music I have heard yet. No pianissimo, legato, adagio boring stuff here. Newman's playing is thunderous and fiery with good dynamic contrasts. The organ on this recording sounds absolutely wonderful. The Gigue fugue and Passacaglia are my favorites, and the rest is also really good. This is the last rendition of the Passacaglia you will pay money for--it will run chills up your spine. Get it.

only things...

Another lightning crack induced tempi recording by Mr. Newman, is he really good or does he just play stuff too fast to hear the wrong notes??

Also...tempo issues as a result of the speed. There is phasing in the voices, inconsistencies, and poor balancing with the antiphonal and deeper located stops on this NY organ.

I got this for the gigue fugue since the first interpretation I heard of it was on the Virgil Fox recording, but since that one has clapping I decided to get another version. Newman's is the only vibrant and exciting recording I could find of the fugue BWV 577. I really think it should be played as fast as possible and Newman certainly does this. The organ reminds me of the powerful organs I have heard on older recordings and in some European cathedrals. Still, I think there are better recordings of the other works on this cd, but the fugue by itself makes it worthwhile listening to this recording.

The passacaglia is completely massacred so you might want to stay away from that and instead listen to E. Power Biggs or if you can find Garry Grodberg's interpretation you will be in for a real treat.