Customer Reviews

Glorious Pipes: Organ Music Through the Ages

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

`Glorious Pipes' takes the listener on a wonderful journey to the most exquisite pipe organs in the world! The beautiful organs featured in this lovely 2-CD recording sound majestic and powerful, and quite frankly make me feel tiny! There are many goodies here by well-known, as well as lesser-known composers and performers. It opens with Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, which is hauntingly beautiful. It is played in a way with which I was unfamiliar and feels very dark indeed. I have read that Ton Koopman, the organist on this piece, strives for authenticity so that the hearer experiences how it would most likely have been played when originally composed. The sound quality of these masterpieces is astounding! The organs presented here are as fierce as thunder and as gentle as butterflies. Listen to these on a decent audio system, and you will simply be amazed! Each disc features over 70 minutes of spine-tingling music. This album is truly a jewel in my music collection.

Glorious Pipes gives a rare opportunity to hear Bach's work as envisioned by many master organists on a variety of organs. Organ recordings are scarce enough; this makes it possible to enjoy a variety without tiresome searching through the limited number of disks that are available.

This is a 2-CD set with 20 music selections. The music is splendidly performed by several different organists on equally as many different magnificent pipe organs in several cathedrals and music venues throughout the world. There are masterwork selections that will be familiar to anyone who has ever heard one of these grand organs play at concert and there are selections that are not so well known that are included (I assume) that display an organist's fine skills. The CD is certainly a good buy and I recommend it to anyone who loves pipe organ music played on the world's finest instruments.

There is one thing glaringly missing on this CD, and I cannot understand why the producers of this CD chose to omit it. The CD is a collection of numbers from several previously released organ CDs. The booklet narrative accompanying this CD goes into sufficient detail about the musical selection being played, the composer with given selection title and number, hints to the reader as to what outstanding passages in the selection to listen for, a substantial description of said passages, and the name of the organist performing (not listed in the narrataive, but listed following each selection on the title pages). BUT noplace in any of the literature or on the title page is the listener informed as to what organ is being played where. To me, this is a most critical omission. Not that I can identify one grand organ from another, being played by whomever, I cannot. But, I would love to know the organ being presented in all its splendor for each musical selection on the CD, and the cathedral or music venue home where the organ is located.

For this huge omission in information, I find that I must give this CD only 4 stars. It would certainly been a 5 star CD, if only for its value (a bargain for sure), for the wonderful presentations played, for the skills of the most accomlished organists, and for the magnificent music recorded, but not knowing the organ being demonstrated is to me a tragic omission.

A few days ago I commented on John "J's" review that I was sorry that the maker and location of each organ was omitted from the program notes. I noted that I give the album a fair hearing.

After listening to the album, I agree with all the reviews that the performances and recordings are are superb and that the choice of pieces representing 3 centuries of organ music are excellent.

However, I'm completely mystified and deeply disappointed that Universal Music would issue such a fine album with absolutely no identification of the organ or its location. The title of the album is "Glorious Pipes". It's only logical that some mention should be made of the maker and location of these "pipes" that are touted in the title. I'm accustomed to having such information presented in the program notes. This is a glaring omission.

Yes, I'm picky, biased and spoiled. And this really "gets my goat". For this omission, I'm giving it a rating of 3 stars. If the information about the organs had been included, then the 5 star rating would have been a 'no brainer'.

What happened to the brains of the compilers of this superb album?

This album is a must have if you're into the pipe organ at all. It's very comprehensive, covering the premier organ compositions from the early Baroque until close to the present day. The best part? It's a Deutsche Grammophon recording. These are the best classical recordings I've heard, by far. You can't beat any recording from that label.

The only thing I would add to the other 5-star reviews is that I love the recordings and registrations. The balance and overall organ tone is not something to be taken for granted. On another otherwise fine recording I heard before this one, the high pipes were recorded so hot that it hurt my ears to listen on the headphones. I can listen to this all day while I work with no problem.

For the price, the 'Glorious Pipes' CD proves to be a great value; really two CDs for the price of one. The variety of selections makes for some great listening. I recommend this CD package highly; definitely a great bargain. In terms of making the purchase I found the detailed listing very helpful. I had checked other CDs in terms of composer, compositions and organists, but kept coming back to this CD. To sample the music is a great highlight prior to ordering, though this CD stood alone, in my opinion, merely by great pieces of music being presented.

Running errands around town yesterday, I poppped the first disk in to the cd player and was instantly transported back to my prep school days when I loved going to chapel to hear the wonderful St. George's organ and great liturgical music played as part of the daily evensong services. Thoughtly enjoyable.

The recording of organ music is hard enough, but this double cd makes it sound like you are in the church or hall.
very well done.

I bought this cd for my 15 year old son who is into pipe organ and organ music. He loves it and can't say enough about it.
Thanks