Customer Reviews

J. S. Bach: Complete Works for Organ

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

 

 

This is the third complete cycle of the works of Bach that Marie-Claire Alain has recorded. In the hands of many other artists, that might seem redundant, but she clearly has something new to say.

Each piece is played with life and inspiration. The organs and the spaces they are in are gorgeous. The organs are all Baroque instruments, some that Bach may have played and others that are wonderful copies of period instruments. The recording is clean and captures, as much as possible, the feeling of listening to the music in the space.

As a teaching or resource tool, this cycle is invaluable. The booklet with each CD includes a description, in French, German and English, of each piece along with the registration that was used. The pieces are easy to find and organized to make listening to a whole CD a delight.

Though it doesn't affect the sound quality of the recordings, the packaging is amazing with different, artistic photos of the organs that are played printed on the CDs themselves and on the booklets.

I love the way Marie-Claire Alain plays just about everything. She strikes the perfect balance between rythmic integrity and musicality. Her registrations, articulations and interpretations are based in a depth of scholastic knowledge without sounding boring or pedantic.

I treasure this set and have never regretted making the purchase.

Although I am partial to the Romantic Organ, particularly in the vein of Widor, Vierne and Rheinberger, it all begins with Bach. And in this case, one could say that it all begins with Marie-Claire Alain and her wonderful interpretations. Alain seems to understand that Bach was above all else a religious composer. Many "complete" works of Bach play short shrift with the liturgical works whereas these are some of the most satisfying of the group.

The sound is pure sonority, almost perfect, and the technical prowess is just awesome. Out of the millions of notes played, I never heard a miscue or slight jiggle. Still, keyboard wizardry is only part of the story. The registration is a work of art in itself. Alain understand the difference between the Baroque and the Modern, the French and the German and the old and the new. Just as she is a "natural" for Widor or Vierne, she also seems to have entered the Bach mind on some of these.

This is a fabulous collection worthy of any serious student of classical music. Nowhere can one derive such satisfaction that listenting to Bach played by Ms. Alain.

...In this category, can a true "best" ever emerge? Having said that, I can honestly tell you that this set is magnificent, having owned and enjoyed it since 1997. My only quibbles are that (1) some of Alain's registrations, while at the very least "good," are upstaged in several places by other performers whom I have on recording, and that (2) the recorded sound gives plenty of room to the organs' tones - sometimes _too much_ room, a problem that is also present on Alain's _Art of Fugue_ set, with the result that contrapuntal clarity gets smothered in a sea of reverb in some places (mind you, the "cloud of sound" approach works well with Bach's music, but I prefer clarity). Alain's technique and tempi, on the other hand, are untouchable. The disc with the trio sonatas is particularly good!

I actually consider having multiple performances of Bach's music a must - my favorite set is Lionel Rogg's on Harmonia Mundi, but he is, by no means, definitive - and neither is Alain. They complement each other quite nicely!

What? Just 2 reviews?? I've had this set for close to 4 years. Where do I start..... To tell the story of Bach and the organ, I must start at the beginning. I harbor no pretext of being an authority at all, in fact I really didn't know Bach till a few years ago.

One day, I chanced to buy a CD with an assortment of classical music. I did that once every so often, since classical CD's are so cheap. I slipped it into my car not knowing at all what I'd just stumbled on. The second piece on this CD was music of an order I had not yet before encountered. To boot, I had just installed a new subwoofer in the car. Then this organ piece comes on.

My friends. From that moment, I was a different person. It didn't hit me as hard initially, but I couldn't let go of this stupendous work of such magnificence. For days on end, I would play this one piece of organ music. Treasuring it as a jewel. I couldn't get over how grand, how utterly wonderful this work was, from every single note to it's entire whole. I've always enjoyed music, but this was something else. It made me feel miniscule. How could anyone.... I'm a financial consultant, and gosh did this make me feel worthless. Alright, I'll let you know which it was --Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (Dorian) for the organ. Not even one of Bach's major pieces. This was Miklos Spanyi on organ who did this. Marie-Claire does a good job on this set, but I had heard it first on the other recording, and you know it's never as good as the first time.

Brethren, this wasn't the end. After a few weeks of listening to this, I kid you not, I would break down like a child when I played it. Sobbing and crying. Weeping uncontrollably. I'm a grown man, but it happened. I could not understand. I could not remember breaking down this way, so violently, since I was young boy. I am not a sop at all, one of those guys with a soft feminine side........no, no, no. This is what Bach can do to you.

I was listening to angels. I could see them. No way I'll write my full name here in case this gets out. If I listened to it in the car, I would have to stop when Bach's counterpoints started their agonizing attacks of sheer splendor. I would stop the car on the side of the road, racked in sobs. I stopped listening to it in the morning going to work because my eyes would be red when I got into the office. In oblivion, driving home one night I did get a speeding ticket.

I would be convulsing in anguish. As the Toccata builds to its end, Bach brings your pitiful soul through a wavy staircase lined with golden crescendos that don't seem to end. He then takes your wretched spirit, once strong, but piteous in the face of such perfection, and places it on the doorstep of the Fugue. At this grand entrance on the cadence, at this very point I would invariably be out of control, bawling like a babe.

It was then I needed to see who this Bach was. Then I see a complete set of Bach Organ Works by a renowned organist. I was trembling when I got the set. It's about 3 years now, and I have since learned how to control myself. I am sorry I talk about Bach's organ and his effect on me, but please, I was just describing one gem. This is the collection. Buy it and be immersed in wonder.

There is good literature that goes with the set. If you are looking for sentiment and give up a little bit of quality, you'll notice some difference. The recordings are excellent, but the idea of this grand project was to have it on a baroque organ, sounding like it would back then.

They do mention the need for the organist to have to coax and cajole the instrument, unlike the modern electronic machines. The recordings are on a restored organ, which at first made me a little disappointed, but after a while you realize it presents the organist's talent quite a bit more. I also love hearing the slight sounds of the stops in the background - just that added sense of needing to be on earth before reaching glory.

Thank you Alain

Marie-Claire Alain has recorded Bach's complete organ music 3 times, this set being the second time. She plays quite differently now, but these are some of the best interpretations. Each cd fearures a different organ dating from Bach's time, and all of the booklets are filled with pictures, history, and even the stop registrations for each of the pieces are given. Quite alot of research! If those of you who are new to Bach's organ works, I would recommend starting on a smaller scale, as some of these works can be quite intense to listen to. At any rate, this possibly may go down as one of the famous recordings of the century.

Though there are quite a few complete organ works of Bach in the market already, Alain's recordings stand out as the best. 'The lady of the organ' not only shows her excellent technique, her interpretation is stimulating and interesting. To listen to Bach's organ works played on instruments of his time is most rewarding; some are organs in Eastern Germany in Bach's time including Silberman and Schnitger organs. A rare opportunity to hear some of them in one collection! The accompanying booklet of each CD is very informative - a lot of research work done obviously! This is surely an important collection for any Bach or organ fan!

I discovered Bach organ music 40 years ago. I love Bach, everything he wrote. I have 4 complete sets of Bach organ recordings. Marie Claire-Alan is my favorite organist of everyone I have heard. I met Marie and her husband in person after a performance she gave in Chicago. I have 2 complete sets of Bach organ played by Marie. One is on records and the other the new CD set. She is a little older now when she recorded the CD's. The albums have a more youthful sound to them, a little more energy and different registration selection on the organs. I love Marie in her youthful recordings more than these. I love the albums so much I will digitize them and listen to them over the new CD collection. I play the albums on my Linn turntable through McIntosh equipment.