Customer Reviews

Organ Works (Dover Music for Organ)

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

 

 

This a reprint of Seiffert's 1901(?) ed. of both 'free' and hymntune-based works, with the free ones in a slightly more practical sequence than in the early publication. The scholarly apparatus is unfortunately omitted, and it both includes works now widely regarded as inauthentic, and excludes works now widely regarded as authentic. Small print, but that has its advantages: a whole work on one page or a double-page spread (no page-turn).

Although from time to time one reads of an "Andantino in g-minor" being out there, the major organ works of César Franck comprise 12 pieces: 6 from 1862 ("Six Pièces pour Grand-Orgue"), 3 from 1878 ("Trois Pièces") and 3 from 1890, his year of death ("Trois Chorals", which are his actual swan-song). Although sometimes he's not the best at sticking to forms (sometimes his improvising got too obviously into his written-down music), overall one can't argue against what's very inspired music of a profound and noble faith one wishes were more in evidence these days.

[These 12 major works are so designated to distinguish them from a number of lesser pieces, many of them collected under the heading "L'Organiste" which are intended mostly for liturgical use and quickly get cloying if played in concert in too great a number. It's these 12 pieces that are regularly found on concert programmes as well as in church usage.]

Interestingly enough, it's often been difficult to get one's hands upon a single-volume issue of these pieces (Kalmus used to issue them in 4 smaller volumes) - until Dover came out with this edition. I cannot recommend it too highly: excellent republication of Durand's first printing thereof - and when I note that a number of errors present in the initial publication (still visible in the Kalmus reprints) are discreetly corrected here, it helps make this edition even more reliable and praiseworthy!

Very strongly recommended for organists, music-lovers generally and notably as a wonderful corrective to today's age of unbelief - hearing (and playing) these works truly is a tonic for the soul! [Personally, I wish they had been printed in portrait instead of the landscape format used here; however, I do know that a number of organists like this particular format and so this form has no bearing upon the mark hereby given.] GET IT!!!

This is Dover's reproduction of the authoritative Breitkopf & Härtel editions of these pieces. The above reviewer is right--the Brahms pieces are set much larger than the Mendelssohn. But there are some nice advantages to this edition.

-In the Brahms chorale preludes, the chorale text is written directly over the cantus firmus.

-There is a critical commentary, which also includes translations of the chorale texts.

-Mendelssohn's instructions for registration are reprinted before the Six Sonatas. These instructions are extremely useful for German romantic music in general.

The Schumann pieces included in this volume were originally written, not for organ, but for pedal piano-forte--an instrument that Schumann loved, but which failed to gain popularity.

Note also: Although this volume contains all of Brahms's organ works, it does not contain all the organ works of Mendelssohn and Schumann. In particular, it does not contain Schumann's beautiful canonic etudes (highly recommended).

The reviewers who criticize this book for being unscholarly or uncritical are missing the point of Dover editions. They are affordable reprints of old editions for the benefit of music-lovers and church musicians. If you are a musicologist, go and buy the $100 (or more) critical edition. If you want good music to practice with or play at church (where people do not care if it was Pachelbel or somebody else who wrote a beautiful prelude), buy this volume and get to work.

Mention the word "romantic" to an organist and their mind instantly turns to France and composers like Widor and Franck. It's really a pity that German romantics get shortchanged in the modern repertoire.

Dover's rugged edition presents all of Brahms' works for organ, Mendelssohn's six Sonatas and three Preludes and Fugues, and Schumann's six Fugues on B-A-C-H. These pieces are readily playable on almost any instrument and are enjoyable to play. This book will make a great addition to any organist's library.

The quality of the book is very good, the music is very dark and clear. Now for the bad news, it is in horribly small print, which diminishes the need to do page turning often, but it is so SMALL! And due to the small size, at times it is difficult to distinguish certain difficult parts of the music. It is a nice book...but there are alot of flaws.

This is a great collection for the price. In addition to the pieces listed in the description, it includes the Mendelssohn Preludes and Fugues and the Brahms Prelude/Fugue on O Traurigkeit and the Fugue in a-flat minor. Many of the Brahms preludes in this edition have long passages in alto clef. I find the Mendelssohn pieces very difficult to read - the notes are crammed very close together. A movement of one of the Mendelssohn sonatas, for example, is only one page in this book, but is nearly three pages in another edition I own. The benefit of this, of course, is that there are fewer page turns, but Mendelssohn's writing can be so dense to begin with - I really find it hard to manage with this book. (I haven't had this problem with the Brahms or Schumann pieces, though.) A fine book if you're on a limited budget and can read alto clef or are willing to learn. It's worth the money just for the Brahms and Schumann. I've owned it for nearly 10 years and it has held up well.