December 1705 - Buxtehude & J.S. Bach: Organ Music

Bach, Johann Sebastian, Buxtehude, Dietrich

Tomadin, Manuel

95941

In October 1705, the twenty-year-old Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), who at that time was working at the Bonifatiuskirche in Arnstadt, asked his superiors for a 4-week-leave (which then became 4 months) to go and listen to Buxtehude (1637-1707): a 400-km-journey on foot to Lübeck, where he attended the Abendmusiken at the Marienkirche. Their acquaintance had a lasting impact on the young Bach.

This recording compares some works by Buxtehude that influenced the young Bach with some of Bach’s compositions that reveal that influence. Both the great Toccata BuxWV155 and the Prelude and Fugue and Chaconne BuxWV137 feature the “Stylus Fantasticus”, where the various sections are charged with different feelings, such as joy, pain, seriousness, levity. Colours that can also be found in Bach’s writing style of the Prelude and Fugue BWV 551.

Many are the compositions that could be compared between these two absolute giants of the organ music tradition, just as many as the coloristic combinations possible on the incredible instrument by A. Schnitger (1691) of the Martini Kerk in Groningen (the Netherlands), one of the most famous Baroque organs of the world, the specifications of which are included in the booklet.

Organist Manuel Tomadin is one of the foremost Italian organists of today, a scholar and passionate musician, with an impressive discography to his name: Husumer Organ Book, Alberti Complete Keyboard Works, and other North German organ masters.

Works:

• Bach, J S: Chorale Prelude BWV762 'Vater unser im Himmelreich'
• Bach, J S: Fantasia (Concerto) in G major, BWV571
• Bach, J S: Fantasia super 'Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält', BWV1128
• Bach, J S: Fugue in G major, BWV577 'a la gigue'
• Bach, J S: Prelude & Fugue in A minor, BWV551
• Bach, J S: Toccata & Fugue in E major, BWV566
• Buxtehude: Fugue in C major, BuxWV174
• Buxtehude: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BuxWV188
• Buxtehude: Nun komm, der heiden Heiland, BuxWV211
• Buxtehude: Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV161
• Buxtehude: Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne in C, BuxWV137
• Buxtehude: Toccata in D minor, BuxWV155

CD x 1

Brilliant Classics

2/9/21

5028421959412