Bach’s Canonic Variations on “Vom Himmel hoch” BWV 769 recorded by Robert Costin www.robertcostin.com on the organ of Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, New Zealand, in 1994. From what I remember it was made in one take. It sounds as though I’m trying to a make big romantic instrument sound ‘authentic’, though I play quite freely and expressively. I think it works…let me know what you think. The Canonic Variations on “Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her” (From Heaven above to Earth I come), BWV 769, are a set of five variations in canon for organ with two manuals and pedals on the Christmas hymn by Martin Luther of the same name. The variations were prepared as a showpiece for Bach’s entry as fourteenth member of Mizler’s Music Society in Leipzig in 1747. There are five variations 1. Canone all’ ottava (Canon at the Octave) 2. Alio Modo in Canone alla Quinta (Canon at the Fifth) 3. Canone alla Settima, cantabile (Canon at the Seventh) 4. Canon per augmentationem (Augmentation Canon) 5. L’altra Sorte del’Canone all’rovercio, 1) alla Sesta, 2) alla Terza, 3) alla Seconda è 4) alla Nona (Canon with Inversions)
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Bach: Fantasia in A minor, BWV 922 – Bradley Lehman
Organ performance of Bach’s Fantasia BWV 922. Bradley Lehman, recorded 2005 at Goshen College, Goshen Indiana USA. The organ is the Taylor & Boody Opus 41. The recording was part of the sessions for the 3-CD set “A Joy Forever”, www-personal.umich.edu but eventually we decided the set was already full enough without it. It is published here as an informal video, with a scrolling score. Bach wrote this music in his late 20s. Organists don’t find this piece in their handy volumes of “Bach organ music” because of the artificial division that happened more than 100 years ago between Bach “organ” and “keyboard” pieces. The pedal part here is at the player’s initiative and discretion. In most of the ways that harpsichordists tune, the triads of B, F#, and C# majors sound rough…and this piece uses enough of them that it turns into an ugly mess. Some sections of the piece are long and repetitive, with little happening beyond some adventurous modulations (akin to those of the F# minor toccata, BWV 910). In the equal temperament of pianos and most organs, it is difficult to make much of this without being merely dull. The piece is arguably too big and boisterous for the clavichord. What is left but to leave it mostly unplayed? However, it deserves better! Details about the tuning, and purchase information for the CD set and the related harpsichord solo CD: www.larips.com