Celebrating the pipe organ, the King of Instruments

Bach and Forth

Everyone has an opinion, whether asked for or not. On our next Pipedreams program we’ll argue the opinions of eight esteemed artists, each of whom has a personal view of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. I’m not sure we’ll find, or even desire, a consensus, but we will be provoked by the playing of Harald Vogel, Wolfgang Rübsam, Kate van Tricht, and Anthony Newman. We’ll hear them perform on various instruments from Bach’s time and other organs inspired by history and by the methods by which music was generally created when those particular organs were built.

The greatest music demands the greatest interpreters, and we find out just how broad the interpretive stage can be when eight players and as many instruments pay homage to the genius of Johann Sebastian. The interpretive pendulum swings Bach and Forth this week on Pipedreams.

Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

June 10, 2002

Music played in the program

J.S. BACH: Prelude & Fugue in g, S. 535a –Harald Vogel (1991 Ahrend/Basilica of San Simpliciano, Milan, Italy) Deutsche Harmonia Mundi DHM-1024

J.S. BACH: Trio Sonata in G, S. 530, 1st movement –Stefan Johannes Bleicher (1787 Holzhey/Weißenau Abbey, Germany) ebs 6028

J.S. BACH, edited by Straube: Prelude & Fugue in G, S. 541 –Käte van Tricht (1939 Sauer/St. Peter Cathedral, Bremen, Germany) Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 318 0241

JOHANN FRIEDRICH FASCH (arranged by Bach): Trio in C, S. 585 ANTONIO VIVALDI (arranged by Bach): Concerto in C, S. 594, 1st movement –Hayko Siemens (1990 Woehl/Redeemer Church, Bad Homburg, Germany) Motette CD MOT 11741

J.S. BACH: Chorale-prelude, Jesu, meine Zuversicht, S. 728 –Ewald Kooiman (1986 Mönch & Prachtel/St. John Abbey, Duisburg-Hamborn, Germany) FSM CD-97709

J.S. BACH (arranged by Chapman): Bist du bei mir –Keith Chapman (1911 Wanamaker/Grand Court, Macy’s Center City, Philadelphia, PA) Vantage CD-69-694-002

J.S. BACH (transcribed by Max Reger): Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue in d, S. 903 –Rosalinde Haas (1983 Albiez/Mutter vom Guten Rat, Frankfurt-Niederrad, Germany) Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 315 0484

J.S. BACH: Chorale-prelude, Vater unser im Himmelreich, S. 682 –Wolfgang Rübsam (1714 Gottfried Silbermann/Freiberg Cathedral, Germany) Naxos 8.550930

J.S. BACH: Chorale-prelude, O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig; Toccata & Fugue in F, S. 540 –Anthony Newman (1974 Henderson & Wilson/Wooster School, Danbury, CT) Vox CDX-5013 and CDX-5100

Filler –J.S. BACH (transcribed by Wolfgang Rübsam): Largo, from Double Concerto, S. 1043 –Wolfgang Rübsam (1964 Aeolian-Skinner/Alice Millar Chapel, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL) Pipedreams PD CD-1002

This program was originally issued as #9512 in March 1995