Mailbag: “Ah, Bach?”

March 24, 2011

Dear Michael,

First thank you so much for giving us this "special" Bach program played by the great Mr Jacobs. Only a few compositions Bach entitled PRO ORGANO PLENO (this e flat and the b minor).So I do not agree in the registration Mr Jacobs usues in the first section of the fugue,and the begining of the second section seems very strange,later in the second part of the second section he goes to a good organo pleno that should have been used sine the first section and gives the third section a magnificent registration to end the triple fugue.
Now question:do you agree in this little strange registration for the great and unique fuga pro organo pleno.Other players seem to do it different What do you
think about this registration?

Hugo

 

Hugo,

Remember that Bach was noted as regularly doing unusual things that other organists could not imagine…so I expect he might take a liberal attitude towards Paul's registrations (which, incidentally, are…in terms of their gradual dynamic build-up from modest to mighty…not much different from those of many other organists.
And Bach, though he might have wished it, would likely not ever have presented the entire Clavierubung III in a 'concert'. Do you object to that, too?
Loosen up.

 

jmb

 

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