# Your Favorite Non-Bach Organ Works



## nefigah

Though I know organ music isn't the most popular genre, even within a group of classical music lovers, I have a soft spot for it. The problem is, I'm curious where to branch out after Bach. I could name some names, sure, but unlike Bach I'm not sure if the works of Pachelbel or Buxtehude or Mendelssohn etc. are of a universally good quality.

So list your favorite pieces! As many as you can


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## Weston

My favorite non-Bach organ work has got to be *Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck's *_"Mein junges Leben hat ein End"_ variations. It gets progressively more fun as it zips from one variation to the next, and like most early music has that marvelous reluctance to end a phrase on a minor chord even when the piece is in a minor key.

I would dearly love to track down the score for it someday (though I can scarcely play one keyboard, let alone a bank of them).


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## opus67

Weston said:


> ]I would dearly love to track down the score for [Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck's ]_"Mein junges Leben hat ein End"_ variations] someday (though I can scarcely play one keyboard, let alone a bank of them).


It's probably contained in the hefty PDF file available for download here.


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## msegers

I'm not much for organ music, aside from Bach, but if you are interested in the organ, you should get to know Olivier Messiaen's work. One of his best-known pieces for the instrument is _Apparition de l'Église éternelle_, which you can hear on YouTube - 





There is a film, _Apparition of the Eternal Church_, in which a wide range of people listen to the piece and comment on it. At the film's website, you can watch a clip and even read a full transcript -
http://www.apparitionfilm.com

Also on YouTube, there is a little (some five minutes) documentary about Messiaen and the organ he played for six decades at Holy Trinity Church in Paris -





There are two fascinating clips of Messiaen at the organ. Here, he selects the registration. I like to think that, like a priest preparing for Mass, Messiaen is not only making settings on the organ but also spiritually preparing himself for what he is about to do -





Here is Messiaen's improvisation (immediately following the previous clip) -





There is a six CD set of Messiaen's organ works performed by Olivier Latry. There is also a four CD set of Messiaen himself performing all of his organ music (on the organ at Holy Trinity) up to the time of the recording in the 1950's, _Messiaen par lui-même_. It is limited by 1950's technology (but you can find it at a very reasonable price).

My personal favorite of Messiaen's organ works is "_Le Corps glorieux, IV: Combat de la mort et de la vie_." I keep seeing reference to a composer's "sound world." In the seventeen minutes of this piece, Messiaen, for me, creates a whole universe.


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## nefigah

Thank you for the suggestions. The Messiaen piece is certainly different from the organ music I'm used to! I will need to adapt


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## PostMinimalist

Yes Messiaen but this piece lL'Assension. And the Poulenc concerto. Does that count?


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## Weston

opus67 said:


> It's probably contained in the hefty PDF file available for download here.


That is utterly awesome! Thanks.

I had been studiously avoiding IMSLP because I feared I would spend too much time there. You want to ruin a man, give him everything he ever wanted. The net is quickly becoming that.

[Edit: Yep - it's there. Page 183. Okay, you guys won't be hearing from me for while]


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## opus67

Weston said:


> That is utterly awesome! Thanks.
> 
> I had been studiously avoiding IMSLP because I feared I would spend too much time there. You want to ruin a man, give him everything he ever wanted. The net is quickly becoming that.
> 
> [Edit: Yep - it's there. Page 183. Okay, you guys won't be hearing from me for while]


You're welcome.


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## Krummhorn

nefigah said:


> Though I know organ music isn't the most popular genre, even within a group of classical music lovers, I have a soft spot for it. The problem is, I'm curious where to branch out after Bach. I could name some names, sure, but unlike Bach I'm not sure if the works of Pachelbel or Buxtehude or Mendelssohn etc. are of a universally good quality.
> 
> So list your favorite pieces! As many as you can


I believe that Buxtehude and Pachelbel or of comparable quality to Bach. The Passacaglias of Buxtehude are exceptional pieces for organ study and playing in concerts. As for Mendelssohn, his most favorite of mine is the Sonata I for organ. I've played that piece many times in concert.

As mentioned in a post above, the works of Sweelinck are works deserving a look. I too, frequent IMSLP and spend far too many hours searching for service music and other titles. Certainly, there is a plethora of offerings there just ripe for the picking.


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## Tapkaara

My favorite non-Bach organ work is The Masonic Ritual Music by Jean Sibelius. This is a very grand work. In it Sibelius really taps into a very medieval sound; a lot of it sounds like it could ave been playing in cathedrals in Europe during those wonderful Dark Ages.

I have an older Naxos dic called Early French Organ Music, volume I whoch also has some great music too.


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## nefigah

The local AGO chapter put on an event in honor of Mendelssohn's 200th birthday which I attended tonight. All of the 6 sonatas were played, each by a different organist. It was my first time hearing them, and it was wonderful! 

I believe my favorites from the group were 1 and 5. (The final movement of 1 is really something!)


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## xJuanx

I would recommend Saint-Saëns 3rd symhony "Organ Symphony". Here's a link on youtube




I saw it live, and it was quite impressing!


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## Noel

*Your Favourite Non-Bach Organ Works*

A lot depends on the instrument nefigah. The silvery clarity and smooth, non-rumbling bass of the baroque Schnitger organs at Steinkirchen, Lower Saxony, and at Alkmaar in the Netherlands are ideal for Bach's organ music since the baroque organ was the instrument which he played and for which he wrote his music. But the stirring, dramatic organ music of Cesar Franck really needs the 19th century, so-called orchestral, instruments such as those built by Aristide Cavaille-Coll, which he played and for which he wrote his music. My two albums of Franck's complete organ works are by Wolfgang 
Ruebsam and Graham Steed respectively. No organ aficcionado should be without Franck's music.

The organs built in the US by Aeolian-Skinner are also orchestral but markedly different from their European counterparts, their tone being very sweet and perhaps being best described as like warm silk. Virgil Fox played Bach on them very impressively but he also made several albums of what might best be described as popular romantic pieces, exquisitely executed. Unless you have no taste for popular melodies, you should not dismiss the Mighty Wurlitzer. These instruments are voiced very differently from classical organs but I cannot resist their luscious sound. The organ isn't called the "King of Instruments" without justification. I love 'em all!

If I want to be electrified, lifted out of my seat and totally absorbed by rich and powerful organ music, I pull from my shelves the double album made by Roger Fisher on the organ of Chester Cathedral, of Mendelssohn's three organ preludes & fugues, Op. 37, and the six organ sonatas Op. 65. The themes are unmistakably Mendelssohn but developed with his utmost inspiration and passion. Well worth seeking out but rather scarce.

I hope the foregoing will be of some help. Best regards. Noel


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## Quartetfore

I`m not a great fan of the Organ, but I do like some of compositions of Franz Liszt. Very romantic, and in some places very wild and "over the top".


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## joen_cph

> I`m not a great fan of the Organ, but I do like some of compositions of Franz Liszt. Very romantic, and in some places very wild and "over the top".


Fully agree, especially the "Ad Nos"-Fantasia, in a sufficiently lively performance of course, the philips Chorzempa recording has been a favourite - shamelessly extrovert and cinematically Gothic ... Likewise the _Widor _and _Vierne _pieces can be entertaining, Vierne especially being inspired by the contemporary Symbolist fashions in the other arts, it seems - and supplying his compositions with great, kitschy titles like "Fantomes", "Sur le Rhin", "Gargouilles et Chimeres", "Naiades", "Hymne au Soleil", "Etoile de Soir" etc.

Am not that really acquainted with the repertoire of organ music either, haven´t got into a habit of listening to it, though I´ve got quite a lot. The repertoire in general has too many neo-baroque pastiches of "preludes and fugues", I think. Still need to hear some more _Reger_ and _Messiaen_-works at least - no doubt there´s a lot to discover, some of the Messiaens are quite romantic in style, and more so than his piano works actually ...

Buffs have been talking about the _Claude Ballif _organ sonatas as quite extraordinary, they are probably in a very modern style like his other works, but I´ve never heard them.


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## Argus

_Schlingen-Blangen_ and _Spectral Continuum _by Charlemagne Palestine.

The organ is a great instrument that isn't exploited anywhere near as much as it could be. It's one of the few unlimited sustain acoustic instruments, that the player is also able to produce huge chords on. Just holding down a root and a fifth on a big church organ sounds great with all the wealth of overtones the different stops are able to coax out.

I could name lots more if I included electric organs but I don't think that would be in keeping with the nature of the thread.


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## Quartetfore

We have a interesting program on one of our classical radio stations here in New York City. It`s called "Pipe Dreams" (great title) as you can expect it is devoted to the Organ. I often listen to it with "half an ear", after this thread I think that I will give a bit more attention.


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## Sebastien Melmoth

Undoubtedly the *Six Organ Symphonies* of Louis *Vierne*.

Splendid starter disc:
http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.553524

Complete sets:
http://www.amazon.com/Louis-Vierne-...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1284827172&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Vierne-Organ-...sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1284827014&sr=1-1-spell


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## Listener

Handel's organ concertos.

Also love Vivaldi's concertos that have a substantial organ part.


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## Jeremy Marchant

Not necessarily a favourite, but I was very impressed by Walter Steffens's _Le Cantique des Cantiques_, which I have recently reviewed for _Fanfare_. It's brilliantly played by Friedhelm Flamme on Labor LAB7084. He premiered it in 2004, and the work has its own individuality, so difficult to achieve for any composer after Messiaen.
Ligeti's _Volumina _is also amusing.


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## StlukesguildOhio

Someone besides Bach wrote music for the organ?


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## elgar's ghost

I especially enjoy those I've got by Cesar Franck and Maurice Durufle. I'd say Messiaen's require more concentration on my part - I have some of them but can't claim to be totally responsive to their soundworld yet.


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## Air

Krummhorn said:


> I believe that Buxtehude and Pachelbel or of comparable quality to Bach.


This is heartily seconded, Krummhorn. :tiphat:


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## Krummhorn

Thanks, Air 

I wish that more organist would feature the works of Buxtehude and Pachelbel in their programs. 

I also have an affinity towards the organ works of Vierne, too. Always a delight to play and many of his quieter works are well received in my concerts.


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## Webernite

Krummhorn said:


> I believe that Buxtehude and Pachelbel or of comparable quality to Bach.


Pachelbel? Really?

As for Buxtehude, I don't deny his greatness or his influence on Bach, but when you consider that Bach wrote what can only be described as a supercharged version of Buxtehude's passacaglias - the Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor - and that he did this _in his early twenties_, doesn't it seem obvious, even before looking at the scores, that the organ works he wrote after a further thirty years' experience (like the Clavier-Ubung III) will be in a completely different league from Buxtehude?


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## Air

Webernite said:


> Pachelbel? Really?


Really. 

If you have heard nothing beyond the Canon in D, I suggest you try the _Magnificat Fugues_ in the 8 church modes.


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## Sid James

I don't particularly like old J.S. but am slowly getting into the solo organ repertoire, and I particuarly like the French repertoire, eg.

_Couperin_ - Organ masses (for the Convents & for the Parishes)
& works by Langlais, Durufle, Boellmann, Widor, Guilmant, Bonnet, Malengreau.
Also remember seeing Alain's _Litanies_ live 20 years ago, and I would like to get the Naxos discs of his music. I have yet to hear any of the organ music of Messiaen, but it's on my to-get list...


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## Webernite

Air said:


> Really.
> 
> If you have heard nothing beyond the Canon in D, I suggest you try the _Magnificat Fugues_ in the 8 church modes.


I know that Pachelbel wrote some very beautiful, melodious things for organ, but to me they still seem lightweight compared with Bach or even with Buxtehude.


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## jurianbai

Handel's Op.7 concerti. the 2nd movement of concerto no.4 in Dm is the most favorite.


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## Ukko

*Straying a little ...*

I once owned a cassette tape - a noisy cassette tape - of a transcription for organ of Mussorgsky's "Pictures At An Exhibition". It was an eye opener, though it seemed somewhat unimaginative, partly because the promenade episodes weren't as varied in sound as the available stops could have made them.

The work was composed for keyboard, and an organ creatively played could make it even more effective than Richter managed in 'Prague Spring 1956". Hmm. Well, maybe just as effective; that performance would be hard to top.


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## Op47

Keeping in Bach's period, Buxtehude, Bruhns
Mozart Fm Fantasia (Mozart is otherwise not a great organ composer)
Various English music say Stanley, Clark etc.
Widor and Vierne (Symphonies)
Elgar Organ Sonata
St Saens, Ceasar Frank
I'm not keen on Reger mysel,but he may please other people.


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## MrTortoise

msegers said:


> I'm not much for organ music, aside from Bach, but if you are interested in the organ, you should get to know Olivier Messiaen's work. One of his best-known pieces for the instrument is _Apparition de l'Église éternelle_, ...


Wow, thanks for posting! The only Messiaen work I'm familiar with is 'Quartet for the end of time'. This inspires me to seek out more. And I hope I can find the film as well. Unfortunately doesn't look like it is available on Netflix but maybe I could find it elsewhere.


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## Sebastien Melmoth

For me, unquestionably favourite non-Bach organworks include Vierne's six Organ Symphonies; followed by Franck's various organ works.

Some of Widor's stuff is okay; also, Mozart & Brahms' handful of organ pieces are surprizingly fine.


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## Art Rock

Mendelssohn, Reger, Widor and Hindemith.


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## tchaik

Schumann Six Fantasies In The Form Of Canons Op. 56 #4 - just exquisite!


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## Jeremy Marchant

*Jehan Alain* wrote characteristically French organ music - not as saturated as Messiaen by any means. He was killed in the second world war and subsequently championed by his sister, Marie-Claire Alain.


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## Philip

jurianbai said:


> Handel's Op.7 concerti. the 2nd movement of concerto no.4 in Dm is the most favorite.


1st movement (adagio) is the best!

also +1 messiaen


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## Meaghan

Elfrida Andree's Organ Symphony No. 1 is terrific.


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## TxllxT




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## GoneBaroque

I couldn't venture to give an absolute favorite but two I particularly like are are Mulet's Tu es Petra and the Sonaa On the 24th Psalm by Ruebke. The first time I heard the Reubke was at a recital given by Virgil Fox. Fantastic!

Rob


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## misterjones




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## Llyranor

I'm not too familiar with organ works in general, but for a piece that _feature _an organ, St-Saens's 3rd symphony wins for me hands-down. It's become an obsession with me this week - I've listened to it so many many times! Might be one of my favorite symphonies, period!


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## Noel

Llyranor: If I had to list my top three symphonies, they would have to be Tchaikovsky 5 in E minor, Cesar Franck's one and only 
Symphony in D minor and Saint-Saens' 3. Saint-Saens (1835-1921) composed it when he was 50 and at the height of his powers.
It is a work of monumental magnificence and your obsession is shared not only by me but also by my wife, who has probably listened to it at least twice a week for many years!

So far as the main subject in this thread is concerned, for an introduction to non-Bach organ music, I can do no better than to recommend to you the works which, I think, I have mentioned earlier, namely Mendelsson's Three Preludes & Fugues Op. 37 and his Six Organ Sonatas Op. 65. My recording is by Roger Fisher on the organ of Chester Cathedral. If Saint-Saens' use of the organ lifts you out of your seat, the Mendelssohn works will blow you away!


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