# Bach organ music



## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

Any recommendations for any of Bach's organ music? I'm looking for collections of the major organ works (Clavier-Ubung III, Great Eighteen Choral Preludes, Schubler Chorales, Toccatas and Fugues etc). In particular I would like versions with well-chosen organ stops, since I am frequently annoyed by listening to versions where less interesting parts are played with very 'reedy' stops which penetrate so much that they distract from other more important lines.


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

I too find that for organ the recording and sound quality often override the interpretation as a factor of preference in extended listening. so i usually listen to the collection that irritates me the least; for the complete works, that would be the Walcha set (stereo recording).

Also try Hurford, i guess those two are some of the "standard" go-to suggestions.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Walcha and Hurford are my two primary choices for Bach's organ music as well.


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

Much obliged guys. Amazon is practically giving away Walcha's box set so the Christmas budget might have to stretch a bit further


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The cheap box contains the old mono recordings from 60 years ago, if that's what you're looking for?


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## Conor71 (Feb 19, 2009)

I have one of Marie-Claire Alain's sets (her second traversal I think) and its very good (in fact I think I will listen to it next!) A thrird traversal of Bach's Organ Work's by MCA has not long been released and looks like a good bargain too!


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## classicUG (Dec 28, 2011)

I'm new to this classical forum thing. This thread caught my eye since I have been listening/playing a lot of Bach(organ) lately. I have way too many recording to have the time to listen too many of them. If you don't mind giving an unknown player a shot. I copied this from a book.
http://classicug.bandcamp.com/track/bach-fugue-c-major-allegro
Chorales played with MIDI organ
http://classicug.bandcamp.com/album/bach-chorales
Any suggestion on modifying my organs sound to make it sound better? Or do think for MIDI this is 'good enough'?

Oh yeah to the original post on listening. I liked the suggestion of Amazon they have great cd's for cheap. Also I used to listen to a site think called 'naxos'. They had a massive listing of songs you could stream.


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

yeah you could use actual organ sounds, eg. http://www.hauptwerk.com/

i've yet to see an instance where MIDI was actually "good enough", in fact it's pretty much the worst in terms of sound quality.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

classicUG said:


> . . . Any suggestion on modifying my organs sound to make it sound better? Or do think for MIDI this is 'good enough'?


There's a whole other realm beyond "midi" ... there's the "virtual" organ to consider. On our sister forum we have a whole section devoted to Electronic/Digital organs.

[Admin note: (Disclaimer) the mention of the MIMF site is in no way an attempt to solicit membership to another forum. Talk Classical and MIMF are wholly owned/operated by the same owner, Frederik Magle. The MIMF site has an entire forum dedicated to the Pipe Organ and its electronic/digital derivatives, and is therefore not considered a "competing site."]


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## classicUG (Dec 28, 2011)

I definitely plan on taking steps beyond basic MIDI sounds. I'm just trying to learn a little at a time as I need the information.
Thanks for the direction to the sister forum for the virtual organ. I'm not sure if this makes any difference but I was playing through a virtual instrument that I think uses wav samples of a real organ. I might be confused on terminology. Is there such a thing as standard midi sounds for organ? I haven't heard of hauptwerk but will probably try it if I keep on the recording organ.
I think I've been around this stuff for a few months now and I must ask about MIDI vs. "virtual". I'm confused. Can't the word MIDI be used a lot of different ways? I always thought MIDI stored things like pitch and velocity and VST's interpreted that.
Didn't mean to train wreck a thread and get it of-topic with midi discussion. 
o then, Is E Power Biggs a well liked organist on these threads? I'm wondering about his recording because I have heard them and I don't consider myself a advanced listener or anything. Which by the way I had no idea at first glance this particular forum seemed to be discussions on listening. My apologies if I broke any forum rules or anything.


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm not a MIDI expert but i know there's a standard, it's called "General MIDI".

If you create an audio track from a MIDI file and PCM samples (or WAV), the result isn't a MIDI file... it's a WAV file... the MIDI data is just used to map where the samples actually go.

Hauptwerk is one example of the virtual organs Krummhorn is talking about. i'm sure there's plenty of freeware out there, i mentioned that one because it's relatively well known.

And yes, of course E Power Biggs is very well liked.


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## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

E. Power Biggs has the 2nd greatest interpretations of Bach's music! (Gould is 1st, of course)

Make sure you buy Biggs! Make sure you buy Biiiiiigs!!!


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