Number 3 of Bach's Eight short Preludes and Fugues for organ. It is not sure whether or not these works are actually Bach's. We know he had some excellent colleagues and pupils, many of whom wrote splendid organ works. Yet I can't imagine anyone but JSB writing such a powerful chromatic fugue. I would guess at least this one is the Real Thing.

Bach - BWV 555 - Eight short Preludes and Fugues - 3: Prelude and Fugue in E minor (3:44)

Hey Chris,

Good job. I love these little preludes and fugues.

Johann Tobias Krebs, a student of both Walther and Bach is the main candidate that I have seen to be the composer of these. What is interesting to me about the pieces that had once been attributed to J.S. Bach that new research has shown to be by others -- generally his students or a relative, is that these people are obviously not hacks. Their music is worth exploring further.

I don't have time to comment right now, so will bet back on that.

Scott

Hi Chris,

I had a listen to your recording. Nice playing, I got a sense that it was baroque quite fast this piece reminds me of some of the numbers in Bach's Orgelbüchlein set. For criticism, I would say try to go slower on the Fugue section, though I realize it is harder to play slow accurately.

~Riley

Hi Chris,
I took a listen to your post and enjoyed it very much. I, like you, feel that the fugue must be Johann Sebastian, with the possible exception of one thing: It seems a bit short for a fugue with such a subject. I found myself wanting much more development and a larger recap. It is not wanting for any quality of writing whatsoever, sounding exactly like JSB, but I don't think I've heard a known fugue of Bach and felt that the music failed to fulfill it's potential to me as a listener. I think your performance was all together very accomplished.

Regards,
Eddy

Thanks for the replies.

It isn't really, except in slow pieces. This one would be easier a bit slower, but I feel it must be this tempo.


Yes it is over rather to soon. But hey, these are little preludes and fugues Nonetheless this little fugue is action-packed and whips up considerable excitement within the mere space of two pages.

Oops. I forgot that.

Chris,

This is lovely. It is going into my collection. I think that your overall articulation is sharper than in the recent Frescobaldi and it is bringing out the syncopations wonderfully. Your registrations are great also -- I wish I had an organ with that type of clarity of sound.

Our church organ is one of those "theater organs" that Moller built too many of in the early part of the 20th cent. They renamed the stops (regardless of the rank of pipes involved) and pushed them off on small churches in the USofA. Fortunately, a rebuild in the '60s did away with some of the extreme unification, but I have no mixture (or solo/chorus reed). The only way that I can get brilliance on the great is with a 2' Fifteenth that resonates with the sanctuary on high G and Ab and will blow out your eardrum!! Needless to say, I'm jealous. And that is the main reason that I mostly play piano at church, why work hard at getting everything coordinated and articulated well and still sound bad (I can do that without any help, thank you)!!!

The only thing to me that you might explore is that a few times, particularly as a section draws near a cadence, the dissonances could be held just a fraction longer before the resolution -- tantalize us in those lovely dissonances. In a similar vein, the closing cadence, though not any slower, could take just the slightest instant longer from the end of your turn on the dominant trill into the final chord. (I know this is a real nit, but you might get a big head if no one finds one.)

Scott

Thank you Scott, that sounds encouraging


That does not sound like an organ that you want to play Baroque on - or anything else. Yes I guess I'm lucky with this one. I gripe about it not having enough stops, especially the pedal which only has the 16ft Bourdon which is always drawn, but what it does, it does really well, especially since the revision. I still have to stuff something in my ears when recording with the mixture, for fear of damage, but it sounds great on a recording.


That is exactly what my teacher always said. Sometimes Bach writes a grinding dissonance and you want to make the most of those. I was not aware there were any such instances here though. And it might be difficult for me anyway because I'm so conditioned now in playing detached. I really don't like legato organ playing anymore (and for that reason will probably never touch the French romantics).


Ahahaaa, now that must be avoided at all cost

Hi Techneut,

Your interpretation has a bit of "swing" to it in the Prelude's opening. The pacing throughout the Prelude is really beautiful.
The long lines are apparent and tastefully executed. I loved it.

The layering of sound in the fugue is just beautiful to listen to.


Thanks,
Kaila Rochelle

Thank you Kaila ! I think there's one little imperfection somewhere but otherwise these came out quite well.

Here I could follow with score again.
To the prelude: Besides a little slip in at the beginning of bar 15 I couldn´t hear anything wrong here, you choose a quite slow tempo, but I would do the same, if I would have to play the pedal of an organ.
To the fugue: just a couple of small slips which do not bother me. Well played and good tempo. I like this chromatic theme of the fugue very much!

Thanks Andreas. I know there are some tiny slips. Recording time is always limited and anyway, organ playing is just a hobby
I would not want to do the prelude any faster. As it is, it's a nice contrast between the introvert prelude and exuberant fugue.

^ +1. Another great recording there sir Chris. And I share the same experience of Scott here. I am also jealous of your piano playing skills. Keep it up sir.

Thank you ! I'm not sure this is a great recording, but it's decent.