Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Michael Bach, Kevin Bowyer :: Bach: Works for Organ, Vol. 13

Just right

richard mullany | waynesville, north carolina United States | 08/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have all the volumes currently avalable which is now thirteen. I am impressed by a number of things about this project; the selection of the instrument, the sequence of selections, the artistry of the soloist, the engineering and the liner notes. The instrument is a Marcussen three manual, mechanical tracker organ in Odense, Denmark. This is not a gigantic organ by any means, which is wonderful because too many organs are recorded as if size was more important than musical considerations. The recorded sound in these series is the most accurate I've heard. Kevin Bowyer is the model of the no nonsense musician, when he plays this Bach you feel you are hearing Bach, not gimmickry. The novel approach to programmng; each cd is a complete recital in itself. The sequence is not chronological so if you want to hear early Bach mature to later Bach you're going to have to work for it. To Bach/ organ lovers who want no interpretive frills but full satisfying distortion free sound I suggest trying volume one, the first track of which is the ubiquitous toccata and fugue in D. (I have made a side hobby almost of finding Bach collections minus this piece but I have had little success.) Compare the Marcussen, a modest instrument, with some of the behomoths usually employed in this repertoire and enjoy the clarity, the gravity,the sonority and yes, the delicacy of this organ and the musicianship of Kevin Bowyer."