tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51340895420728167912024-03-14T15:39:24.906+01:00The International Historical Organ Recording CollectionA site for publishing public domain historical organ recordings. Maintained by Lars Rosenlund NørremarkLars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-82021710983114919512012-06-15T11:27:00.000+02:002018-08-31T11:51:44.768+02:00Unique recordings with Helmut Walcha and Günther Ramin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcbZfqexVFWvbJBTZV9PPXexolpro82I_CTlg7-PJNBg84wW1zki8J5UtLZfXSb7VHWJ7MlZzdKekmm9NBB4CnglOFpj97tNGaauLtZ0OijOAZy3gCM3xfccJC-7rzPCwxbhH0PSoOUI/s1600/IMG_0403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcbZfqexVFWvbJBTZV9PPXexolpro82I_CTlg7-PJNBg84wW1zki8J5UtLZfXSb7VHWJ7MlZzdKekmm9NBB4CnglOFpj97tNGaauLtZ0OijOAZy3gCM3xfccJC-7rzPCwxbhH0PSoOUI/s400/IMG_0403.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am proud to be able to present three very unique organ recordings. Thanks to a generous contribution from Claudia Zachariassen, the owner of the Marcussen organ building firm, I can present two live recordings with Helmut Walcha and Günter Ramin. They were recorded on two Marcussen organs: at the concert hall at the Danish "Statsradiofonien" (Danish Broadcasting Corporation, on its former location in Copenhagen) May 8th 1953 with Helmut Walcha playing, and the other during the inauguration concert of the organ in Göteborg concert hall April 28th 1937 with Günther Ramin. They were cut on acetate discs most likely from a radio transmission and presented to the former owner of Marcussen Sybrand Zachariassen (1900-1960), so they most likely only exist in this exact copy.</div>
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The third recording is a contribution from David C. Kelzenberg (Iowa, USA). It is Helmut Walcha playing the “Ricercar á 6” from “Das Musichalishes Opfer” by J. S. Bach. This recording was done privately by Helmut Walcha some times in the 1970s, pressed on a vinyl seven inch phonograph record in a very limited number and given as a Christmas present to friends and students.<br />
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For many reasons these recordings are worth listening to. First of all they represent some very fine organ playing, but also of course due to their rarity. In connection with the two live recordings they also show a very rare insight into organ performance during a concert. Especially with Helmut Walcha it is obvious, compared to his “studio recordings”, that he plays with even more energy and takes more chances during a concert.</div>
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I couldn’t find information about the orchestra playing with Günther Ramin, but it could be reasonably to assume that it is the Göteborg Symphony Orchestra, which I assume existed in some form back in 1937.</div>
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The sound quality of both Walcha are very good, but due to the age and perhaps the decaying of the acetate discs the Günter Ramin recording some places has a high degree of background noise and some other flaws.<br />
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But again thanks to Claudia Zachariassen and David C. Kelzenberg for providing these recordings, and also thanks to Claus Byrith for the digital transfer and audio restoration.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-30/IHORC-30%20-%20Tracklist.pdf" style="text-align: left;">Download detailed playlist</a></div>
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Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-53066300674497431162012-01-25T18:08:00.008+01:002012-01-27T14:33:48.739+01:00Kevin Bowyer playing K. S. Sorabji - Organ Symphony No. 1<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkr__v9_xkTGCjhUkWGOf-4ensYgSlEM6P-duLv99vRjt_smEowIHwx2BHcjBSFFlpVJREa_dBs1DkgUIuYZrG3Ok24gR712c6Lj2keYLXtdVFiWudDaUZ5WGK_Mru_ihPezvu-l_744/s1600/sorabji.png" style="text-align: left; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 197px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkr__v9_xkTGCjhUkWGOf-4ensYgSlEM6P-duLv99vRjt_smEowIHwx2BHcjBSFFlpVJREa_dBs1DkgUIuYZrG3Ok24gR712c6Lj2keYLXtdVFiWudDaUZ5WGK_Mru_ihPezvu-l_744/s320/sorabji.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702299774189410066" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji – Organ Symphony No. 1 (1922/23)</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>“For those interested in such matters, Kaikhos</i><i>ru Shapurji Sorabji was born in Chingford, Essex, England on 14 August 1892; his father was a Zoroastrian Parsi civil engineer and his mother English (for a long time, until the work of Sean Vaughan Owen, she was reputed to be part Sicilian, part Spanish). He spent most of his life in England. From his early ’teens he developed an insatiable appetite for the latest developments in contemporary European and Russian music and went to great lengths to obtain the latest scores of such composers as Mahler, Debussy, Schönberg, Skryabin, Rakhmaninov and others at a time and in a country where almost all such music was largely unknown and unrecognized. Of an independent and uniquely curious nature, it is perhaps unsurprisin</i><i>g given the pre-War English environment that his education, both general and musical, was mostly private.</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>For a composer as prolific as he was soon to become, he was an unusually late developer and his voracity in absorbing all the most recent trends in other people’s music seems to have excluded from his mind the idea of making his own until he </i><i>reached his twenties.</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>A close friend and confidant of the English composer Philip Heseltine from 1913, Sorabji wrote to him that he was considering a career as a music critic. Once he had begun to compose, however, the floodgates of his imagination burst and a tremendous river of musical creativity flow</i><i>ed forth almost uninterrupted until the early 1980s.”</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span>(<span lang="DA"><a href="http://www.sorabji-archive.co.uk/biography/biography.php">http://www.sorabji-archive.co.uk/biography/biography.php</a></span> - Alistar Hinton)</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkr__v9_xkTGCjhUkWGOf-4ensYgSlEM6P-duLv99vRjt_smEowIHwx2BHcjBSFFlpVJREa_dBs1DkgUIuYZrG3Ok24gR712c6Lj2keYLXtdVFiWudDaUZ5WGK_Mru_ihPezvu-l_744/s1600/sorabji.png" style="text-align: left; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcpH0lZ4eyeQbsUX6ft11DTKN7QndqUbZQmJTcrlKZ1S8tnJZfnNCshs7c7JvLSDkRpODnogyPEhY0Dhyphenhyphen6QKDGQaJ2SbqYb5876Mk7lqsNnXqZ39GuyE9DvGD7TU6BbM1Usy8o_OBTh4/s320/bowyer.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702301513222444786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 201px; " /></a></p><div style="text-align: left; "></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Kaikhosru Sorabji might not be a household name not even in the organist community but nonetheless it is closely connected with the organist Kevin Bowyer, who has championed the music for over a quarter of a century, and he is the only organist in the world who has played Sorabjis music on a bigger scale.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Kevin Bowyer writes about his relationship with the symphony and the performances:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>“The playing history of the First Organ Symphony (1923/4, published 1925 by Curwen) before Århus is as follows: <o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>1928 - E Emlyn Davies, a harmony professor at the Royal Academy of Music, played the middle movement in a recital at the Westminster Congregational Chapel. The audience included Sorabji himself (who was very pleased with it) and also the 26 year William Walton, who enjoyed it greatly and wrote to Sorabji to tell him so. Sorabji was so pleased with the performance that he dedicated his Second Organ Symphony (1929-32) to Davies. (The Second Symphony (unpublished), at over 8 hours duration, is the longest fully notated organ piece ever composed (so far as we know) and remained unplayed in its entirety until I did it in Glasgow in 2010).<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>A performance of the First Organ Symphony was planned to take place in Glasgow in 1931, played by two players at the piano, but never took place. As far as we know, there were no further performances at all until:<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>July 25, 1987 - The first complete performance. Holy Trinity Sloane Street, London. The idea was to have three organists play, taking a movement each. Thomas Trotter opted to play the middle movement and I was asked to play either the first or the last. Three months later, when no other player had volunteered, I was asked to play the remaining movement too, so the first performance consisted of me playing movts. 1 and 3, and Thomas playing movt. 2.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>1988 - Århus - the first complete performance by a single player.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>Since then I have played the First Symphony complete in Linz, Malmø, Darmstadt, Manchester and Glasgow.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>I met the composer in January 1988 and went to see him five times before his death in October 1988, aged 96.”<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: right;"><span>- Kevin Bowyer</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As mentioned above much of Sorabjis music is of immense proportions. The present release consisting of the organ symphony no. 1 plays two hours (45 minutes alone for the third movement). The music is intriguing and compelling not alone in its size but also harmonics and structure. Sorabji never seems to run out of ideas or thematic material.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It is some of the most complex music ever composed for one musician to play, so just calling it a virtuoso organ piece would not be a proper description and calling Kevin Boywer “just” a virtuoso organist (which he by any standard is!) would also not be a fulfilling description. What Kevin Bowyer has done here is by any measure of the highest order - mentally, musically even physically speaking – and not many, if any, organists is capable of playing this music.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">On the technical side recordings do not have to be mono and with far from high fidelity sound quality to be historical. This recording is indeed historical even though it is only 24 years old.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It was recorded on April 24<sup>th</sup> 1988 in Aarhus Cathedral as part of the annual NUMUS Festival in the city (a festival dedicated to contemporary music). Thanks to former cathedral organist Anders Riber for providing this recording.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Thanks also to Kevin Bowyer and Alistar Hinton curator of the Sorabji Archive. For those interested in learning more about Sorabji, the website for the Sorabji Archive is highly recommendable – <span lang="DA"><a href="http://www.sorabji-archive.co.uk/">http://www.sorabji-archive.co.uk</a></span>. Worth mentioning is also Kevin Bowyers vast project to play, publish and record Sorabjis three organ symphonies - <a href="http://www.sorabji-organ.org/">http://www.sorabji-organ.org</a>.</p></div><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" width="400" height="170" id="xspf_player" align="middle"><br /><embed src="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-29/IHORC-29.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true" quality="high" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" width="400" height="170" name="xspf_player" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /></object><br /><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-29/IHORC-29%20-%20Tracklist.pdf" style="text-align: left; ">Download detailed playlist</a></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-29/IHORC-29_-_Kevin_Bowyer_-_Sorabji_1.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-29/IHORC-29_-_Kevin_Bowyer_-_Sorabji_1.rar</a> </div></div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-20182446030066878292011-07-18T11:05:00.005+02:002012-01-16T10:17:09.915+01:00Robert Noehren playing works by Johann Sebastian Bach<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1FRlIrS_VXMkaMrUkKRznk0I9RuZXfX0t0L-HRvXCkCIYuCK53IoaUuO5iT4xhYN2Ba83mMraomEvwnuZNmDR31QBXWw08gdpVFJPdoXFAFH7EQri9_hnGyKGNcen6wqj4x4FyvVPk0/s1600/NoehrenR.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 288px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 365px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630611480985698354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1FRlIrS_VXMkaMrUkKRznk0I9RuZXfX0t0L-HRvXCkCIYuCK53IoaUuO5iT4xhYN2Ba83mMraomEvwnuZNmDR31QBXWw08gdpVFJPdoXFAFH7EQri9_hnGyKGNcen6wqj4x4FyvVPk0/s400/NoehrenR.gif" /></a><br />Robert Noehren (1910-2002) was an influential American organist with a broad interest in organ building, performance practice and writing.<br /><br />He was named “International Performer of the Year 1978” by The American Guild of Organists, and in that connection I’ve found this short biography (http://216.137.149.180/IPYA/NoehrenR.html):<br /><br /><em>“Robert Noehren (December 16, 1910 – August 4, 2002) enjoyed a long and distinguished career as international recitalist, recording artist, scholar, author, and teacher. He was for many years University Organist and Head of the Organ Department at the University of Michigan. His discography numbers over 40 recordings, from earlier vinyl LPs to a number of CDs made late in his career. Among his many honors were the French Grand Prix du Disque for his recording of the Bach Trio Sonatas. His interest in historical organ building led to numerous trips to France, Germany, and Holland, and the establishment of his own organ building company, where he designed and built some 20 large pipe organs, including a four-manual organ for the Cathedral of St. John in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Active up until the day of his death, Noehren practiced every day, had plans to make another commercial recording on the large organ he built for First Presbyterian Church, Buffalo, New York, was writing a cook book, and was preparing a lecture for the convention of the American Institute of Organbuilders. He was also a serious composer, having studied with Paul Hindemith.”<br /><br /></em>This recording was made in Kenmore Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, N.Y. in 1951 on an organ build by Schlicker in collaboration with Robert Noehren. I’ve inserted the back cover of the LP below.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630611146192697378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6-LcNefhJvs0kJCTmDbelQM2dZ4hx43-JdFTiQLAEq4STo60xHyWtypwkkxfYwTqgCdPt8LcMzyjCvaKoSm9UP3Q6PAgrLTIiA-wpmXKCUKgkg9ekvmhhGV4LIXdnEUcURFk_kpJw7s/s400/lp-00368_BeG-cover_back.jpg" /><br />In many respects his organ playing resembles that of Helmut Walcha. It’s clear, intelligent, fluent and a bit restrained. The performances are logical and performed with great control and with a delicate sense for lines and polyphony. The slow movements are beautifully shaped with a very vocal phrasing and the fast movements are never rushed.</div><div align="justify"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" width="400" height="170" id="xspf_player" align="middle"><br /><embed src="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-28/IHORC-28.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true" quality="high" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" width="400" height="170" name="xspf_player" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /></object><br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-28/IHORC-28_-_Robert_Noehren.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-28/IHORC-28_-_Robert_Noehren.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-11507548601225160612011-05-02T09:00:00.007+02:002018-08-31T11:47:20.671+02:00Feike Asma & Hans Vollenweider playing works by J. 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I’m now able to present two new organists to IHORC, the Dutch organist Feike Asma (1912-1984) and the Swiss organist Hans Vollenweider (1918-1993). </div>
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<em>"Forever closely associated with the organ of the Great Church of Maassluis (near Rotterdam) is the name of Feike Asma. In 1927, Asma succeeded his father as organist of the Reformed Church of Den Helder. He played the organ of the Hooglandse Kerk in Leiden from 1933 to 1943, afterward moving to the historical organ of the Lutherian Church in The Hague. Asma served as organist here for a period of 22 years, gracing the services and giving many recitals. In 1965, Asma became organist at Maassluis until his death in 1984, again playing for services and in numerous recitals. In the notes to the last recording issued during his life, Mr Jan Quintus Zwart characterised Osma in these words: </em></div>
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<em>"Over half a century, organ virtuoso Feike Asma has achieved his own place among Dutch organists. While giving so many recitals, he was assured of a large audiences of enthusiastic listeners for his recitals throughout Holland, on large and small organs. But he also played in France, the United States, Canada and South Africa, again attracting large audiences to his recitals." </em></div>
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<em>Asma was a pupil of the legendary organist and historian Jan Zwart. He was a very remarkable person, also due to his very virtuous style of playing. He had many admirers, but he was also received harshly by some critics. Asma, bound to the organ with a deep love for the symphonic orchestra, was the organist who always gave much attention to the large-scale works of the Romantic organ literature. Reger, Liszt, Widor and Franck figured frequently in his programmes, and he also often included some of his own choral music and those of Zwart. As Asma himself once put it: "I'm a man who has the God-given ability of making music, and so I'm glad that I am able to play [for others]." Indeed, this was the foundation of his passion for music and organ playing.</em><span style="font-size: 85%;">(</span><a href="http://www.netreach.net/~druid/LV/FeikeAsma.html"><span style="font-size: 85%;">http://www.netreach.net/~druid/LV/FeikeAsma.html</span></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">) </span></div>
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His approach to the organ is very romantic. The phrasings are bold and long and his choice of registrations always broad with a lot of foundation stops. Since he lived well into both the LP and even the digital age, many of his performances are documented live as well as in “studio”. I’m unsure of the exact time of recording, but they were according to some sources mechanically copied in 1941, which mean that these copies were stamped in 1941 from the master but might in fact be much older. They sound quality is surprisingly poor compared to contemporary recordings. </div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602011575003932274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1wW9uOp6ypuEUL0SUfpYvdk7Zkru5C7KRJckKJbJuwFZC1Rzm_k6iK-QoRbssTHEReB3fEszK5Swu9sp4Al1zdhNAs564WCt5dcxqyOaJe_8ZjjBhdh6kl5spwm6lZIh2dDZ9HTh6b8/s320/Vollenweider-Hans-01.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 281px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 249px;" /><em>“The Swiss organist, Hans Vollenweider, was brought up in an artistic atmosphere, his father being a well known painter and publisher. He commenced his organ studies when he was 15 with Victor Schlatter and Ernst Isler. In 1936 he took his first organ post at the local church, whilst studying at the Music Academy, Zürich. Three years later he graduated from the Academy with great success and after some recital work studied with Karl Matthaei, a pupil of the great organ virtuoso Karl Straube. </em><em>In 1943, at the age of 25, Hans Vollenweider took an appointment as church organist in Zürich and soon began to travel extensively both as a virtuoso and as a teacher. He was ranked among the leading organists in Europe. His travels have frequently brought him to this country and in 1961 he went to Michigan University, USA, to hold master-classes. He broadcast and recorded extensively; and divided his time more or less equally between the harpsichord and the organ, and composing - mainly choral and chamber works.. He also held a teaching post in Organ and Harpsichord at the Zürich Music Academy.”</em><span style="font-size: 85%;">(</span><a href="http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Vollenweider-Hans.htm"><span style="font-size: 85%;">http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Vollenweider-Hans.htm</span></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">) </span></div>
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The two recordings presented here could be live recordings. The label says “Holland Festival Recording 1950”, there is an unusual amount of background noise, eg. someone coughing and like the Feike Asma recordings, the sound quality is below the standard of other recordings from the same period. Similar to Feike Asma his style is romantic and the “O Mensch bewein” is beautifully shaped.</div>
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Many thanks to Claus Byrith for making these transfers.<br />
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<object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" height="170" id="xspf_player" width="400"><br /><embed src="https://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-30/IHORC-30.XSPF?xn_auth%3Dno&autoload=true" quality="high" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" width="400" height="170" name="xspf_player" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /></object><br />
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<a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-27/IHORC-27%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br />
<br />
Download link:<br />
<a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-27/IHORC-27_-_Feike_Asma_and_Hans_Vollenweider.rar">www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-27/IHORC-27_-_Feike_Asma_and_Hans_Vollenweider.rar</a> </div>
Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-167419822822853742011-03-21T09:22:00.006+01:002011-03-21T10:50:56.279+01:00Olivier Messiaen plays Olivier Messiaen part 3<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBANSG4HFPI1tibV58yOitJWFaiA_4UG1bGswM3utJ7XNAZC5a-JsJ5gURfoTQJEH01w9bhMCqOfN3AaqoboKiUPvGfzIaTvaQd8d_FWKMTjJSVnd6xIHq0ldnjoYAmUJ6m5N_L74AkI/s1600/messiaen.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 253px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586448571780456434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBANSG4HFPI1tibV58yOitJWFaiA_4UG1bGswM3utJ7XNAZC5a-JsJ5gURfoTQJEH01w9bhMCqOfN3AaqoboKiUPvGfzIaTvaQd8d_FWKMTjJSVnd6xIHq0ldnjoYAmUJ6m5N_L74AkI/s320/messiaen.jpg" /></a> This is the third and penultimate release with Olivier Messiaen playing his own works for now. The last works missing is his “Messe de la Pentecôte” and his “Livre d’Orgue”. Oliver Messiaen also recorded the “Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité”, but since it was composed in 1969 it was from obvious reasons not included in the 1956 recording sessions. He recorded the “Méditations” in 1972, but we’ll have to wait until 2022 for a public domain release of that.</div><div align="justify"><br /><div align="justify">I’ve already covered many sides of the circumstances connected with these recordings, so I’ll again let Timothy Tikker speak. This time it's concerning the interpretations by Olivier Messiaen, and also draw attention to his excellent article from The American Organist (Nov 2008): </div><div align="justify"><br /><em>“Identifying Messiaen as a romantic performer may seem surprising, when so many think of him as the ultra-modernist who, for example, did so much to introduce total serialism in composition. And yet, he admitted plainly: "I'm not ashamed of being a romantic. The romantics were magnificent craftsmen . . . The romantics were aware of the beauties of nature, of the grandeur of divinity; they were grandiose, and many of our contemporaries would gain from being 'romanticized.' </em></div><br /><div align="justify"><em>This, of course, leads to the questions of tempo rubato, and of meter and rhythm. Rhythm was of absolute, primal importance to Messiaen. Some have thought that Messiaen's complex rhythms are simply indications of rubato - a conclusion that, however, Messiaen emphatically denied. [..] </em></div><br /><div align="justify"><em>This does not, however, in any way mean that Messiaen did not use rubato in performance. On the contrary, we hear rubato extensively in his recordings. Many lyric phrases begin with the first note or two somewhat held back, then with a ritenuto at the end of the phrase. The highest note of a phrase may be prolonged: "Les Bergers," p. 9, the right-hand A in m. 16 and high D in m. 19; "Les Anges," p. 1, the right-hand B's in the first system. We hear cadential ritardandos that are not indicated in the scores, e.g., the middle of "Les Eaux de la Grâce" (p. 5, m. 4), or the close of the opening monody of "l'Ange aux Parfums." One conspicuous rhythmic alteration is the quickening of groups of 32nd notes, e.g., the pick-up figures in "Force et Agilité des Corps glorieux," as well as several figures in "Les Anges." This is a very typical romantic performance practice: the "enhancement" of shorter note values by quickening them.35 We hear an especially striking use of rubato in the toccata section of the fifth Trinité Mèditation, in which the pedal melody's sixteenth/eighth downward fifth (p. 42, m. 6; p. 43, m. 6) is emphasized, particularly by stretching the 16th. Surprising though it may seem to use rubato in such a relentlessly motoric texture, the effect is wonderfully powerful and dramatic, making other performances seem stiff and lifeless by comparison. “ </em></div><br /><div align="justify">I completely agree with Timothy Tikker. It’s very clear that Olivier Messiaen was grounded in the romantic performance style and perhaps his music should be approached in that way. Many post or contemporary organists of Messiaen tend to play his music only “as written” which makes their performances seem “stiff and lifeless by comparison” again quoting Timothy Tikker. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">We have the same situation with the piano music of Bela Bartok and Sergei Prokofiev - they were also schooled in the romantic tradition and also played their music in that manner (cf. their many recorded performances of their own works), but since they suggested a new and much more percussive approach to the piano, many pianist afterwards tend to have all their focus on that element forgetting that the music was shaped with the romantic idiom in mind.<br /></div><div align="justify">Again many thanks to Anders Riber for the transfers. </div><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-26/IHORC-26.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-26/IHORC-26.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-26/IHORC-26%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-26/IHORC-26_-_Messiaen_plays_Messiaen_3.rar">www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-26/IHORC-26_-_Messiaen_plays_Messiaen_3.rar</a></div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-44525217237713256942011-02-22T18:08:00.005+01:002011-03-21T08:27:56.497+01:00Olivier Messiaen plays Olivier Messiaen part 2<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O0u5i9YuVkjy4i6H9jroGn8VHR0VCl2hBHfY4PC5EUAvGeYLV4FB6zxKjsVXELRcqv1eUq9u0Lc4QD_RXRqYIn7wKL1mZBPOtBYMk8q-EGKNYl5Cln8F3mmdDIk4-YVi73JGYUjUix0/s1600/Messiaen_14387t.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 226px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576562855918573938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O0u5i9YuVkjy4i6H9jroGn8VHR0VCl2hBHfY4PC5EUAvGeYLV4FB6zxKjsVXELRcqv1eUq9u0Lc4QD_RXRqYIn7wKL1mZBPOtBYMk8q-EGKNYl5Cln8F3mmdDIk4-YVi73JGYUjUix0/s320/Messiaen_14387t.jpg" /></a>The second part of the complete Olivier Messiaen plays Olivier Messiaen consists of Apparition de l’Èglise éternelle and Les Corps Glorieux. </div><br /><div align="justify">I discussed the technical and historical details in the first release, so I’ll not go into these details again.</div><div align="justify"><br />As mentioned in the first release, I’m very reluctant in naming the definitive renditions of any works, but Messiaens own interpretation of the Apparition is simply amazing. His tempo is extremely slow but never dragging and his overall musical perception of the piece is so incredible grand.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">In fact looking over just a few other recordings of this piece puts Messiaens version as the slowest:<br /></div><div align="justify"><p><em>Olivier Messiaen (1956) 10:05, Latry (rec. 2000) 9:45, Rudolf Innig (1996) 9:16, Jennifer Bate (1982) 10:00, Susan Landale (1986) 7:36, Thomas Trotter (1993) 9:48, Louis Thiry (1972) 8:01.<br /></em><br /><p>The overall timing of a piece doesn’t directly tell anything about the actual tempo (or tempi) in a piece. There are many other factors in play, just listen to the very big pauses Messiaen has between some of the sections, but the overall timing can tell us a little of the performers overall grasp of the whole piece. </p></div><div align="justify">The Corps Glorieux are done with a strong personality and commanding interpretation, but still very spontaneous and with great elegance and plasticity. Especially I can recommend the “Les Eaux”, in which he almost make the organ dance in the middle section, and the fiendishly difficult last part is done in a very virtuoso style. </div><div align="justify"><br />Thanks again to Anders Riber for providing the transfers of these important documents. No digital noise reduction has been applied, so there is a little background hiss and click here and there. </div><div align="justify"><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-25/IHORC-25.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-25/IHORC-25.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-25/IHORC-25%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-25/IHORC-25_-_Messiaen_plays_Messiaen_2.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-25/IHORC-25_-_Messiaen_plays_Messiaen_2.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-11369523530872040472010-12-31T10:42:00.007+01:002011-12-27T12:17:25.096+01:00Olivier Messiaen plays Olivier Messiaen part 1<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkKcbGKhu1DOxS3gfChQ_lVJ8qfugEgWEdBLZ7ODzpm_oS3j3Eqh2pzvRl-mne1JJtShFa72FwghXfuuR5CGWzo8mq_uKDtRtg530a-Xm-zoHIbXQ5RAtKXoJmeTbFL1kyu3bkpgvDKA/s1600/olivier_messiaen_latrinite1-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 285px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690764978224998658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkKcbGKhu1DOxS3gfChQ_lVJ8qfugEgWEdBLZ7ODzpm_oS3j3Eqh2pzvRl-mne1JJtShFa72FwghXfuuR5CGWzo8mq_uKDtRtg530a-Xm-zoHIbXQ5RAtKXoJmeTbFL1kyu3bkpgvDKA/s320/olivier_messiaen_latrinite1-1.jpg" /></a>Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)<br /><br /><div align="justify">Olivier Messiaen hardly needs any introduction at all. He was one of the most influential composers of the 20th century and organist at Trinité in Paris for 61 years! Here is a little excerpt from Wikipedia anyway:</div><br /><div align="justify"><em>“Olivier Messiaen; December 10, 1908 – April 27, 1992) was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, widely regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex (he was interested in rhythms from ancient Greek and from Hindu sources); harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations. Many of his compositions depict what he termed "the marvellous aspects of the faith", and drew on his deeply held Roman Catholicism. He said he perceived colours when he heard certain musical chords, particularly those built from his modes (a phenomenon known as synaesthesia); combinations of these colours, he said, were important in his compositional process.<br />Messiaen entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 11 and was taught by Paul Dukas, Maurice Emmanuel, Charles-Marie Widor and Marcel Dupré, among others. He was appointed organist at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité in Paris in 1931, a post held until his death. He taught at the Schola Cantorum during the 1930s where one of his students was Georges Savaria. On the fall of France in 1940, Messiaen was made a prisoner of war, during which time he composed his Quatuor pour la fin du temps ("Quartet for the end of time") for the four available instruments—piano, violin, cello and clarinet. The piece was first performed by Messiaen and fellow prisoners for an audience of inmates and prison guards. He was appointed professor of harmony soon after his release in 1941, and professor of composition in 1966 at the Paris Conservatoire, positions he held until his retirement in 1978. His many distinguished pupils included Pierre Boulez and Yvonne Loriod, who became his second wife.”<br /></em>(Source: Wikipedia) </div><br /><div align="justify">These recordings are of course mandatory if one wishes to play and interpret the music of Messiaen. They were recorded in La Trinité in June and July 1956, and are in many ways electrifying, but they are not without flaws. I’ll here draw attention to a very detailed article on the subject by Timothy Tikker from 2008, originally posted in The American Organist:<br /><em>"Granted, the 1956 recordings are not without their flaws. The sound is monophonie (even though stereo was available then), and the fidelity merely adequate - certainly no match for the extraordinary engineering that Mercury Living Presence recordings had already achieved at that time. Also, the organ is in a poor state of repair: sometimes painfully out of tune (the coupled-flutes solo in Diptyque becomes excruciating, as can most registrations with mutations or mixtures) with some poor regulation (the 16' Basson solo low C doubles down something fierce), dead notes (treble D disappears from the Tierce in the monophony of "Offertoire" from Messe de la Pentecôte, p. 4), and sometimes inadequate wind (e.g., the sagging final chord of "Dieu parmi nous"; it figures that if seven stops and a pneumatic lever were added to an organ without increasing its wind capacity, there could be trouble!).”<br /></em>(<a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7161/is_200811/ai_n32307468/">http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7161/is_200811/ai_n32307468/</a>) </div><br /><div align="justify">I really encourage you to read this article and Tikker is of curse right. There are some serious flaws in the recordings. The organ is some places hopelessly out of tune and the fidelity of the sound taken in account recordings took place in 1956 is simply too Low Fi. One story goes, that when Messiaen was asked whether he wanted the organ tuned for the recordings, he replied, “Why, no? It’s only been 15 years since it was tuned the last time”. </div><br /><div align="justify">Messiaen's performances differ quite a lot from modern performances. They are very pragmatic in the terms of tempo, rhythms and even registrations (even though he plays the works at the exact instrument for which they were composed!).<br />Some critics say that Messiaen wasn’t really an organist and therefore his rendering of his organ music cannot be trusted as his original intentions. Some critics say that they lack on the technical side simply that Messiaen wasn’t technically up for the job playing his organ music. I think both arguments are quite simply wrong. It’s clear that Messiaen plays his works with brilliance, deep understanding, and he is all the way through technically in total command. When he chooses to go alternative ways compared to the text, it’s because he want’s to do it that way. I don’t like to hail any recording as the definitive recording, but these recordings are a fascinating view into the musicianship and aesthetic of Olivier Messiaen. </div><br /><div align="justify">Timothy Tikker concludes his article: </div><br /><div align="justify"><em>“After listening to these recordings for over 30 years, I still find them worthy of deep and careful study. By no means is this to say that one should slavishly imitate the composer's performances. In fact, just as when teaching composition he encouraged each student to find his or her own voice as a composer, Messiaen encouraged performers to develop their own interpretations of his music.40 Rather, Messiaen's recordings can help us to fathom the real spirit of his organ music, which spirit can then "incarnate" in each interpreter in richly varied and individualized ways. In that spirit, I strongly recommend these recordings to all who would study and perform Messiaen's music. “ </em></div><br /><div align="justify">Some technical details - It’s clear that the music was recorded on magnetic tape; there are some rough cuts here and there, cuts which only were possible with magnetic tape. The sound quality is, as mentioned, very poor compared to other organ recordings produced in the mid 1950s. Lastly but not least perhaps the only thing not entirely up for the job was perhaps the organ, which sounds like it’s in much disrepair. These three things taken into account and the fact that if Olivier Messiaen, as the towering personality he was, also among his contemporaries, had wanted it otherwise, he could most definitely had had it, show him as a very free and pragmatic musician. It’s perhaps a view musicians could incorporate more into the interpretations of his music today? </div><br /><div align="justify">Thanks to Anders Riber for the transfers of the originals LPs. I’ll be posting the other recordings from 1956 and they are transferred, so stay tuned.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-24/IHORC-24.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-24/IHORC-24.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-24/IHORC-24%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-24/IHORC-24_-_Messiaen_plays_Messiaen_1.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-24/IHORC-24_-_Messiaen_plays_Messiaen_1.rar</a> </div><br /></div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-38829342180696359962010-12-06T15:33:00.007+01:002010-12-07T08:29:12.518+01:00The Complete Charles Tournemire - remastered by Charles Lever<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQqjV2WWVCEaZeUCxgtcD_3j2N3q2l8KFbm3Ky0zbga-qoX1s7uiNvvd9NinZndtOk2QTsxSvmOFH-YtUyNgP1u89ieKWly0Qx7xMZRX1EAp0X4yD2y79lVYZB8gds85gNKk3H24Rug0/s1600/tournemire_charles_medium.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 193px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547577962591298274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQqjV2WWVCEaZeUCxgtcD_3j2N3q2l8KFbm3Ky0zbga-qoX1s7uiNvvd9NinZndtOk2QTsxSvmOFH-YtUyNgP1u89ieKWly0Qx7xMZRX1EAp0X4yD2y79lVYZB8gds85gNKk3H24Rug0/s320/tournemire_charles_medium.jpg" /></a>I’ve been rereleasing some recordings before, but I’ve never rereleased a whole set of recordings before. The reason why I’m rereleasing the Complete Charles Tournemire is because the present transfer is simply the best restoration of I’ve ever heard. The original 78s are from the collection of Michael Gartz, who has been a great supporter of this site and is remastered by Charles Lever.<br /><br />When you remaster old recordings, you are always faced with problems concerning how much noise you are going to remove and how much equalization you are going to make. When you remove noise, you always remove a little bit of the music as well. So when you restore old recording, you are in fact interpretating the music as well; you can alter the actual the timbre of the instrument and you can “color” nuances as it fits you – in other words it is basically up to the aesthetics of the audio technician how the music is going to sound!<br /><br />I’ve heard many(!) transfers of old recordings, some are completely free of surface noise and sound hollow and unnatural, and some are hardly remastered at all with too much surface noise so all the details are lost. The best remasterings, in my opinion, are done with a clear musical aesthetic in mind keeping as much surface noise and having a natural sound of the instrument and surroundings, bringing the music as much up front as possible.<br /><br />The present remasterings have it all! Michael Gartz’s mint condition originals and Charles Lever’s subtle sense of details have provided the most excellent remastering, I’ve ever heard - not just organ recordings but in general. The clarity is simply amazing, and we can now hear details, as we were seated on the organ loft just beside Charles Tournemire back in 1930 and 1931. If Duruflé had been able to hear these remastering, the legendary transcriptions would have been much different.<br /><br />So sit back and these transfers take you back to Paris in the 1930.<br /><br />Big thanks to Michael Gartz for sharing these recording with us and letting me use them on IHORC, but as much thanks to Charles Lever for his world class remastering.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-23/IHORC-23.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-23/IHORC-23.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-23/IHORC-23%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-23/IHORC-23_-_Complete_Charles_Tournemire_-_Remastered_by_Charles_Lever.rar">www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-23/IHORC-23_-_Complete_Charles_Tournemire_-_Remastered_by_Charles_Lever.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-65508522034013319872010-11-07T20:40:00.011+01:002010-11-08T00:11:43.124+01:00Jeanne Demessieux, Günther Ramin and Páll Isólfsson (recordings from the 1950s)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfKR3KJph6fMWCPgPnnpNiFMS4_QnV86VjW-vRpurqsSyyQ1gtwzlaqg0nSHxlqHc4j-JYgJtcWv9qZBZOhKcQ_29FwCKw_xwHJL3o3nFSAOr72nfDROyKDC887SQ0ML08cVr5evZ4GI/s1600/IMG_7628.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536949293765589314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfKR3KJph6fMWCPgPnnpNiFMS4_QnV86VjW-vRpurqsSyyQ1gtwzlaqg0nSHxlqHc4j-JYgJtcWv9qZBZOhKcQ_29FwCKw_xwHJL3o3nFSAOr72nfDROyKDC887SQ0ML08cVr5evZ4GI/s320/IMG_7628.JPG" /></a> <div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">This release consists of three sets of recordings. First we have yet another release with the ever inspiring Jeanne Demessieux playing the infamous J. S. Bach Toccata and fugue in d and the J.S. Bach Fantasie and fugue in g-minor from Victoria Hall in Geneva. She recorded several times at Victoria Hall in Geneva. These two pieces were recorded in September 1953 and released on Decca in 1954 on a 10 inch LP. Her version of the Toccata and fugue in d-minor is simply the most electrifying version, I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard many recording of this piece – it rivals Alfred Sittards great rendition of it from 1928 in Hamburg.<br /><br />The next two items are Günther Ramin playing Max Reger, a Deutsche Grammphon 10 inch LP from 1958. The cover states, “Thomaskantor Günther Ramin an der Beckerath-Orgel”, but it doesn’t state where, and I simply can’t find out. I’ve searched the internet, so please help me here…<br />I found a not-so-fond-of review from The Grammophone, July 1958, which among other things says:<br /><br /><em>“Ramin gets in a bit of a tangle on a number of occasions, and he often seems to have difficulty in playing all the notes of a chord exactly together, but he makes a brave shot at it.”<br /></em><br />At the end, he concludes:<br /><br /><em>“Frankly Ramin has not quite the virtuoso qualities Reger asks for. But, then, who has?” </em><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(</span><a href="http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/July%201958/57/843865/"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/July%201958/57/843865/</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;">)<br /></span><em><br /></em><em></em>The reviewer is a little too hard on Günther Ramin in my opinion. Ramin copes quite well with the gigantic technical and musical requirements in the piece, and always rates energy and drama for technical perfection, which in my opinion is the right choice in this kind of music.<br /><br />The last pieces are with the islandic organist Páll Isólfsson. He is quite unknown abroad Iceland,<br />I think, but I was able to find a little biography on him:<br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 205px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536895673738962722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXBRz23N-rJ4GwygwhH8ZeBWBcRfU66iVB7zVfgWoGpFguO7eShh3px0q2vAiSqeBBx8w5eucKdNtG31s6O2P7eUhqTi6yR8M-0Uv_LCL5KrbkTjp-uRM8JtW3Rga0iqijD2mtRup5l0/s320/pall_isolfsson.jpg" /> <em>“12 October 1893-23 November 1974 - After organ studies in Germany (1913–18 with Straube at the Leipzig conservatory) and Paris (1925 with Joseph Bonnet) he returned to his native island. He became in 1938 organist of Reykjavík cathedral (till 1968), and in 1930 was appointed director of both the Reykjavík conservatory (till 1957) and the Icelandic Radio (till 1959). Apart from various capriccios, humoresques, intermezzi and other piano piece in the style of the Norwegian (another Viking race) Edvard Grieg (qv), he wrote chroruses and, in 1930, a cantata for the 1000th anniversary of the Althing (Modern Icelandic Alþingi; Old Norse Alþing), the national parliament: literally, the “all-thing”, of Iceland. Further he compiled choral compositions by others, and wrote his 2-part autobiography in 1963–64, a decade before his death. “<br /></em><span style="font-size:78%;">(</span><a href="http://www.classical-composers.org/comp/isolfsson"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.classical-composers.org/comp/isolfsson</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;">)<br /></span><br />These three little pieces by J. S. Bach clearly show Isólfsson as a very capable organist, and since he was invited to recorded for HMV, be must have been quite an organ star. According to <a href="http://notendur.hi.is/oth26/Plotuskra_listi.htm">http://notendur.hi.is/oth26/Plotuskra_listi.htm</a> - he recorded other things on his visit to London in 1953, among them the J.S. Bach Toccata and fugue and Prelude and fugue in E-flat major. So to paint a more complete picture is him, we probably need recordings like these, but until now the three pieces presented here are promising and interesting.<br /><br />The transfer was again masterfully done by Claus Byrith. <div align="justify"><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-22/IHORC-22.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-22/IHORC-22.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-22/IHORC-22%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-22/IHORC-22_-_Demessieux_Ramin_and_Issolfson.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-22/IHORC-22_-_Demessieux_Ramin_and_Issolfson.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-61682397765298348342010-10-15T10:34:00.005+02:002010-10-15T11:06:25.245+02:00Marcel Dupré in Queens Hall - 1926-27<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHVUp3N8EZTxFhwO2O-0MBgxJkRDds_Q8ABA4ZoXcPsOilkqINcR09h7zcZU0vUg02jWcMFULyOVVn2xVmfoJE4lBrmjViePnks4HdGWe3QJLBh3UZbQIeRiPMeQLT7zhGPN7mpBdB20/s1600/0.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528188765910110754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHVUp3N8EZTxFhwO2O-0MBgxJkRDds_Q8ABA4ZoXcPsOilkqINcR09h7zcZU0vUg02jWcMFULyOVVn2xVmfoJE4lBrmjViePnks4HdGWe3QJLBh3UZbQIeRiPMeQLT7zhGPN7mpBdB20/s320/0.jpg" /></a> Now it’s time for another Marcel Dupré release. This time is probably some his earliest recordings made in Queens Hall, London in 1926 and 1927. Marcel Dupré marked in many ways the “modern” way of playing, and he was immensely popular everywhere he played and most definitely also in England.<br /><br />HMV was, as far as I know, the first European record company who seriously made organ recordings. I think it was due to the fact, that many of the organists in England were very popular to the people in general. The many concert hall organs popularized the organ and organ music, and many organists could fill concert halls with an enthusiastic audience. So in England were a broad marked for selling organ recordings. A lot of these recordings are, taken the age in consideration, of very high quality and the sound is remarkably clear. One easily forgets that the recordings are over 80 years old.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 174px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528188638069982706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VCKnrRy2wrxzJTB50fK170NH3uaWWF3UK3cequFA8n5HdFXI3Wc5Wu-5OrCmOaz00C0MxvVWd8xvybo6rxuA1HmiowNfETDHE8_9HEIYstI62Czb8b6F6DuGa6YhARm8jm96Ux-fi5U/s320/Queen's%2520Hall%2520Interior%25201924%2520Tiff.jpg" />These recordings are important of several reasons. First of all they document the organ at the old Queens Hall before the destruction in 1941 – the organ was first build in 1893 by Hill then later rebuilt in 1923 to what extent I don’t know. Queens Hall was at the center of music in England, and the history of the hall is very interesting – please visit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen's_Hall">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen's_Hall</a><br /><br /><br />Secondly they represent, what I think, the best of Marcel Dupres playing. They have vitality and elegance – the gem in this release is the Clerambault, where his style, touch and ornaments is very fluent and elegantly shaped.<br /><br />I would like to thank the blog “78 toeren en LP's” at - <a href="http://www.satyr78lp.blogspot.com/">http://www.satyr78lp.blogspot.com/</a> - for this release. Please do visit this excellent site, where you’ll numerous historical recordings. No post recording editing has been used on these recordings.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-21/IHORC-21.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-21/IHORC-21.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-21/IHORC-21%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-21/IHORC-21_-_Dupre_-_Queens_Hall.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-21/IHORC-21_-_Dupre_-_Queens_Hall.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-5777601395355040612010-07-16T12:56:00.006+02:002010-07-16T13:11:55.862+02:00Various organists playing organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLzRK0VdyuJTC34HGx-6gBNsyKSsuaXAsNxFSHA3ML5wWjOYuqK5IPg9ofVXPKxXN859kV592Avsv-ftWon3U1Fk3hXOMiXd1s-kbBHs_R44-b61eJF35DCePvA_3IZlYKjxYBjTr3yg/s1600/2661706.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 231px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494457779911040002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLzRK0VdyuJTC34HGx-6gBNsyKSsuaXAsNxFSHA3ML5wWjOYuqK5IPg9ofVXPKxXN859kV592Avsv-ftWon3U1Fk3hXOMiXd1s-kbBHs_R44-b61eJF35DCePvA_3IZlYKjxYBjTr3yg/s320/2661706.jpg" /></a> This is the 20th release and to celebrate this I’ve chosen different works by J. S. Bach played by five different organists. As you can see, there are two duplicates; the Alfred Sittard and Fernando Germani have already been released (IHORC-02 and IHORC-11) but the transfer was made from other 78rpms which are of a quality worth presenting here.<br /><div align="justify">Looking back over the 20 releases here on IHORC, it’s very clear that recording organ works J. S. Bach for an organist of that period was standard, and the repertoire is quite broad. Of course there are numerous versions of the famous Toccata and Fugue in d minor, but about all genres of his organ works are represented here in some form or another. All the organists tried their hands on the “big ones”, but they also ventured into the more elusive parts of his organ production, e.g. Heitmann recorded the “Kunst der Fuge”, Walcha the “Schübler Chorales” (on the other hand Walcha has recorded the complete works twice, so he is a little out of the question, but anyway), Germani the “Fuga supra Magnificat”, Vierne parts from the “Orgelbüchlein” and Sittard parts from the Bach-Vivaldi-transcriptions.<br />Another interesting thing is that since it was popular recording J. S. Bach, it must have been popular as a commercial product. As I pointed out in the Louis Vierne release, it’s rather odd that when the French department of HMV/Odéon finally got Louis Vierne to record, they chose to record J. S. Bach instead of trying to preserve one of the great masters personal interpretations of his own works (like Edward Elgars own electrical recording sessions from 1926-1933). It looks like the organ music of J. S. Bach survived through time and the change of style and taste. We must keep in mind that though the earliest organ recordings here were done from the mid 1920s, the musicians represented span almost 80 years – Widor born 1844 to Demessieux born in 1921. Vierne was the first in the current collection who recorded J. S. Bach and was born in 1870 which makes the time span 51 years up to Demessieux. I’m of course aware of the organists had to consult with the record companies when selecting repertoire, and the record company and the producer nonetheless had the final word (just think of when Sergei Rachmaninoff suggested his record company Victor to his repertoire of his last season which included the Liszt b-minor sonata, the Beethoven Appasionata-sonata and piano duet with the young Horowitz playing his Symphonic Dances and was turned down!). Since Mendelssohns famous revival of J. S. Bachs music, and perhaps even earlier, it’s been in the center of every keyboard player. I think it was Czerny who instructed his students to warm up every morning playing “Das Wohltemperierte” and Hans von Bülow told his student to practice and transpose “Das Wohltemperierte” every day. </div><br />Since two of the organists in this release are presented for the first time, I’ll give a short biography on them.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 306px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494456936620927698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dsVNQ393FfjpUkky4bqHRg_0z9XOvQJINCdXXn4vMSQv-vXWUuy2JuF62xzrl23AkMwSdTnrlT90BDjQyepJOtQujcGUUbdaLE_rLTLvhv5Z-0rJGbbdJx92tyINCcodQraSHBiH_24/s320/Ramin.jpg" /><em>Günther Werner Hans Ramín (15 October 1898 – 27 February 1956) Ramin, the son of a pastor, was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. At the age of 12 he was accepted into the famed Thomanerchor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig by the then-cantor, Gustav Schreck. At the time Karl Straube was Schreck's assistant, and he took note of Ramin's abilities as an organist and composer. Later, when Straube took over the cantorate at the Thomaskirche, Ramin became his assistant, filling in for him as choirmaster and director. During World War I, Ramin was drafted into military service; however, he managed to complete his examinations at the Leipzig Conservatorium with distinction in January 1917 and on 30 May 1918, Straube was able to write to him on the front that he had been chosen as organist of the Thomaskirche. Ramin returned from the war and took up this position, which he held for twenty-two years until World War II broke out. (From Wikipedia) </em><br /><div align="justify"><br />I’m a bit unsure of where Ramin recorded this piece. Some sources say that it’s the Sauer organ in the Leipziger Thomas Kirche which in many ways make sense, but I’ve with help from a colleague compared the sound and recording with other recordings by Ramin which for sure was made in Thomas Kirche and the sounds doesn’t seem to match. I of course know, that many factors and limitations were in play when making a 78rms organ recording, but if anyone knows anything, please send me an email. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 211px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494456704394015538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlndUfAUE8QzEbKiaEO2kKmi79KIEi4eWOU4NUOtPA9S6NA5QAb_vTSy7ydU-ox-wJgT6x1SDdaw3oSy0Jd-D6zhqDoPDMHrho9qPEiSifLeWS2ZiY87bxRuv5Qzcg72uy7A92Pb3i2Cs/s320/CunninghamGD1.jpg" /><em>George Dorrington Cunningham (London October 2, 1878 - Birmingham August 4, 1948) important concert organist. Born of musical parents, Cunningham studied piano with his mother, subsequently switching to organ at the Guildhall School of Music. Upon graduation he studied with Josiah Booth at Park Chapel, Crouch End, North London. From there he enrolled in the Royal Academy of Music, where he became an FRCO at age eighteen and organist of the Alexandra Palace at twenty-two, in 1901.<br />After 1900 Cunningham's fame as a recitalist steadily grew. However during the armistice celebrations of 1918 the instrument at Alexandra Palace was wantonly wrecked, and was not restored and re-opened again until December 1929. In 1924 Cunningham was appointed Birmingham City Organist and Birmingham University Organist. He also played often at the Town Hall of the same city.<br />Cunningham's most important students were E. Power Biggs, George Thalben-Ball, who succeeded him at Birmingham in 1949, and Michael (Stockwin) Howard. (From Wikipedia)</em><br /></div><br /><div align="justify">The releases consist of 78rpms from Claus Byrith’s own collection, and I hereby send my best thanks to him for the transfers.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-20/IHORC-20.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-20/IHORC-20.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-20/IHORC-20%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-20/IHORC-20_-_J_S_Bach.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-20/IHORC-20_-_J_S_Bach.rar</a> </div></div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-60807492474951453732010-06-13T15:00:00.003+02:002010-06-13T15:47:14.167+02:00Charles-Marie Widor - The complete recordings<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm39f6J_ui5QiIDUKXOqOx-zGJQmQQsHR2LTlP2U3zIK16KPc5zoS9wk-CM4_1sDHYJNUX0GusXqTH6ha4a5jJ5HiSBL01LypukQ7zyKY2OiHb4lG30WGV0gI58qWckpVj2nFlO9sWNVg/s1600/widor-sm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482242683901734290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm39f6J_ui5QiIDUKXOqOx-zGJQmQQsHR2LTlP2U3zIK16KPc5zoS9wk-CM4_1sDHYJNUX0GusXqTH6ha4a5jJ5HiSBL01LypukQ7zyKY2OiHb4lG30WGV0gI58qWckpVj2nFlO9sWNVg/s320/widor-sm.jpg" /></a>Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1837) was and still is like Louis Vierne, one the most important organ composers and all organists know that he was organist at the famous Saint-Sulpice in the heart of Paris for 64 years. With the help from the organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll he became a student of Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens and was later to become professor at the Conservatoire in Paris succeeding César Franck. Through his work as a teacher, he defined the way of organ playing, a tradition and style which is still alive today. As an advocate of the instruments of Cavaillé-Coll, he helped to inaugurate several very important instruments, such as Notre-Dame de Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Près, the Trocadéro and Saint-Ouen de Rouen. Like Louis Vierne, his influence cannot be underestimated. </div><div align="justify"><br />We are so fortunate, that he did choose record 6 sides for the French department of HMV (called “La Voix de son Maître”) in 1932, the year before he retired. It’s quite obvious, that he or his recording company wished to preserve his interpretation of his own works. So they chose to record parts of the Symphonie Gothique, which by my best estimate was not a commercially interesting piece at that time. The Gothique was recorded on four sides, two sides for a complete take of the first movement, one side for the second movement and the last side for the last section of the Finale. Cutting and pasting to fit the time limited 78rpms was typical for the early era of record making. Finally he chose to record his every popular Toccata from the 5th symphony.<br />When listening to these recordings and especially the Toccata, we must keep in mind that Widor was 88 years old at the time he recorded. One anecdote tells that he had said when recording the Toccata, that “he was closer to the grave that the organ bench”. </div><div align="justify"><br />One other very important note to these recordings is that Widor was one of the oldest musicians to record. It’s interesting to listen to a musician who had had his musical education from teachers born in the first part of the 19th century and was fully developed as a musician well before the turn of the century. Other French instrumentalists born like Widor in the first part of the 19th century who did make recordings is e.g. Francis Planté (1839-1934), Raoul Pugno (1852-1914) (almost) and Camille Saint-Säens (1835-1921). They all represent a style and taste where rubato was well defined and tastefully rendered in an almost nonpersonal/objective manner. The musical lines are always bold and organic. In my personal opinion I find these recordings even more important than the Vierne recordings due to the repertoire recorded (his own music) and the circumstance that Widor was 88 years old and represents a style almost not documented on organ. </div><div align="justify"><br />A technical note: We had difficulties splicing the two sides of the Toccata together. The problem is that Widor makes a ritardando towards the end of the first side and stops by making some sort of arpeggio. Again great thanks to Michael Gartz for providing the original 78rpms in great condition and to Claus Byrith for cleaning and cutting the recordings afterwards. Like the Louis Vierne-recordings I can present the best transfer available.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-19/IHORC-19.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-19/IHORC-19.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-19/IHORC-19%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-19/IHORC-19_-_Charles-Marie_Widor_-_the_complete_recordings.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-19/IHORC-19_-_Charles-Marie_Widor_-_the_complete_recordings.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-67355725668779323742010-06-12T12:47:00.006+02:002010-06-12T23:07:20.498+02:00Louis Vierne - The complete recordings<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvNC7_kOVuoo5sVjFdB6VDKM6Mu8i_yOzHPMjd6PXLR4HaAWtwu5CnteY81vkH5LzbeG4MswssmB_Yn9Z50xhdK7aEo_YTvZSyQHhL2SZhGSoPWl_8BM-EdqGZG9mE9U5jw2bohGFXOc/s1600/vierne_orgel_nd.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 234px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481837665368773346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvNC7_kOVuoo5sVjFdB6VDKM6Mu8i_yOzHPMjd6PXLR4HaAWtwu5CnteY81vkH5LzbeG4MswssmB_Yn9Z50xhdK7aEo_YTvZSyQHhL2SZhGSoPWl_8BM-EdqGZG9mE9U5jw2bohGFXOc/s320/vierne_orgel_nd.jpg" /></a></div><p align="justify">Louis Vierne (1870-1937), the famous organist of Notre Dame de Paris, hardly needs any introduction. As a student of César Franck and Charles-Marie Widor he quickly rose to fame and became assistant to Widor at Saint Sulpice in 1892. From 1900 until his death in 1937 he was titulaire at Notre Dame de Paris. Louis Vierne’s importance as an organist and composer cannot be underlined enough. His musical legacy is immense – just think of how many of his works are in the core of the standard repertoire of every organist.<br /><br />So it’s with great pleasure, that I’m now able to present one of the most legendary cycle of organ recordings. These recordings were made in November 1928 and allow us to listen to the almost intact Cavaillé-Coll organ from 1868. As far as I can read, the only modifications made until 1928 was done by Louis Vierne in 1902.<br />The recorded repertoire is typical for the period. There is a collection of smaller pieces by J. S. Bach, a single piece by Vierne himself and three improvisations, which Duruflé transcribed along the Tournemire improvisations in 1956. Based on other recording organists of the period, I think that Louis Vierne and his recording company, French Odéon, were thinking of making commercially interesting recordings instead of preserving the legacy of Louis Vierne as it is the case with the recordings of Charles-Marie Widor.<br />Louis Vierne was 58 years old at that time and they were perhaps thinking that there was still time for another recording session? We can of course only speculate, but it is noteworthy that he did not record any of this larger works such as movements from his symphonies.<br /><br />The excellent transfers here were provided most generously by Michael Gartz and carefully restored and spliced together by Claus Byrith, and they are in my opinion the best transfers available. Michael Gartz’s original 78rpm’s are of mint condition and as written in the track list three (extremely rare) American pressing were used for six of the sides. Taking in account that these are some of the first organ recordings made in Europe, the sound in this transfer is remarkable clear and detailed.<br /><br />So I would like to send a big thank to Michael Gartz and Claus Byrith for making these important recordings available in a second to none quality.</p><p align="justify"><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-18/IHORC-18.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-18/IHORC-18.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-18/IHORC-18%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-18/IHORC-18_-_Louis_Vierne_-_The_complete_recordings.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-18/IHORC-18_-_Louis_Vierne_-_The_complete_recordings.rar</a> </p>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-49346153867800199692010-04-11T10:45:00.002+02:002010-04-11T10:53:27.329+02:00Helmut Walcha playing works by Johann Sebastian Bach part 3<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-aAXhhTb0fweIQquE3R0Bc2A-YnQslozuwHvas1xhN_DI6AZI6nwZkM5KAWjzgt4rg73cYZoKq-JXdZukyKEPDrncS0LiBklz5LUF8gWrVWKI6fpS6W4UoTfxOd-FNexSfw9gg-s7ec/s1600/Walcha-alkmaar-s.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458798881927057122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-aAXhhTb0fweIQquE3R0Bc2A-YnQslozuwHvas1xhN_DI6AZI6nwZkM5KAWjzgt4rg73cYZoKq-JXdZukyKEPDrncS0LiBklz5LUF8gWrVWKI6fpS6W4UoTfxOd-FNexSfw9gg-s7ec/s320/Walcha-alkmaar-s.jpg" /></a><br />We continue with the third part with Helmut Walcha playing J. S. Bach from Sct. Jacobi Kirche, Lübeck and Cappel. Again, like IHORC-16, it’s from his first cycle of the complete J. S. Bach from 1947-52. </div><div align="justify"><br />The Toccata, Adagio and fugue in C major, BWV564 and Toccata and fugue in d minor are recorded in Sct. Jacobi, BWV565 while the Fantasia and fugue in g minor, BWV542 and the Pastorale, BWV590 are from Cappel. </div><div align="justify"><br />The real gem in this release is the Pastorale, where he shapes the pieces with much grace, and we really get to hear the beautiful flute stops of the organ. A bit unlike other his interpretations he fires up the drama in the BWV565. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Thanks again to Claus Byrith for this release. The picture is Helmut Walcha playing the organ in Alkmaar.</div><div align="justify"><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-17/IHORC-17.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-17/IHORC-17.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-17/IHORC-17%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-17/IHORC-17_-_Helmut_Walcha_3.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-17/IHORC-17_-_Helmut_Walcha_3.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-53683153097763072652010-02-19T16:32:00.010+01:002010-02-19T16:57:53.454+01:00Helmut Walcha playing works by J. S. Bach part 2<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTX9IuT1ZhpKtcjdQdlyBrDPTrb-SD8dWKOAqD-IN4E-KsV0Sexu5lJ_Ikfy1EWYS5llS2ggT_aTpK2TC-jmq1LySKHACQ3XSSIRW004Si74ttSHmPJIHEf65roxDbEqdO1zd4rZZtwc/s1600-h/walcha.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439979043639127570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTX9IuT1ZhpKtcjdQdlyBrDPTrb-SD8dWKOAqD-IN4E-KsV0Sexu5lJ_Ikfy1EWYS5llS2ggT_aTpK2TC-jmq1LySKHACQ3XSSIRW004Si74ttSHmPJIHEf65roxDbEqdO1zd4rZZtwc/s320/walcha.jpg" /></a> This is the second release with Helmut Walcha. This time it's from his first cycle of the complete J. S. Bach recordings from 1947-1952. The “Sei gegrüsset” and the “Schübler chorales” are recorded at the Stellwagen organ Sct. Jacobi in Lübeck in 1947 and the Preludes and Fugues from 1952 at one of the most important Schnitger organs situated in Cappel. This release is also interesting due the historic importans of two instruments used.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 138px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439978441263972530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BrELOpwZ1N8FyVvYz1kzxk5DMjErvbtFNiKPl2bXl1Zt5Vt7i32pWFny_6gwl5w64ad83k4TDruR2FBKYgnASc7i0HfsM60av3puLYADhqqNHX4oMOE9wS2Rki-04t0TlUPKMKvDhII/s320/scappel.jpg" />This link provides a good insight on the organ of Cappel, and the author of this blog even quotes some text from the original Walcha release.<br /><a href="http://mypipeorganhobby.blogspot.com/2009/10/cappel-st-peter-und-paul-1680-schnitger.html">http://mypipeorganhobby.blogspot.com/2009/10/cappel-st-peter-und-paul-1680-schnitger.html</a><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 138px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439978564222846802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawJYR2C438WyMo6wvtnaf2jgPv7Y0FyH-FfMeGfbZjR_MJ7R1JTCRGcaqvOffkkPLn2aaFaIqhknlNdDrfoPMqqqoQ0t-sXaq3LRveIipsoZJPbrt5FZEGCTWUTQw19hbgRZRcDA4Qn0/s320/311393453_7869a2ff77.jpg" /> I’ve found som info about the Stellwagen organ in Sct. Jacobi Kirche, Lübeck:<br /><div align="justify"><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Die kleine Orgel (Stellwagenorgel, Nordorgel) ist deshalb kulturgeschichtlich von allergrößtem Wert. Das gotische Blockwerk von 1467 baute Friedrich Stellwagen 1636/37 zum Hauptwerk mit Schleif-Windladen um und fügte Rückpositiv, Brustwerk und ein schwach besetztes Pedal hinzu. Die Windladen und fast alle Pfeifen der Manualwerke sind noch original vorhanden. Das Pedal wurde seit 1935 -Jakobi-Organist war damals Hugo Distler - weiter ausgebaut. Seit der letzten Restaurierung (Hillebrand 1977/78) hat die Orgel 31 Register auf 3 Manualen und Pedal und steht wieder im alten Chorton (Ganzton höher als heutiger Kammerton). Die Einstimmung erfolgte nach "Werckmeister, 1. Temperatur."(1681)<br />Alle Pfeifen sind aus hochprozentigem Blei, Ergänzungen und Neuanfertigungen entsprechen in Legierung und Mensur genau dem historischen Bestand.<br />Die Manuale haben die sogenannte "kurze Oktave": C, D, E, F, G, A bis c''', während das Pedal alle Töne enthält von C bis d'.<br />Die Stellwagenorgel ist besonders geeignet für Musik der Renaissance, des frühen Barock und der Buxtehude-Zeit. Doch auch viel danach Entstandenes, bis hin zu Werken des 20. Jahrhunderts, gewinnt ganz besondere Frische durch die herrliche, unverwechselbare Farbigkeit dieses Instruments.<br />(</span></em><a href="http://www.st-jakobi-luebeck.de/dieorgeln.html"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.st-jakobi-luebeck.de/dieorgeln.html</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">)</span> </em></div><br />Again we can hear Walchas very fine sense of musical lines and his much nuanced way of phrasing. I would especially like to recommend his “Sei gegrüsset” which is very “unhurried” but still balanced compared to modern interpretations and his Schübler chorales are beautifully shaped. Walchas style and temperament was not explosive and some of the more energetic preludes and fugues (e.g. the G major) are in his hand a little bit slow and passive.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-16/IHORC-16.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-16/IHORC-16.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-16/IHORC-16%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-16/IHORC-16_-_Helmut_Walcha_2.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-16/IHORC-16_-_Helmut_Walcha_2.rar</a><br /></div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-18913573126807994892010-01-14T19:13:00.004+01:002010-01-14T19:51:59.565+01:00Helmut Walcha playing organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach<div align="center">Helmuth Walcha (1907-1991)</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426668899212086530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfATX_Ekstr2knmPVTDLXXxNaSjZglopPzWoz8O3jQFUwEVqJGcVjKIkS1vhPYSHyU1e24DDAaxukPa6A96UYJCMMepkifbIqqb4LROgQfJ7NndNwIrek9vzSs9-gLAXEE32u5j5TUAw/s320/Walcha-Helmut-02.jpg" /> <p align="justify">It’s now time for a release with the famous German organist Helmut Walcha. This is the first of initially 4 releases with Walcha playing J. S. Bach. He recorded the complete works by J. S. Bach twice, from 1947-1950 in mono on the Schnitger organ in Cappel and in St. Jakobi in Lübeck and 1956-1971 on the famous organ in Alkmaar. This release is from the Alkmaar serie and is therefore in stereo. A quite interesting thing is to compare it with the IHORC14 release, where Fernando Germani plays the exact same organ about two years later.<br /><br />The next part is from Wikipedia:<br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Helmut Walcha (October 27, 1907 in Leipzig, Germany – August 11, 1991 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany) was a blind German organist who specialized in the works of the Dutch and German baroque masters and is known for his recordings of the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach. And whom, despite being blinded at 19 by smallpox, is considered one of the great teachers and performers of the organ during the 20th century.<br /><br />Born in Leipzig, Walcha was blinded at age 19 after vaccination for smallpox. Despite his disability, he entered the Leipzig Conservatory and became an assistant at the Thomaskirche to Günther Ramin, who was professor of organ at the conservatory and cantor at St. Thomas'. In 1929, Walcha accepted a position in Frankfurt am Main at the Friedenskirche and remained in Frankfurt for the rest of his life. From 1933 to 1938 he taught at the Hoch Conservatory. In 1938 he was appointed professor of organ at the Musikhochschule in Frankfurt and organist of the Dreikönigskirche in 1946. He retired from public performance in 1981.<br /><br />Walcha recorded Bach's complete works twice, once in mono (1947-52), and again in stereo from 1956-71. This latter stereo cycle (released 10/09/2001), has been remastered, and repackaged in an economical collector's edition 12-CD box. This edition also contains the recording of his own conclusion of the last fugue of The Art of Fugue - previously unreleased.<br /><br />Walcha also composed for the organ. He published four volumes of original chorale preludes (published by C. F. Peters and recorded in part by, for example, Renate Meierjürgen) as well as arrangements for organ of orchestral works written by others.<br /><br />He lectured on organ music and composition (illustrated by his own playing) at the Hoch Conservatory and the Frankfurt Musikhochschule. One other contribution to music scholarship is his attempted completion of the final (unfinished) fugue of The Art of Fugue.<br /></span></em><br />Compared to our modern style, he tends towards slow tempi and a modern listener might find his playing a bit boring, but I think Helmut Walchas organ playing is always profoundly musical and his melodic lines are very beautifully shaped – like all the other organists and musicians who had their performance style founded in the romantic period. You can find the layout of the Alkmaar organ in the IHORC-14 release. One interesting anecdote is that, due to his blindness, he learned organ pieces by having the right hand, left hand and pedal part played separately twice while listnening and then he was able to play it all together!<br /><br />I would like to send thanks again to Claus Byrith for providing and transferring the original 1956 LP. </p><p align="justify"><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-15/IHORC-15.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-15/IHORC-15.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-15/IHORC-15%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-15/IHORC-15_-_Helmut_Walcha_1.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-15/IHORC-15_-_Helmut_Walcha_1.rar</a> </p>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-86758827541604071312009-10-02T15:28:00.004+02:002009-10-02T17:05:21.406+02:00Fernando Germani playing organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach from Alkmaar<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMk8417F4YFYVnCJDn9n8AzbWonLsmAA174wCn_YuDRLVMCwaoJG1YVDBOkpHBv_ubKnZ9ykDazc5Dk5E-GNbG-ntDGw52QGJr_28_ipdylJAZPy6XFKH0Vu6X997pkgt6bt7r_jHvOM/s1600-h/Alkmaar_organ.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 247px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388005707453694178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMk8417F4YFYVnCJDn9n8AzbWonLsmAA174wCn_YuDRLVMCwaoJG1YVDBOkpHBv_ubKnZ9ykDazc5Dk5E-GNbG-ntDGw52QGJr_28_ipdylJAZPy6XFKH0Vu6X997pkgt6bt7r_jHvOM/s320/Alkmaar_organ.jpg" /></a>Even though I try to present a variety of different organists, the field of historical organ recordings often has its own life, where recordings surface and disappear. Fernando Germani recorded a great deal of music, and his recordings were released in quite big numbers and were well distributed worldwide due to his “big name” in the recording industry. In retrospect it’s therefore quite easy to aquire his recordings. That is why I am able to present the fourth release with him. This time it’s one of the LPs from his legendary recordings at the fabulous Schnitger organ in Alkmaar, Holland.<br /><br />Fernando Germanis organ playing is always great to listen to, but I would especially recommend his version of the Passacaglia, which in my opinion is one of the best ever to be put on record. It has the rythmical intensity and big lines typical for Germani coupled with a really fine sense for registrations.<br /><br />Some technical details; I could not find the exact release date and year for this recording, and I know it is around 1959, where the public domain area ends, so if anyone has a legal problem with this release, please let me know at once and I’ll remove it immediately! Since this organ is of great historical significance, I’ve included excerpts from the backside of the LP cover with the disposition and some background history in German.<br /><br />Again a big thanks to Claus Byrith for providing this recording.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-14/IHORC-14.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-14/IHORC-14.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-14/IHORC-14%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-14/Disposition%20of%20the%20Alkmaar%20organ.pdf">Disposition of the organ</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-14/IHORC-14_-_Germani_-_Alkmaar.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-14/IHORC-14_-_Germani_-_Alkmaar.rar</a></div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-34293401558177840602009-09-10T22:50:00.007+02:002009-09-11T09:24:33.406+02:00Anton Nowakowski playing organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTF-BLan-ExJks54BwVWkQM3KH9_RzIs7nEEdppblUeo15CSN1AkR3Cr1fhRLYLN_0u-dGAdrorLUMmQz9Isf1w7dmU9-KbbFtnnbr49fDp2sb2WuTYGPuAPOkETcjEMpwj4p7zbSNZ0/s1600-h/scan0002.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 229px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379945820484545618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTF-BLan-ExJks54BwVWkQM3KH9_RzIs7nEEdppblUeo15CSN1AkR3Cr1fhRLYLN_0u-dGAdrorLUMmQz9Isf1w7dmU9-KbbFtnnbr49fDp2sb2WuTYGPuAPOkETcjEMpwj4p7zbSNZ0/s320/scan0002.jpg" /></a>Anton Nowakowski (1897-1968), the master pupil of Straube and Fritz Heitman (who were friends of Max Reger) is one of the outstanding German organists. Born in Danzig in 1897, he became famous both as a teacher at the German Academy of Music in Prague and the Essen Folkwang school and as an organ soloist. In addition, thanks to the encouragement from Wilhelm Furtwängler, he achieved considerable fame in Danzig and Berlin as an opera conductor. Anton Nowakowski died in 1968.<br /><br />These recordings were released on several LP’s over a span of some years. I’ve located some rather different reviews of these recordings, and chosen the earliest review from The Gramophone, July 1955:<br /><br /><em>“Nowakowski is a new name to me; and I do not recall having heard the Danish instrument on which he plays so skillfully. It has brightness and clarity, with a remarkably well-balanced ensemble and a fascinating array of colour. The mixtures are especially satisfactory, and add top to the tuttis without overpowering them, which rarely happens in not-so-well-voiced instruments.<br /><br />The E minor Prelude and Fugue is given a flowing though never flabby performance.<br />Nowakowski’s rhythm is well-nigh impeccable, and this great quality stands him in good stead with the Fantasia in G and the Passacaglia and Fugue. The bell-like sounds in the opening of the former work heighten the contrasts when the full organ is used for the solemn and splendid peporation; and the Passacaglia and Fugue has a drive and power that remind me of Geraint Jones’s performance on the organ at Steinkirchen, and only available now on 78’s. As a first LP recording, this one by Nowakowski should long stand unrivalled. D. S.”</em></div><div align="justify">(from The Gramophone, July 1955)<br /><br />Even though he was a succesful and much sought after teacher and many organists of the next generation had studied with him, it was difficult finding anything about him. Anders Riber told me that his predecessor at Aarhus Cathedral Georg Fjelrad (1901-1979 - a comtemporary of Nowakowski) had met Nowakowski and Fjeldrad described him as friendly and obliging.<br /><br />Again it’s very clear that even though his taste and style were rooted in the “Orgelbewegung”, hence the choice of instrument for this recording and not least the registration, his concept of the music and organ playing is bold and deeply romantic.<br /><br />I would again like to send thanks to Anders Riber for providing this recording.<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-13/IHORC-13.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-13/IHORC-13.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-13/IHORC-13%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-13/IHORC-13_-_Anton_Nowakowski.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-13/IHORC-13_-_Anton_Nowakowski.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-80770060536427764212009-08-26T08:56:00.007+02:002009-08-26T09:09:41.541+02:00Fritz Heitmann playing excerpts from J. S. Bach “Kunst der Fuge”<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wMpuYpy0eHINajtDCZ5BLfzqvZ60ZdAZjnWGB3ct4CFljteM8kr5iG456Uiu6jgIdlAkHeeJi6rK0aDb3FVk1PqgSDR-ma3x5Xf0ZKauE4-yLwOipRzjbTVm9vb2_UqtYDm9Ca-WQBo/s1600-h/scan0001.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 230px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374162978199369922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wMpuYpy0eHINajtDCZ5BLfzqvZ60ZdAZjnWGB3ct4CFljteM8kr5iG456Uiu6jgIdlAkHeeJi6rK0aDb3FVk1PqgSDR-ma3x5Xf0ZKauE4-yLwOipRzjbTVm9vb2_UqtYDm9Ca-WQBo/s320/scan0001.jpg" /></a> This is the second, but hopefully not the last, release with Fritz Heitmann. On May 19th in 1950 Fritz Heitmann recorded parts of J. S. Bach’s Kunst der Fuge in the Gruft-Kapelle in the Berliner Dom. This recording was afterwards released on an LP on the German Telefunken label.<br /><br />Again we are faced with a impressive display of organ playing. This recording was made in just one day, and that required quite an amount of work and technical precision in a time when cutting and splicing was still very limited.<br /><br />The cathedral was heavily damaged in 1944, and among other things the entire dome was destroyed. A temporary roof was set up in 1953 and until then the cathedral was unusable. Church services and other activities were held in the crypt under the cathedral. Historically speaking this recording must have been very emotional. It was recorded in 1950, so it was made when the cathedral was still in a terrible condition with much damage due to weather and vandalism.<br />I’m not sure, but as I read it on the Berliner Dom website, it looks like the organ used in the recording was an Alexander Schuke organ built in 1946 just after the war, but please help me with details.<br /><br />I would like to thank former cathedral organist in Aarhus (DK), Anders Riber who has made this transfer from the original LP from his own huge collection. I’m sure this is not the last transfer coming from him. Also thanks to Anders Riber for tracking down a picture of Mr. Heitmann. </div><div align="justify"><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-12/IHORC-12.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-12/IHORC-12.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-12/IHORC-12%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-12/IHORC-12_-_Fritz_Heitmann_-_Kunst_der_Fuge.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-12/IHORC-12_-_Fritz_Heitmann_-_Kunst_der_Fuge.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-83430059901783013242009-08-11T10:39:00.003+02:002009-08-11T17:21:23.771+02:00Fernando Germani from Westminster Cathedral and All Souls Church, London<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3a5gWzxOPlUWxAtKIcjAsVfPrXQj4vYnBy5usUAIFHKfpxyY3hn5NjhzlS-ny4r91gKLU9XD09izIgI6BxlRigC1XtCZ6ADg3qWSpUdhb3ugN2lQOF4XtH1mAhBf8B87PgH1BC7kbqE/s1600-h/pag_germani01.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 257px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368623397799754386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3a5gWzxOPlUWxAtKIcjAsVfPrXQj4vYnBy5usUAIFHKfpxyY3hn5NjhzlS-ny4r91gKLU9XD09izIgI6BxlRigC1XtCZ6ADg3qWSpUdhb3ugN2lQOF4XtH1mAhBf8B87PgH1BC7kbqE/s320/pag_germani01.jpg" /></a><br />This is the third release with Fernando Germani. Now it’s time for the famous recordings from Westminster Cathedral done during the period from 1947-53. Thanks to Claus Byrith I’ve been able to access the catalogue of the HMV Plum Label “C” Series where all Germani's recordings were released. This catalogue gives us among many things the exact dates and places of the recordings. These informations showed an interesting thing; the Dorian Toccata was not recorded in Westminster, as I first thought, but in All Soul's Church on Langham Place in London. This church and the organ were damaged in 1940 during the war, and the organ was dismantled. It was then rebuilt in 1951. Acccording to the HMV catalogue Fernando Germani recorded the Dorian Toccata (from this release) and the Mozart F-minor Fantasia on the newly installed organ in 1952.<br /><br />Furthermore the catalogue shows that Germani also recorded the C minor Passacaglia of Bach, the Nöel X by Daquin and “Tu es Petrus” by Henri Mulet. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find these recordings, so if anyone has them or can get access to them and send a copy to me, it would be greatly appreciated.<br /><br />A technical note: Since these recordings were obviously never intended to be spliced together digitally, Claus Byrith and I faced a rather odd but common problem when working with 78rpms. Germani tends to make ritardandos toward the end of each side of a 78rpms side, even though the cuts sometimes had to be made in some quite “unmusical” places in the piece due to the limitations of 4’30 minutes per side. Another even greater problem is that to properly end a side and begin the next side Germani sometimes holds the last chord much too long at the end and on the next side continues from the chord on the next side. This habit made perfect sense when playing the 78rpms, where there had to be a gap in the music anyway because the grammophone had to turn the sides. But when trying to digitally construct a continuously running piece it creates some problems concerning where to cut and paste.<br /><br />We again encountered some pitch problems, this time in the Bach e-minor and Dorian toccata.<br /><br />One again, thanks to Michael Gartz for providing the transfers and to Claus Byrith for the audio restoration work. The picture is from <a href="http://www.buccoliniorgani.it/fernando_germani.php">http://www.buccoliniorgani.it/fernando_germani.php</a><br /><br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-11/IHORC-11.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-11/IHORC-11.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-11/IHORC-11%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-11/IHORC-11_-_Fernando_Germani_part_3.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-11/IHORC-11_-_Fernando_Germani_part_3.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-25191368771562438722009-07-14T13:30:00.007+02:002009-07-14T13:38:33.950+02:00Fritz Heitmann playing excerpts from J. S. Bach “Clavierübung Dritter Teil”<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2U0YUCFLcrm0qrxhZ7lsHintb6S33tHtGFZQyM_QI3M-oHt82l7gRTarSzMI1mEeFcGnHFwpz6YliX34lBR_khqeAtcgAzzS7HLjHxkkrvEe8lLcTEHPD3W2N_Klh1_0fk_kJT_10UJ0/s1600-h/sberlineo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358276903045681682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 184px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2U0YUCFLcrm0qrxhZ7lsHintb6S33tHtGFZQyM_QI3M-oHt82l7gRTarSzMI1mEeFcGnHFwpz6YliX34lBR_khqeAtcgAzzS7HLjHxkkrvEe8lLcTEHPD3W2N_Klh1_0fk_kJT_10UJ0/s200/sberlineo.jpg" border="0" /></a>Here is another great release from The European Archive (<a href="http://europarchive.org/">http://europarchive.org/</a>).<br /><br />This time it’s Fritz Heitmann playing excerpts from J. S. Bach “Dritter Teil” at the Arp-Schnitger organ in Eosander Chapel at Charlottenburg Castle in Berlin. One very interesting thing is that this organ was destroyed during the Second World War in 1944, so this is the only sound document of this organ.<br />I’ve searched for some information on Heitmann and found a little on the German Wiki:<br /><br />Fritz Heitmann (1891-1953) war ein deutscher Organist.<br /><br />Erste Ausbildung bei seinem Vater, der ebenfalls Organist war. Dann besuchte Heitmann das Hamburger Konservatorium für Musik und von 1909 - 1911 war er am Leipziger Konservatorium Schüler von Karl Straube, Max Reger und Josef Pembaur. Als Organist von 1912 bis 1914 am Dom in Schleswig tätig, dann von 1918 bis 1932 an der Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche und seit 1919 zugleich an der Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, schließlich von 1932 bis zu seinem Tode Domorganist am Berliner Dom.<br /><br />Zahlreiche Konzertreisen führten ihn durch Europa und die USA.<br /><br />Ab 1923 war er Orgelprofessor an der Berliner Akademie für Schul- und Kirchenmusik, später lehrte er auch am Stern'schen Konservatorium bzw. der Hochschule für Musik. Seit diesem Jahr leitete er auch die von ihm gegründete Berliner Motettenvereinigung.<br /><br />Heitmann galt als bedeutender Bach-Interpret. 1938 nahm er für die Telefunkenplatte an der Arp-Schnitger-Orgel des Schlosses Charlottenburg die Deutsche Orgelmesse auf, 1950 spielte er für das gleiche Label eine der ersten Aufnahmen von Bachs Kunst der Fuge ein.<br /><br />Wie die Charlottenburger Schnitger-Orgel wurde auch die Sauer-Orgel der Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche 1943 bei Bombenangriffen zerstört. Es gibt aber zehn Aufnahmen auf Schellackplatten von 1929 und 1930, auf denen der Klang dieser Orgel, gespielt von Fritz Heitmann, festgehalten wurde.<br />(From Wiki)<br /><br />As mentioned in the German text, the “Dritter Teil” was recorded in 1938 – more precisely on September 1st – quite a task recording 46 mins of 78rpms in one day! The origin of this release is from a LP released in 1954. The sound is unclear, dark and distant. It might be due to the transfer from the 78rpms to the LP done back in 1954 or the condition of the LP used for the digital transfer.<br />I’ve found a another transfer of the “Duetto” done probably from the original 78rpms, which is much more clear and precise. I’ve located the original 78rpms in the Danish State Library, and will try to see what condition these are in and maybe have them transferred to replace these.<br />Here you can find some interesting photos, information and the transfer of “Duetto”:<br /><a href="http://www.arpschnitger.nl/sberlineo.html">http://www.arpschnitger.nl/sberlineo.html</a><br /><br />I could’t find any picture of Fritz Heitmann, so I used a picture of the façade of the organ in the chapel taken from the website above.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" width="400" height="170" id="xspf_player" align="middle"><br /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-10/IHORC-10.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true" /><br /><param name="quality" value="high" /><br /><param name="bgcolor" value="#e6e6e6" /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-10/IHORC-10%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-10/IHORC-10_-_Fritz_Heitmann_-_Dritter_Teil.rar">www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-10/IHORC-10_-_Fritz_Heitmann_-_Dritter_Teil.rar"></a>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-56251787920852305172009-07-14T13:23:00.008+02:002009-09-10T23:07:46.143+02:00Edouard Mignan, Marcel Dupré and Jeanne Demessieux<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhas0ild85bYkGa6pNlRTiyaZ1hA2jb0-l-EvcMNmDQ4MnhCUzbyX1rAsVNOhsn60FI7TushGfD1VjM6ObniIrpfj9ocElyYwCmhUH7-8630oSXgtcQkeLViDeP_Elv9zgZt8WcarSR1ss/s1600-h/StJohn.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 145px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358276382722473218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhas0ild85bYkGa6pNlRTiyaZ1hA2jb0-l-EvcMNmDQ4MnhCUzbyX1rAsVNOhsn60FI7TushGfD1VjM6ObniIrpfj9ocElyYwCmhUH7-8630oSXgtcQkeLViDeP_Elv9zgZt8WcarSR1ss/s200/StJohn.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzPMbxBT_zSkXT-vOwtDNqxxCatgclog1nn8HKK7Ng-fU2gFPtKqT-wALUVAwvH-Tpf8nFjoLVP7p2mgRGfv47tDqzj2S8uNKTAIFRH44bewGAEU6d37UvlkiFo1t4w3TvjuvQh79u_c/s1600-h/DupreMeudon.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 152px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358276335175183762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzPMbxBT_zSkXT-vOwtDNqxxCatgclog1nn8HKK7Ng-fU2gFPtKqT-wALUVAwvH-Tpf8nFjoLVP7p2mgRGfv47tDqzj2S8uNKTAIFRH44bewGAEU6d37UvlkiFo1t4w3TvjuvQh79u_c/s200/DupreMeudon.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">Now it’s time for the next release with the recordings of Marcel Dupré and Jeanne Demessieux in Saint Mark’s Church, London. However, first we start with a recording with Edouard Mignan playing the first movement of Mendelssohns 6th sonata.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358963687110163762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Jyc0wkTa0dbr8M6umMkh1YXKfONepPcH_3zT1kO7hrYQNbuAInK0We1327vgIM4LbNdyIzjsKd7mY-QwnItu2hsbs-xw3QuStFa7I9tyh735ncneVKSMNvCTrlzKxR76dYFUf8nrozs/s200/Edouard+Mignan.jpg" /> <p align="justify">Edouard Mignan (1884-1969) was a French organist and composer. He was born in Orléans and 14 years old he became the organist of église Saint Paterne. He studied organ in Paris with Alexandre Guilmant and Louis Vierne and won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1912. He was organist at Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin from 1917 to 1935. He succeeded Henri Dallier as organist of la Madeleine in 1935 and held that post until 1962.<br />(From Wiki)<br /><br />Edouard Mignan was succeded by Jeanne Demessieux in La Madeleine.<br />The technical quality of this recording is very poor and everything sounds very chaotic and distant. Also there were some difficulties transferring the second 78rpm side, so there is a big pitch problem there. I’ll try to get it fixed.<br /><br />I know I’ve published the exact same recording of the Toccata and fugue in d with Jeanne Demessieux, but I think this transfer is a little bit better in quality, maybe due to the condition of the original 78rpm.<br /><br />This release concludes with the two remaining Chorales by Franck with Marcel Dupré at the keyboard - see the first release with Dupré for the a-minor Chorale.<br /><br />Once more a big thanks to Michael Gartz for the transfers and to Claus Byrith for the CEDAR and digital splicing.<br /><br />(UPDATE: Thanks to organist Anders Riber, who has kindly provided the picture of Edouard Mignan)<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-09/IHORC-09.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-09/IHORC-09.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-09/IHORC-09%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-09/IHORC-09_-_Mignan_-_Dupre_-_Demessiux.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-09/IHORC-09_-_Mignan_-_Dupre_-_Demessiux.rar</a> </p>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-15990048892899822942009-07-08T20:49:00.011+02:002009-07-16T10:00:05.616+02:00Fernando Germani from Saint Ignazio, Rome (part 2)<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3Y5xD_PcwuJnHxvXN8EB7odVYep72hSKIU_us3KL3BJ5LyBjMDqkr-pa2XXoTGoUWH8J4hBA42hwFuRuS8w3GQlz42WxjeRNl1wZJ5Xe6TqRT9lbd9fsukg5WRn3hvsWFGP3tPrt1Fg/s1600-h/germani.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 107px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356163460410412034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3Y5xD_PcwuJnHxvXN8EB7odVYep72hSKIU_us3KL3BJ5LyBjMDqkr-pa2XXoTGoUWH8J4hBA42hwFuRuS8w3GQlz42WxjeRNl1wZJ5Xe6TqRT9lbd9fsukg5WRn3hvsWFGP3tPrt1Fg/s320/germani.jpg" /></a> Now it’s time for the second release with Fernando Germani at the organ in Saint Ignazio in Rome. These recordings are interesting in many ways. First of all they again show Germani as one of the greatest organists. His beautifully formed musical lines coupled with a fine sense of touch and a great technical ability is a general thread in all his performances. I recommend listening to all of the recordings, but especially the Schumann, his own arrangement of the Frescobaldi Toccata, and Liszt's BACH are simply amazing.<br /><br />Concerning the arrangement of the Frescobaldi Toccata, the sheet music can be found at The Petrucci Library (<a href="http://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ImagefromIndex/10811">http://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ImagefromIndex/10811</a>).<br /><br />Collecting information about these old recordings is often very difficult, since the documentation on the records themselves are often very limited. Michael Gartz and I weren’t able to find the composer for the “In dulci jubilo” and I couldn't find any information on track 8 whatsoever. So if you have any information, please help me with these two recordings.<br /><br />Again great thanks to Michael Gartz for providing these recordings and to Claus Byrith for editing and cleaning. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">(UPDATE: Thanks to Kristian Krogsøe and "dan" for helping me with the missing composers)<br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" align="middle" height="170"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4497"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-08/IHORC-08.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-08/IHORC-08.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-08/IHORC-08%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-08/IHORC-08_-_Fernando_Germani_part_2.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-08/IHORC-08_-_Fernando_Germani_part_2.rar</a> </div>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-70548191234731337172009-07-07T15:58:00.008+02:002009-07-08T08:17:27.973+02:00André Marchal playing Johann Sebastian Bach in St. Eustache, Paris<div align="center"><strong>André Marchal (1894-1980)</strong><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUnz7pzdLzOvhcxG4T1dRgbnGd0wjiOGhpBDY_jADz_3_4-v06bAqkongQM7g8RrybOwj6H8lBOz6vU-O2MIX2CvH5GUlA_sYNjvJsqtGVvkbo5KUL93NPBl-HQJBMvqCKO_wiN5sCps/s1600-h/visagemains2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355718150937326946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 308px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUnz7pzdLzOvhcxG4T1dRgbnGd0wjiOGhpBDY_jADz_3_4-v06bAqkongQM7g8RrybOwj6H8lBOz6vU-O2MIX2CvH5GUlA_sYNjvJsqtGVvkbo5KUL93NPBl-HQJBMvqCKO_wiN5sCps/s320/visagemains2.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="justify"></a><br />With great thanks to The European Archive (<a href="http://europarchive.org/">http://europarchive.org</a>) I’ve got permission to use their collection of public domain organ recordings. I haven’t altered anything beside cutting the sound into tracks and renaming them.<br />The first item from EA is an LP released in France around 1945-1950 with André Marchal playing works by Johann Sebastian Bach in his church Saint Eustache in Paris.<br /><br />André Marchal (1894-1980) was a French organist and organ teacher. He was one of the great initiators of the organ revival in France.<br />Marchal was born blind. He studied the organ under Eugène Gigout at the Paris Conservatoire where in 1913 he won their premier prix. He also won the prix d' excellence for fugue and counterpoint in Caussade's class (his counterpoint teacher) in 1917.<br />He taught organ at Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris, and was titular organist of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés (1915-1945) and Saint-Eustache (1945-1963), his resignation in 1963 being brought about over a conflict over the correct organ builder to be hired to restore Saint-Eustache's instrument.<br />He was an unparalleled improviser and was even recognized as such by Fauré. Among his students were many brilliant musicians like Louis Thiry or Jean-Pierre Leguay, one of four titulaires des grands orgue of Notre-Dame de Paris.<br />(From Wikipedia)<br /><br />As mentioned in the Wiki-text Marchal was one of the key figures of the French “Orgelbewegung”. His ideas were partly shaped by his teacher Eugene Gigout, who had already begun to teach and point his students toward these new ideas, so along with fellow organists like Joseph Bonnet they were part of the generation of musicians who had a growing interest in the classical and baroque music and organ building. His advocacy of the neoclassical style was to shape the future generation(s) of organ playing.<br /><br />It’s quite interesting though, that his playing heavily relies on the romantic way of organ playing, with the legato style, long melodic lines and the use of register crecscendo and extensive use of the swell box. Recorded somewhere between 1945-1950, we are able to hear the old Ducroquet organ of Saint Eustache.<br /><br />The LP used for this transfer is, as far I can see, an American release of the French recording original done for the label Ducretet. Further information about André Marchal and the complete discography can be found here: <a href="http://www.andremarchal.com/">http://www.andremarchal.com</a> <br /><br /><object id="xspf_player" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=" height="170" width="400" align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="_cx" value="10583"><param name="_cy" value="4498"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-07/IHORC-07.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="Src" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-07/IHORC-07.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="E6E6E6"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-07/IHORC-07%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-07/IHORC07_-_Selected_Andre_Marchal.rar">http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-07/IHORC07_-_Selected_Andre_Marchal.rar</a></p>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5134089542072816791.post-78407690005038792612009-05-10T19:42:00.016+02:002009-07-07T10:16:06.554+02:00Selected recordings with Fernando Germani<div align="justify"><strong>Fernando Germani, 1906 – 1998.</strong></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334252989821096466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVPjzMOhRkAXeBg6ycpckvFFuYpW-9Wt01cgucQTV4Izv7M0r7fpUJSm1MF18xympbjoseO1Yzibjq1Qas8sKbwzEJV1Md0gjmpKK_mpviXAQ-K3PHOUDQEUZ1Hlh3D0D51u4Hqr0Xfo/s320/germani.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="justify">Fernando Germani was an Italian organist. He studied in Rome, and at age eight he started taking lessons in composition from Resphigi who headed Germani toward the organ. In 1921 he began a career as organist. He has taught in Siena and Rome and played widely in the USA. He gave Bach's complete organ works for the first time in Italy in 1945, repeating them several times, and was first organist at St Peter's, Rome, 1948-59. Spanning a career of almost seventy-five years, Germani also was a celebrated teacher in Italy. He died in 1998.<br />Here is a funny story; Pageant by Leo Sowerby was written in 1931, at the request of Germani. Germani had played Sowerby's Medieval Poem on his first concert in the United States, under the composer's baton. The Italian possessed a phenomenal pedal technique, and Sowerby's Pageant was very obviously intended as a direct challenge. In form it is a set of ingenious variations on a rather perfunctory theme, presented after a bravura introduction for pedals alone. Germani's response after receiving the score is legendary: "Now write for me something difficult!"<br /><br />There are some recordings of Germani from the 1960s and 70s when his technical command was more or less in decline, but these recordings which are about 20 to 30 years older show an organist in his prime. Along with Sittard’s Liszt recording, Germani’s recording is one of the earliest preserved interpretations of the organ music by Liszt.<br />One interesting thing is his version of the Prelude and Fugue Eb. Due to the time limitations in the 78rpm-era where the musicians had to record approximately 4:30 min on each side in one take with no possibilities of cutting, Germani chose to record the Prelude which in his version lasts 7:30 min on two sides, but as the fugue only lasts 6:15 one of the sides would be half empty, so he chose to put the “Ich ruf zu dir”-chorale in between the Prelude and Fugue - quite possibly as an “hommage” to the complete “Clavierübung III”.<br /><br />The first recordings were made in The Wanamaker Auditorium in New York (not the famous Wanamaker Store organ but still quite a powerful one). Here is a link with a little background: <a href="http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/WanamakerAud.html">http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/WanamakerAud.html</a><br /><br />The rest is recorded in Saint Ignazio i Rome. I can’t find anything on the organ in that church, but the church itself in known for housing the great Frescoes Andrea Pozzo in the nave ceiling<br />Take a look here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sant">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sant'Ignazio</a><br /><br />The recordings from New York was recorded for RCA-Victor but I’m not sure about the Italian recordings. They’ve might been recorded for some kind of Vatican label? If any of you know the anything about these recordings, please let me know. I also don’t know the recording dates, but my guess is, that the Victor recordings were made after 1931, after his first tour the USA, and the Italian recordings made after he was appointed organist in St. Peters in 1948.<br /><br />I will be posting some more recordings by Germani later this month, among them the recordings he made in Westminster in London.<br /><br />I’m planning on posting some articles about how music was recorded back in the 78rpm era, what problems the musicians and technicians faced and how they often solved the problems rather ingeniously.</p><p align="justify">Again great thanks to Michael Gartz for providing these recordings and to Claus Byrith for post transfer editing, cutting and CEDAR-prosessing. </p><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" width="400" height="170" id="xspf_player" align="middle"><br /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/xspf_player.swf?playlist_url=http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-06/IHORC-06.XSPF?xn_auth=no&autoload=true" /><br /><param name="quality" value="high" /><br /><param name="bgcolor" value="#e6e6e6" /><br /></object><br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-06/IHORC-06%20-%20Tracklist.pdf">Download detailed playlist</a><br /><br />Download link:<br /><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-06/IHORC-06_-_Selected_Fernando_Germani.rar">www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-06/IHORC-06_-_Selected_Fernando_Germani.rar</a><a href="http://www.ihorc.com/ihorc/IHORC-06/IHORC-06%20-%20Tracklist.pdf"></a>Lars Rosenlund Nørremarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703284199269602254noreply@blogger.com2