Best Toccata & Fugue in D Minor?

[Cornelis Spronk]

I have tried to find organ playing which is equal to that done by Helmut Walca on Duetche Grammephone in the 50's and 60's. The more I listen to him, the more I appreciate his playing style. It took a long time for me to determine what he does with his playing, and I came across a statement in the notes with a record set I found in a public library. Walca stated that he felt it was important to phrase and shape each line in the fuque as a singer shapes the phrases that are sung. The effect is subtle, but most convincing, and I have yet to hear another organist do it as well. In fact, it seems many organists are not mindful of this at all, and they come off sounding mechanical and the music has no meaning. Bach was a great writer of choral music, and it is quite possible that he believed that singing is the basis for all music. In addition to the magnificant playing, it is performed on what I believe is the best sounding organ--one built be Arp and Schitner. There are I believe are two Schitner organs in Holland, and two in northern Germany. These organs have an unusual lifelike quality to their sound, making others dull by comparison. The best organ company in the world at present Flemtrop, a Dutch builder, fanitical about sound. He starting out be studying the organs Snitner organs that he rebuilt, and now experiments with exotic material from which to manufacture the pipes. The policy is to get the better sound--whatever the cost. Whether these organs are now better that the older Schitner, I do not know. It might be possible that the Schitner organs today sound better that they did when they were new as the wood in the pipes age. I suspect that today's Stadivarias violins sound better that they did when they were first made.

[TubeHead Johnny]

Just 2 words.....Power Biggs! Good old 60's CBS recording too.

~~~Johnny~~~