JS Bach Masaaki Suzuki plays Bach Organ Works, Vol. 4 Masaaki Suzuki (organ) BIS BIS-2541 (CD/SACD) 67:58 mins
For his fourth volume of Bach’s organ music Masaaki Suzuki has chosen the 1737 Christoph Trautmann organ of the StiftsKirche St Georg in Grauhof. The focal point is a generous selection of chorale preludes from the Orgel-Büchlein, principally assembled at Weimar between 1708-17; the title came slightly later. Suzuki has divided the chorales into two groups, the first for Advent and the second for Christmas, New Year, Epiphany and Passiontide. Each group is prefaced by an organ Prelude and Fugue.
Suzuki begins with the impressive Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 which, as Christoph Wolff remarks in his accompanying note, demonstrates Bach’s restrained virtuosity and mastery of large forms. The piece furthermore allows Suzuki to display the splendour of his chosen instrument. The C minor Prelude and Fugue, BWV 549 predates the other, showing more strongly the influence of predecessors such as Buxtehude.
The organ chorales are wonderfully varied in technique and careful listening offers rewards, some hard won. The bold and youthfully exuberant harmonic progressions of BWV 620 are breathtaking. Word painting is subtle as is the diverse treatment of the hymn melodies themselves which are, of course, the starting point. Suzuki discovers a wealth of expressive nuance and the effectively recorded sound is a delight.
Nicholas Anderson