Johann Oley was a new name to me. He was born
in Bernburg in Thuringia in 1738. In 1749 he had been a pupil
of Bach but in 1755 was named organist in his home town of Aschersleben
where he had at his disposal a better organ.
Four books of choral preludes were published
and the programme here is based upon these works. In all we
hear chorales, neatly played by Jan Van Mol on the organ of
Steinfeld Basilica. The organ dating from 1727 is the ideal
vehicle for this music and the tuning is exemplary. The booklet
is adequate with full organ specification and colour picture
of the instrument.
The only quibble I had was that occasionally
the pedals sounded behind the manuals, otherwise the performances
are delightful and for those who like to explore newly recorded
works, the CD is to be recommended.
Robert Vaughan