Dietrich BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707)
Toccata in F major, BuxWV156 [6:43]
Praeludium in A minor, BuxWV153 [5:32]
Ciacona in E minor, BuxWV160 [5:09]
Te Deum Laudamus, BuxWV218 [11:40]
Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BuxWV220 [2:46]
Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BuxWV221 [2:01]
Praeludium in G minor, BuxWV148 [6:22]
Toccata in D minor, BuxWV155 [6:48]
Nimm von uns, Herr, Du treuer Gott, BuxWV207 [8:02]
Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BuxWV196 [3:30]
Magnificat Primi Toni, BuxWV203 [7:29]
Masaaki Suzuki (organ)
rec. August 2008, St Nicolai Church, Altenbruch, and St Jacobi der Altere
Church, Lüdingworth, Germany.
BIS-SACD-1809 [68:48]
This recording is special for a number of reasons, but in particular as a
‘tale of two organs’. Situated in the neighbouring parishes of
Altenbruch and Lüdingworth the respective so-called ‘peasants’
cathedrals’ stand as symbols of the region’s past wealth and cultural
status. The history of both organs is outlined in the well presented booklet
notes, and it suffices to say that the style and sound of both instruments
would have been familiar to, and is known to have been admired by both of
the makers involved in their construction.
Pictured in the booklet, both instruments are ambitious of design and substantial
in size. The acoustics of both churches however reveal relatively intimate
spaces, and the engineers will not have been troubled by the detail in the
sound being swamped by over-lively reverberation. The first eight of the eleven
pieces on this disc were recorded on the Klapmeyer organ in the St. Nicolai
Church in Altenbruch, the final three on the Wilde-Schnitger organ in the
St Jacobi church in Lüdingworth. The Altenbruch instrument is a delicious
combination of colours which come over beautifully in this close sounding
recording. Such an instrument can take this kind of scrutiny in its stride,
and organ fans can revel in a superbly well balanced disposition of almost
entirely original 17th and early 18th century pipes. The same goes for the
Lüdingworth instrument, which has an elusively expressive quality to
go with its slightly less robust sound. The cover illustration is from a wood
carving which hangs in the St Jacobi church.
The programme here is an attractive mixture of Buxtehude’s organ work,
from the justly famous Ciacona in E minor to less frequently heard
chorale preludes and variations. There may be those among you who consider
Buxtehude to something of a dull and dry old stick, but this is one of those
discs which may cause you to revise this impression. I for one was surprised
and impressed by the inventiveness and sense of fun in the opening Toccata
in F major, which mixes passages of free and improvisatory music with
contrapuntal sections. Masaaki Suzuki has a great time with contrasts of registration
and plenty of bouncy rhythmic interest in the different voices. The St Nicolai
section of the disc concludes with a similarly wide ranging Toccata in
D minor, full of drama and fantastic licks. The central work of the programme
is the substantial Te Deum laudamus, which as with so many of the pieces
here, represents Buxtehude’s absolute mastery of the stylus phantasticus,
here set against the cantus firmus of the Te Deum verses, which
are also introduced in a remarkable variety of forms and build to a spectacular
climax.
I have heard the Ciacona on numerous occasions, so it helps as a reference
to hear how Suzuki approaches his performances. Not overly filled with legato
lines which is always a temptation, the melodic variations are given just
enough elasticity to give the music a sense of organic flow without making
it stick to the walls like cooked spaghetti. I suppose I might prefer just
a little more of a sense of legato in the actual chaconne bass and at certain
other points, but this is a subjective point and one based on old favourites
which are helped by the glue of longer reverberation. For the instrument and
environment recorded here, this is less of a ‘grand organ’ and
more a chamber music rendition, which is entirely appropriate.
The two back to back versions of Von Gott wil ich nicht lassen serve
as a lesson in how great Buxtehude’s range is in these kinds of chorale
preludes. The first version is a fairly simple arrangement, with the melody
in a vox humana tremulant treble, and some development in its nicely
slow moving harmonisation. The livelier second version turns everything upside
down, with the melody only really recognisable when introduced in the pedal,
and plenty of chromatic surprises thrown in for good measure.
Moving to the Wilde-Schnitger organ, the first thing one hears is the mildly
disconcerting knocking of the rotating Tremulant, which ceases 2:33 into Nim
voir uns, Herr, Du treuer Gott. The rather gargly register which follows
on makes one realise why the majority of these recordings were made on the
other instrument. This organ, restored in 1980-82, certainly has an individual
character, and this is explored further and to admittedly richer effect in
the cycle of chorale variations which complete the piece. Gorgeously throaty
pedal tones are brought out in Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ, and
the entire disc concludes with some more wild invention in the Magnificat
Primi Toni. The depth of sonority is less on this instrument, with some
flattening of the sound when everything is going on at once when compared
with the Altenbruch organ, apparently a side effect of the acoustic rather
than a quality in the recording. This is however still a fascinating close-up
listen to a remarkably authentic and unspoilt period organ, and the Magnificat
is a suitably rousing ‘song of praise to Mary’ with which to end
the programme.
This is a CD which delivers more than the rather ‘period specialist’
impression you might have from the authentic instruments and somewhat dry
looking programme. I like Suzuki’s touch in these pieces, and certainly
appreciate the effective work which has clearly gone into a sensitive and
musically satisfying registration, both within pieces and in the sense of
contrast over the duration of the recital. Bis’s recording is close
and detailed, but the instruments are in general notably free of mechanical
noise, and the respective acoustic environments in which these magnificent
instruments are housed are clearly reproduced, especially in SACD surround,
which as usual connects the listener to the space in a far greater physical
sense and provides a more accurate feel of the spread of the pipes and registers.
For Baroque organ buffs and Buxtehude fans I would say this is definitely
one for the short-shortlist.
Dominy Clements