Dietrich BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707)
The Complete Organ Music
Bine Bryndorf (organ)
rec. 2002-07
DACAPO 8.206005 [6 CDs: 391:08]
I daresay for some people six and a half hours of organ music will be a bit much. That said, Dietrich Buxtehude has come to be seen as one of the most important musical figures of the middle baroque in Germany, as well as one of the most important figures in the development of the famous German organ school. After all, J S Bach did famously walk over 200 miles just to meet and hear him play the organ.
This set comprises a series of single discs that are available separately and which were received with some critical acclaim on their original release. Listening to this set I can understand why. Whilst the name of Bine Bryndorf was fairly new to me, I had only come across her through listening to Volume 3 (8.226023), I do know this music fairly well. I have a few single discs as well as the wonderful, though incomplete, 5 CD set by René Saorgin (HMX 2901484.88) who sadly died recently on 16 December 2015. I always thought that Saorgin’s mastery of the music and his instrument would take some beating, but here in Bine Bryndorf, who has recently been appointed as Visiting Professor of Organ at the Royal Academy of Music in London, is an organist who not only matches the great man’s understanding of this fine music, but in many ways surpasses him; and not just because she offers a complete edition of Buxtehude’s organ music.
Bryndorf’s playing is excellent throughout. It has all the poise and finesse of Saorgin as well as that of Christopher Herrick (Hyperion) and Harold Vogel (MDG) whose playing of this music I also greatly admire. Bryndorf’s tempos are well measured and she effortlessly brings out every nuance of this music. Just listen to the Toccata in F Major, BuxWV 157 or Nun Lob, mein Seel, den Herren, BuxWV 212 with its bird sounds and you will hear what I mean. It is a shame however, that volumes 4-6 do not seem to be presented here as SACDs which was the case with their original release. However, the recorded sound is excellent and I would go as far as to say that they are some of the best recordings of Buxtehude’s organ music that I have heard.
Bryndorf has chosen her instruments well, including one from her home town of Helsingør, which is better known to Shakespeare fans as Elsinore. Each seems to offer the listener a sound-world well suited, and in some cases links, to the music and the composer. Full specifications of the organs used are included in the booklet, which also contains an excellent essay on Buxtehude as well as detailed notes on each disc by Kerala J. Snyder. This set has quickly become my preferred set. Yes there are recordings of specific works which I enjoy more by other organists, but if it is a set of the complete organ music that you are looking for then this is the one I would choose.
Stuart Sillitoe
Previous reviews (initial releases):
Volume 1 ~~
Volume 2 ~~
Volume 3
Track-List
CD 1 [65:36]
1 Praeludium in G minor, BuxWV 149 8:20
2 Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BuxWV 211 1:50
3 Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BuxWV 189 1:41
4 Puer natus in Bethlehem, BuxWV 217 1:26
5 Der Tag der ist so freudenreich, BuxWV 182 3:21
6 In dulci Jubilo, BuxWV 197 2:21
7 Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzu Gleich, BuxWV 202 1:12
8 Ciacona in C minor, BuxWV 159 6:17
9 Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV 161 6:02
10 Ciacona in E minor, BuxWV 160 5:21
11 Praeludium in G minor, BuxWV 148 6:33
12 Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand, BuxWV 198 1:56
13 Komm, Heilger Geist, Herre Gott, BuxWV 199 3:08
14 Nun bitten wir den Heilgen Geist, BuxWV 209 2:30
15 Nun bitten wir den Heilgen Geist, BuxWV 208 2:01
16 Komm, Heilger Geist, Herre Gott, BuxWV 200 2:49
17 Gott der Vater wohn uns bei, BuxWV 190 3:15
18 Praeludium in C, BuxWV 137 5:26
CD 2 [51:04]
1 Praeludium in E minor, BuxWV 152 3:58
2 Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BuxWV 178 3:22
3 Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BuxWV 180 3:19
4 Praeludium in A minor, BuxWV 153 6:09
5 Mensch, willt du leben seliglich, BuxWV 206 2:17
6 Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BuxWV 221 1:50
7 Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BuxWV 220 1:59
8 Praeludium in C major, BuxWV 136 5:32
9 Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit, BuxWV 222 2:54
10 Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BuxWV 224 1:26
11 Praeludium in A major, BuxWV 151 4:59
12 Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren, BuxWV 214 2:48
13 Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren, BuxWV 215 2:10
14 Praeludium in E minor, BuxWV 142 8:13
CD 3 [71:32]
1 Praeludium in C major, BuxWV 138 4:02
2 Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BuxWV 184 3:38
3 Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl, BuxWV 187 3:06
4 Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort, BuxWV 185 2:01
5 Praeludium in G minor, BuxWV 163 7:26
6 Toccata in G major, BuxWV 164 2:43
7 Praeambulum in A minor, BuxWV 158 4:45
8 Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, BuxWV 183 4:04
9 Herr Christ, der einig Gottes Sohn, BuxWV 191 2:55
10 Herr Christ, der einig Gottes Sohn, BuxWV 192 3:08
11 Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, BuxWV 186 3:01
12 Canzonetta in G major, BuxWV 172 2:06
13 Canzonetta in A minor, BuxWV 225 2:06
14 Canzona in G minor, BuxWV 173 1:39
15 Praeludium in G minor, BuxWV 150 6:55
16 Kommt her zu mir, spricht Gottes Sohn, BuxWV 201 3:12
17 Herr Jesu Christ, ich weiß gar wohl, BuxWV 193 3:26
18 Vater unser im Himmelreich, BuxWV 219 3:11
19 Toccata in F major, BuxWV 156 7:59
CD 4 [65:29]
1 Toccata in F major, BuxWV 157 4:55
2 Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, à 2 Clav., BuxWV 188 8:09
3 Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren, BuxWV 212 3:47
4 Praeludium in G major, BuxWV 147 3:47
5 Canzonetta in C major, BuxWV 167 1:12
6 Canzonetta in G major, BuxWV 171 2:08
7 Magnificat I. Toni, BuxWV 204 3:49
8 Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g’mein, à 2 Clav., BuxWV 210 12:21
9 Canzonetta in d minor, BuxWV 168 4:04
10 Praeludium in F major, BuxWV 144 3:19
11 Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BuxWV 196 3:14
12 Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BuxWV 223 7:19
13 Toccata in D minor, BuxWV 155 7:20
CD 5 [67:11]
1 Praeludium in D major, BuxWV 139 5:38
2 Danket dem Herrn, denn er ist sehr freundlich, BuxWV 181 3:20
3 Ich dank dir, lieber Herre, BuxWV 194 4:49
4 Magnificat noni toni, BuxWV 205 3:10
5 Magnificat primi toni, BuxWV 203 7:57
6 Praeludium in F sharp minor, BuxWV 146 8:02
7 Te Deum laudamus, BuxWV 218 13:59
8 Ach Gott und Herr, BuxWV 177 2:34
9 Ich dank dir schon durch deinen Sohn, BuxWV 195 5:06
10 Nun lob, mein Seel’, den Herren, BuxWV 213 6:19
11 Praeludium in D minor, BuxWV 140 6:12
CD 6 [70:16]
1 Praeludium in F major, BuxWV 145 7:05
2 Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott, BuxWV 207 8:06
3 Fuga in B major, BuxWV 176 4:23
4 Toccata in G major, BuxWV 165 5:46
5 Canzona in C major, BuxWV 166 4:48
6 Fuga in G major, BuxWV 175 3:35
7 Canzona in G major, BuxWV 170 3:42
8 Fuga in C major, BuxWV 174 3:03
9 Praeludium in E minor, BuxWV 143 5:53
10 Canzonetta in E minor, BuxWV 169 2:57
11 Praeludium in G major, BuxwV 162 5:59
12 Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin, BuxWV 76 8:08
13 Praeludium in E major, BuxWV 141 6:46
rec. St, Mary’s Church, Helsingør, Denmark: 4-5 June 2002 (CD1); 11-12 February 2003 (CD2); St Mary’s Church, Helsinborg, Sweden 17-18 November 2003 (CD3); The German Church of Stockholm, Sweden, 30-31 March 2005 (CD4); St. Jacobi Church, Hamburg, Germany, May 2006 (CD5); St. Jakobi Church, Lübeck, Germany, 20-21 May 2007 (CD6)
