The Ohringen-based
record label Organum have recently produced
a number of fascinating and sometimes
innovative new releases. These well-presented
and expertly conceived discs provide
a worthy body of recordings. They must
be counted a German rival to the Paris-based
label Hortus as the outstanding producer
of organ CDs in Europe at present.
The recordings featured
here are of huge interest on so many
levels. They feature Heinz Wunderlich,
organist of the famous Arp Schnitger
organ in the St Jacobi, Hamburg between
1959 and 1982. They were recorded live
in concert on 'his' organ during the
last seven years of his tenure there.
Wunderlich, born in 1919, is surely
one of the last remaining students of
Karl Straube. This in itself is remarkable,
and has inevitably led to Wunderlich's
Reger interpretations gaining huge admiration.
As a Bach interpreter, Straube's influence
is much less keenly felt - one senses
indeed that Wunderlich's exposure to
the Hamburg organ, allied to the tidal
wave that was the post-war Orgelbewegung,
all but obscured the philosophy of his
great teacher, at least in terms of
the performance of baroque music. Wundlerlich's
performances are never less than elegant
while remaining very much children of
their time. His articulation-vocabulary
and use of the organ are very much in
line with the first generation of organ-reform
thinkers. Indeed Straube isn't a million
miles after all away in the myriad of
registration changes in the Passacaglia!
Gap registrations abound, especially
in the trio sonatas on the third disc,
as do plenum registrations without the
underpinning of the pedal reeds. And
yet, even now, Wunderlich's considered
tempi and attention to detail ensure
compelling listening. Incidentally,
the trio sonatas are presented with
a number of repeats missing. Did Wunderlich
play them like this or were they edited
out in order to fit all six onto a single
disc?
The other outstanding
element of this recording is, of course,
the organ. This is the famous Schnitger
in Hamburg recorded before its restoration
by Jürgen Ahrend. As such this
is fascinating document of a sound lost.
It is always interesting to hear such
a recording, if only to try to determine
whether the stunning potential which
Ahrend unleashed was as audible before
he got there. In this case the answer
is a resounding yes. Even in its effectively
un-restored state, with its equal temperament,
cheap post-war case pipes and screaming
mixtures, the organ was a compelling
entity.
If you already have
Marie-Claire Alain, and Helmut Walcha,
and maybe even some Anton Heiller or
Lionel Rogg - especially his first cycle
from Zurich - this will make for fascinating
comparison. Congratulations to Organum
for bringing this highly significant
sound document to a wider audience.
Chris Bragg
Heinz Wunderlich (organ) 
