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Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685–1750) Bach i Ålem
Prelude and Fugue in D, BWV532:
1. Prelude [5:03]
2. Fugue [6:34]
Chorale from the Neumeister Collection:
3. Valet will ich dir geben BWV735 [4:29]
4. Med alla Herrens fromma (Rejoice, rejoice, ye Christians)(Chorale)
[2:26]
Chorales from Dritter Teil der Klavierübung:
5. Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit BWV 672 [1:42]
6. Christe, aller Welt Trost BWV 673 [1:43]
7. Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist BWV 674 [1:36]
Two arrangements of Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr:
8. Binicium BWV 711 [3:13]
9. Chorale BWV 715 [1:45]
10. Allena Gud I himmelrik (All glory be to God
in high) (chorale) [2:38]
Chorale from the Neumeister Collection:
11. Werde munter, mein Gemüte BWV 1118 [2:00]
12. Ljus av ljus, o morgonstjärna (Comfort, comfort
ye my people)(chorale) [2:44]
13-14. Komm, Jesu, komm (motet) BWV 229 [8:25]
Chorale from Dritter Teil der Klavierübung:
15. Wir glauben all an einen Gott BWV 680 [3:22]
Chorale from Orgelbüchlein:
16. Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein BWV 641 [2:33]
17. Se, Jesus är ett tröstrikt namn (Oh, Jesus is
our comfort)(chorale) [2:14]
18. Vater unser im Himmelreich BWV 762 [2:35]
19. Att be till Gud (God teaches us to pray)(chorale)
[2:21]
Choral from Leipzigchoräle:
20. Nun danket alle Gott BWV 657 [4:19]
21. Nu tacka Gud allt folk (Now thank we all our God)(chorale)
[2:40]
Concerto in G BWV 592:
22. Allegro [3:26]
23. Grave [2:46]
24. Presto [2:02]
Ulf Samuelsson
(organ); Olaus Petri Vocalis (4, 10, 12–14,
17, 19, 21), Ålem Parish Choir (10, 17, 21), Johan Hammarström
(organ)(13, 14)
rec. Ålem church, Sweden, 2005. DDD PROPRIUS PRSACD2039 [72:51]
Ålem is a fairly small parish in the province of Småland on the
Swedish east coast. The 19th century church houses a very
fine sounding and beautiful organ, originally built in 1942
by Per Zacharias Strand. Having gone through several modifications
during the past century and a half it was renovated during
2003-2004 by the Ålem Organ Factory, rebuilding it to its
original specification and adding a small second manual in
the Strand style. In the spring of 2005 Ulf Samuelsson gave
a recital on the organ and was then asked by the parish board
to make a recording on the “new” instrument. This disc is
the result.
Samuelsson wanted to design the programme as a service, beginning
and ending with a couple of large-scale organ works and in
between there are hymns, prayers and even a sermon in the
middle in the shape of the motet Komm, Jesu, komm,
sung by the vocal group Olaus Petri Vocalis, founded by Ulf
Samuelsson and based in the Olaus Petri church in Örebro
in central Sweden, where Samuelsson has been organist since
1992. They also sing three four-part chorale settings by
Bach and are joined by the Ålem Parish Choir in three other
chorales, sung in unison.
The Olaus Petri Vocalis, made up of sixteen singers, is highly professional
with a lean, homogenous sound in the best Swedish choral
tradition. The chorales sung in unison are performed with
enthusiasm and rightly not too sophisticated, as they would
be during a real service with a congregation present.
Proprius has for almost four decades been among the top contenders
in choral and organ recording and this disc is in that Royal
line. I have had several Proprius releases for review, both
reissues and new productions and they have never disappointed.
On this occasion my living-room was transformed into a middle-sized
church with warm but still detailed acoustics, every stop
distinct and still blending well and the pedal stops sonorous
and full but not booming. The rear speakers conveyed a feeling
of sitting somewhere in the middle of the room, immersed
in the sound, radiating from all directions, as is often
the experience in a church where the organ sound and placing
is in full harmony with the room. How much balance engineer
and producer Torbjörn Samuelsson has manipulated the sound
I don’t know but Proprius practice has always involved a
minimum of doctoring. At all events, after the first ecstasy
has abated, one can just concentrate on and wallow in the
beautiful sound of the organ.
The musical high-spot is the opening Prelude and Fugue in D Major,
presumably written in Weimar around 1709. Ulf Samuelsson’s
playing is virile and exuberant and he obviously takes as
much delight in the music-making as the listener does. The
various compositions based on chorales are less showy, intended
for service, but they are enjoyable to listen to and Samuelsson’s
registrations are sensitively done to bring out the character
of each piece as well as showing the instrument in the best
possible light. The chorales are brisk – no risk that the
congregation will nod, The three movement Concerto BWV
592 has a light dancing Allegro, a beautifully transparent Grave. The Presto is
a swinging conclusion to the concerto and also a fitting
postlude to this service, where the uplifted church-goers
can leave the temple, straight-backed and with a spring in
their steps.
The chorales are sung in Swedish and the booklet provides
no texts or translations, but this should be no obstacle
to the enjoyment
of this programme. On the other hand Professor Hans Fagius,
well-known Bach interpreter, provides excellent commentaries
on the organ pieces. Organ builder Sune Fondell gives a historical
retrospective of the organ and the latest renovation work,
including a list of the organ’s disposition, from which we
learn that eight stops are originals from 1841.
Organ
enthusiasts should give the disc a try, since this organ produces
some of the loveliest sounds I have heard for a very long
time. Readers who want a full musical service in their homes
will have to search far and wide to find something
better.
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