 |
|
|
alternatively
CD:
MDT
AmazonUK
AmazonUS
|
Sigfrid KARG-ELERT (1877-1933)
The Complete Organ Works - volume 7
Erste Sinfonische Kanzone (Kanzone und Toccata), op.85 no.1 (1910)
[13:26]
Zweite Sinfonische Kanzone, op.85 no.2 (1910) [20:58]
Chaconne and Fugue Trilogy, with Chorale, op.73 (1910) [33:30]
Stefan Engels (organ)
rec. St Mary's Basilica, Kevelaer, Germany, 28-29 March 2011. DDD
PRIORY PRCD 1062 [68:11]
|
|
|
The German composer Sigfrid Karg-Elert was no great organist,
but along with much else he did write a lot of magnificent music
for the organ, most of which still suffers from unforgivable
neglect - none more so than the three works on this disc. Besides
many transcriptions and arrangements, of his own and others'
music, Karg-Elert also wrote dozens of original works for the
instrument, and since 2005 German organist Stefan Engels has
been recording all of them on various organs for church specialists
Priory Records. This is volume seven, with eight released concurrently
(PRCD 1063) (see review of volume six).
Engels is remembered by some perhaps for his two volumes of
Marcel Dupré's organ music for Naxos in the Nineties
(8.554210, 8.553920). Coincidentally, his Priory edition is
in direct competition with that of fellow German Elke Völker
on the Aeolus label, although she now lags slightly behind -
volume 6 of her series, subtitled 'Ultimate Organ Works', came
out at the turn of the year (AE 10721). The latter three Aeolus
discs do have the advantage of Hybrid Super-Audio quality, yet
the completion of Völker's traversal is, for financial
reasons, by no means certain. The three works featured here
appeared early on in her series, op.73 on volume 1 (AE 10121)
and op.85 on 2 (AE 10171). In price terms, neither set comes
cheap, with the Priory discs generally to be had for around
10% less - although shopping around will in most cases iron
out the differential.
After the generally slower, softer, more reflective works in
volume 6, the three featured here ratchet up the passion, especially
in their massive, chromatically dazzling endings. These are
among the most imaginative organ works of their time by anyone.
Despite their differing structures, they are linked by much
more than the year 1910: throughout, Karg-Elert exhibits a Bach-like
mastery of counterpoint and a gripping sense of pace, drama
and colour, approachable melodies and rhythms spiced up by free-range
chromaticism and the odd sortie into virtual atonality. In sum,
Karg-Elert's music here should appeal to anyone who appreciates
the harmonic language and formal innovation of the likes of
Widor, Reger and Vierne, although his style is his own. As for
performance, Engels is audibly the right man for the job here
- he has the requisite technique, stamina and expressive modesty
to do Karg-Elert proud.
Recording quality is very good, with Priory's experience and
expertise in this area readily apparent. The impressive 135-stop
Seifert organ at the Päpstliche Basilika Sankt Marien at
Kevelaer, Germany's most-visited Catholic pilgrimage hub, dates
back to the first decade of the 20th century, with repairs and
restorations seeing it through a bomb attack in 1945 and a fire
in 2002.
Once again, Priory's booklet is a pleasure to read, with a long
biography of the composer and as much again on the works heard
in volume 7 by Anthony Caldicott, chairman of the Karg-Elert Archive, followed
by a detailed description of the organ by Engels, and its full
specification. A biography and cheery photo of Engels, plus
details of previous releases in the series, make this one of
the best CD booklets of the year! The only complaint is about
the eye-unfriendly colour scheme: the back inlay tracklist,
surprisingly not reprised inside the booklet, uses small white
print on a browny-green background.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk
|
|
