10,000 Subscribers - Speechless!

[@larikipe940]

Your 11K subscribers in such a short amount of time are in no small way because of your magnetic and delightful personality.

[@y11971alex]

It wasn’t the toccata but the fugue that reeled me in to classical music. The emotive power of that piece left me speechless and searching for more of Bach’s work.

[@davidwheeler5080]

Congratulations on 10,000 subscribers! I love the Scottish/German mix in your accent and I love this content and your lovely niche of story-telling and educational content about the organ. My dad was one of the organ scholars at Clare College at Cambridge University while he was there and this channel is a lovely way for me to understand more about that world of his as well as appreciate and admire how difficult this wonderful instrument is to play at the highest level. Your audience certainly loves your videos and I hope you enjoy making them so please do continue to do so!

[@danw1955]

Fraser, thanks so much for the update on the organ(s) at the Notre Dame. Honestly, I had no idea there were actually 2 organs there. I was only aware of the Cavaille Coll Grand Orgue, and I'm glad that it's in good enough condition that they can remove it and store it away until such time as the cathedral is rebuilt. It's a shame about the Choir organ though, but maybe it will give an organ builder or builders a chance in the near future to design and build a replacement. I'm guessing they have the original construction plans around somewhere for both organs, so they could use that as a pattern for whatever they come up with.😁 Aside from that, congratulations on your now, 11,000+ subscribers!! Hey, you're a celebrity! How about that?🤣 You are one of the few that can easily articulate between German & English, and actually take the time to sit down and share with people about the workings of various organs and the subtleties of each, *AND* your knowledge of music! At 63 years old, I don't retain information as well as I used to, but I have learned more about Bach's BWV 565 in the last few videos, than I've learned in the last 30 years!! You have a knack for keeping it interesting and humorous, and that's what counts.😉 Keep on doing what you do... I'll be around! Sorry, I can't be of any financial assistance, since I'm dealing with some serious health issues and can't afford it, but if I had it to spare, you'd be at the top of my list!

[@kingnadie]

I don´t understand why the surprise for 10,000 subscribes, it is one of the best pages for organ lovers, easy, friendly, interesting, all the the time new organs, differents points to see in the organ, etc. I recomended this page to every one to wants to hear me. Congratulations Fraser

[@redwaffler1820]

Congratulations on 10,000 subscribers!! Cant wait for what the future has waiting for your channel!

[@LukeFaulkner]

Congratulations, Fraser! I've just sub'd.

[@lelonfurr1200]

knowing gov it will take longer than 5yrs but keep cranking these videos out fraser we will anxiously awaiting and watching

[@Jake_Broer]

I think part of what helped your channel grow is your work to make your content more understandable to non-German speaking people. I know I enjoy everything you've brought us so far and can't wait to see where this takes you. Congratulations and happy Easter, Fraser!

[@virginiaorganbuilder]

I believe it! You are very engaging! Thank you- you are a great ambassador for our industry.

[@solidus4prez]

Wow 11K already! I'm happy to be part of the pre-10K group. Your videos are so informative and entertaining, and your passion is very contagious. Here's to many more videos from you! :D

[@05Forenza]

I'm not exactly sure, but I think I was pre-2500 group. He blew up fairly quick! Great channel =)

[@rongaul8169]

Watching on Good Friday. Happy Easter. (He is risen, He is risen indeed!)

[@doristheslug9609]

Alleluia

[@silverstonegg2349]

So guys we did it...

[@syncrosimon]

The tool for tuning the reeds is called a reed knife👍 keep up the good work.

[@Advent22mix]

Congratulations! I'm really surprised and thrilled this happened so fast. The future of the organ looks bright! I love how you are breaking down and analyzing BWV 565 for us. Have you thought about what you'll play at 50k subs? Perhaps the "Dorian" Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BWV 538)? Or even the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor?

[@coolmorgus]

The opening three notes have been in commercials like COOL WHIP. Thank You for your great videos!

[@martingravel1157]

Congrats Mr Gartshore! As an organist I very much appreciate your channel. Keep up the good work Sir!

[@deaganjones4666]

I heard the opening of the toccata as part of an improvisation for a prelude of a service right around the time i first started piano lessons. I was an acolyte and i remember thinking, "I want sheet music for that piece". Now 3 years later i almost have the piece memorized.

[@danielkimble4085]

Bravo, Maestro Gartshore! Well on your way to a million subscribers. Thank you for another amazing video! I’m continually astounded by your insights into the composition and interpretation of the works you play. I look forward to more of the same. May I request/suggest, if it’s not too much trouble, perhaps a video for next week would be to simply record some of the Easter performances and hymns and compile them? I know I would be excited to hear you play, regardless of the quality of sound, and it would take a lot strain off during this Holy Week while you’re so busy. Just a suggestion from an humble listener and fellow musician. Thank you, Maestro Gartshore!

[@Musician-Lee]

It’s interesting that you asked why Toccata and Fugue in D minor is so meaningful. For me, it was the piece that fired up my interest in pipe organs. Age11, I was at a school in London with a private chapel, and our music teacher played this piece. I realised the Toccata was technically not that difficult, (the skill being in the interpretation and expression) so I set about learning it. So fairly quickly I was able to make an impressive noise on this wonderful instrument, entertaining my school friends with my new skill. In reality, it is far more difficult to play and as you say yourself, there are many interpretations. I didn’t realise there was any doubt as to who wrote it! I’m learning so much from your wonderful videos. Thank you so much. Lee

[@wyattpoe2008]

I’m a university organ student in the states. Love your videos!

[@michik1356]

You make very good videos.

[@davidredmayne7269]

Another week, and another great Fraser video! Enjoyed your analysis of the T+C and your old squeeze box doesn't sound THAT bad!!!! Nice touch with the piece for Notre Dame. Happy Easter.

[@chocolat4hogs]

Thanks for your insights and interpretation for this piece.

[@user-74652]

There is definitely quite a strong association in contemporary minds of this piece with vampires and castles and such. However, this is basically the piece that made me fall in love with the organ as a teenager (I have since discovered that there are plenty of even greater pieces, but I hold nothing against this one apart from the fact that it's overplayed). I had heard at least the opening passage before, but I guess I really experienced it when I got onto my mother's computer and found it on KZbin, which was quite new back then. As for why I have loved this piece so much, I'm not sure how well I can explain it, but I think it has to do with the fact that the piece has it all: huge powerful chords (with drawn-out diminished 7th chords adding more tension), fast running passages, more quiet, delicate sections (particularly in the fugue), and even a couple of somewhat earwormy sections. I'm surprised, however, that it's not as popular as Bach's Fantasia and Fugue in G minor: that one basically has everything the T&F has and more, and it does it better. That one remains one of my favourite pieces of organ music.

[@sawersoft]

I love Toccata and Fugue in d minor! Thank you for the amazing explanation about how to play it!

[@MenelionFR]

Thank you very much Fraser for the video and for the beautiful music! And especially thanks for the good news about the big organ at Notre-Dame. Yes, we won't be hearing it for years, but for me the fact that it will sound again is definitely good news. Greetings from Ukraine!

[@Michahel]

So glad you played the Prière - one of my favorite organ pieces!!

[@amplexandra]

My father loves the sound of the pipe organ and views T&F as the exemplar of the majestic potential of the instrument. He passed his love of the instrument to me by playing the piece over and over during my youth, and I still enjoy it to this day. Good memories and feelings all around.

[@jorgehermosillo7024]

Omg, I love your videos, I learn too much interpretation 😍, thanks 👏👏👏👍

[@cyningstan]

I'm looking forward to the performance. Since I started watching your videos I've become fond of your old squeezebox, so I'd be delighted to hear the whole piece on that if no more adventurous option presents itself.

[@neoineangowan8917]

Thank you very, very, VERY much for the update on Notre Dame! I’ve been following the news and kept wishing for some more organ-based news and hoped for your insights in your next video. Much appreciated!

[@Amadea27]

Totally same here!

[@farahmohammed1963]

Congrats Fraser!!💕 Here’s to many more subscribers! This is such great video: it’s so informative and you make learning so much fun!! Thank you, and please keep’em coming. Thank you too for the update on the Notre Dame organ.... we all care so much!!💕Happy Easter and most importantly, happy practicing..... no pressure now.... can’t wait to hear you!!😉🌺

[@RenzoColameoIrlanda]

Grazie; Maestro. Have a Great & Lovely Easter !!! Hugs from Ireland: Renzo *

[@gert.ronner]

Very nice Fraser! Tiny correction (don't mind me being picky, I'm very passionate about French music and read a lot about it): Prière à Notre-Dame (notice the presence of the hyphen!) means Prayer -at- Notre Dame, not -to-. The Suite Gothique is about Gothic architecture and compositional form. A big relief for protestants, Mary is not depicted as a saint here and they can play it without conscientious objection LOL! :D

[@denergodok]

Happy Easter Fraser, and congrats for all the subscribers! Fantastic news about the main organ at Notre-Dame! As for where you should play the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, I actually want to suggest Westminster Abbey! I think that would've been a great place to play it 😁

[@K2shadowfax]

A young child, listening with rapt attention to the beautiful music from our church organist, after service was over...he let rip - usually with Toccata & Fuge. It's been in my top ten list ever since; as an older man, the breadth and depth of the musical piece is simply astonishing...and the heavenly-inspiration - in its creation, oh my!...and, in my own little bit of fantasia, I reckon this is the backing track to ride up the escalator (think, Tom & Jerry) to dem Pearly Gates. A Happy and a Holy Easter to One and All. Go easy on the hot-X buns! lol BD

[@abriellh]

this is the first bach piece i connected with and since then Ive listened to everything i can get.

[@furstottovonbismarck8724]

Great!

[@apefu]

There are many things that make the Toccata & Fuge in D-minor stand out in my opinion - The surprising and crisp start - The power that builds when the pedals come in - The brief "pauses" giving a lingering sense of anticipation - The overall, unapologetic, bombasticness of it all I think the only piece of music that really beats it, in terms of being bombastic, is Widors 5th Symphoni in F. And that is if the organ and the church can handle it (not to mention the organist). However great that piece might be, it really can't compete with Bachs clarity at the start of the T & F in D-minor.

[@316Minecraft]

You're teasing us 😀 Can't wait to hear the whole thing. Great video though, very interesting, and nice to see inside the organ.

[@edmundsmith3943]

I learnt T+F in D minor for the first time quite recently for a school music performance test. We were each supposed to play a simplified version of a piece of classical music but I turned up with the "proper" music for T+F. Needless to say I got top marks! Thank you Bach!!

[@kuiperroerdink1670]

Those two pieces are both some of my most favorites.

[@linddaipauls3584]

Every time I take the time to listen to your short lectures, I learn just how marvelous the pipe organ is,as an instrument. Please consider playing Davies' "Solemn Melody" on a organ that is housed in a cathedral or church with plenty of reverberation. Keep up the excellent work.

[@channelralph2931]

Happy Easter to you and yours....and all of your viewers.

[@samrodian919]

The recording of the Suite Gothique was beautifully played, thank you. Your registration on a German organ for a very French string sound was one of the finest that I have heard. I have a recording of the complete suite played on the Father Willis organ in the Long Library at Blenheim Palace and the sound you get is very similar. Keep up the good work, I subscribed a couple of weeks ago and I am loving your chanel. Oh and by the way, the " Thing" you were using to tune the reeds is called a "Reed Knife" in organ building terms ( I 'm a retired organ builder)

[@foodyak]

Once again, that was terrific as per, Fraser. One of the best online organ lessons I have watched

[@EezeeListen]

Thanks for making this video. Your presentation is as if we were with you. Your calm and laid back manner mask your wonderful skills and your effortless playing of various parts of the Toccata and Fugue make it appear very deceptively quite easy ~ I admire your musical knowledge.

[@chriggle1]

What was the piece called at the end for Notre Dame? And who composed it? It was beautiful, Toccata and fugue has always been one of my favourite pieces. I love its drama and flow, it's lyrical flow through the keys, both the organ keys and the musical keys. It brings a sense of grandeur but also of humility with the use of dynamics and key usage. There is a real joy from hearing it played beautifully on the right organ. This evening I have heard a version on a video here on you tube, played at Notre Dame on the grand organ. It was simply breathtaking. T & F demand your attention from the first notes. It has the power to take your breath away. It's intensity is made clear, from the start. Yet there are moments quiet reflection within the intensity. The beginning of the fugue moves so gently, a stark contrast from what has gone before. I hope what I wrote made sense? I tried to sequence the piece for A level music technology and almost lost my mind. It is so hard to get right, because just sticking to the notes is only half the story. It's how the pianist or organist interpret the music and feel the music that complete it. It's the difference for me as a vocalist just singing from the page without thought, or connecting with the music and singing from the heart and the emotions.

[@cromorne]

Priere a Note Dame from the Suite Gothique by Leon Boellmann. You're correct, it's a gorgeous piece!

[@johnopalko5223]

I've always loved playing, and listening to, the Toccata and Fugue in D minor. I don't know why. It just speaks to me. There are two bars toward the end of the Fugue that have always struck me as, I don't know, a glimpse into Heaven. Unfortunately, my copy doesn't have bar numbers, so I'll try to explain where I mean. Bear with me. Seven bars before the half-note fermata immediately preceding the Recitative, there is a series of three-chord figures: eighth-eighth-quarter, eighth-eighth-quarter, eighth-eighth-quarter, all over 16th-notes in the pedal. Those figures just get to me every time. I'm looking forward to hearing you perform this wonderful piece. Thank you for the news on the Notre-Dame organs and thank you for the Boëllmann.

[@Ben-nq3li]

Thankyou for your hard work my friend.

[@keithcitizen4855]

The D minor is a joy to listen if played well.

[@Pants4096]

Excellent sound levels on this one; I didn't have to touch my volume to listen comfortably! Maybe that other video was just a fluke. Congratulations on the 11k subscribers. Here's to a million more!

[@georgieleejrs8299]

once again thank you for your time and effort to get things done!! I have just now subscribed to your channel and looking forward to seeing and hearing of what you do!! for my recital I used a digital recorder and sat it on the console!! picked up everything around it!! great sound from it and have a happy bleated Easter to you and yours too!! great videos indeed!!!

[@cornwalldragon4617]

Congrats and happy Easter! It's too bad that there aren't any more channels like this.

[@FraserGartshore]

Actually I quite like that fact!😜

[@stevepowell6633]

Hello Fraser. You say that everyone wants to learn the T&F first but for me it was Prière à Notre-Dame so thank you for that beautiful rendition. I've loved this piece ever since I heard Jane Parker-Smith play it on the Westminster Cathedral HW-III, which has the most exquisite célestes. That old vinyl album is one of my most treasured possessions. Still trying to play it properly to this day but life is just too busy to practice my keyboard skills nearly enough so still noodling around mainly. Slowly building my own organ - cutting a hole through the ceiling for the 16' flues this afternoon - no not really, it will be software and sample-based of course! Congratulations on 12K+ now. I am now glued to your channel waiting to see what you are going to get up to next, and yes, eagerly anticipating the T&F of course. Thank you for some of the most informative and entertaining organ videos I've seen. I wish you the very best.

[@MyDmcdante]

Greetings from Brazil, nice video!

[@icypeanutpolo]

This is a magical piece to me because, to me, it has a unbelievable majesty. This is the same case as Beethoven’s 9th symphony, or Rachmaninov 3rd piano concerto. They all have the same quality that puts them beyond what most musicians write.

[@doristheslug9609]

Congratulations, my good man!

[@glitch1299]

Talking about Toccata & Fugue in D-Minor, for me the first experience I had with the song was Disney's Fantasia and the animation used in the video pretty much pinned this song in my memory.

[@merseyviking]

Hearing Sky do a version on their album Sky 2 when I was about 8. It blew my mind, and I literally wore the record out playing it over and over.

[@Dalinu]

thank you sir for the good work

[@amenophis_factorem]

The first time I heard this, we had received a Halloween card from a family member, and it was one of those singing cards, with the little electronic music chip inside and it played the opening. The other thing is that Hollywood has blown up organ music in its horror films, Toccata and Fugue being front and centre.

[@heighho9142]

Cant wait to hear the whole toccata and fugue in d minor after easter

[@mattnbin]

Usually we start tuning trumpets and other reeds at middle c and tune middle octave to the principal. Then octaves with itself up to the top then tenor b all the way to bottom c again with octaves with itself.

[@BFDT-4]

The reason for 11k is that we learn from your videos! And I'm still learning. With regard to that, you previewed your use of Sebelius, and yet I read that there was a major upset with it. So the question is, Sebelius or Dorico? Have you heard of Dorico? No rush, but wondering what you know of this. ON TO 12k!

[@MrKmoconne]

I first heard Bach's famous toccata in the Disney movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as played by Captain Nemo after he killed a ship full of people with his submarine, the Nautilus. James Mason perfectly played the mad captain recalling some tortured memory as he played the fugue. I next heard this fugue played perfectly by E.Power Biggs on the Flentrop organ in the Reisinger Museum, Harvard University on the vinyl record, Bach: Great Organ Favorites. I once heard that Toccata Fugue in D minor was an organ piece made with the intention of testing the quality of pipe organs. I could believe it! I try not to listen to this or the Widor Toccata too much, so I don't tire of listening to them.

[@Jm4steam]

Another good video. Regarding the organs of Notre Dame. It is imperative to get the organs out asap. As an organ builder I've been involved in removals and restorations of fire and water damaged instruments. What a mess to work in. With due diligence , the organs should be able to be completely restored.

[@Jm4steam]

PS: please give my regards to your friend Oliver Latry and the other esteemed organist. It has to be absolute disbelief anguish, a multitude of emotions. I fully understand. I wish I could get over there to help with the instruments. I followed Callave Colls works......especially wind systems.

[@epincion]

Yesterday I was watching a piece on a French TV channel dealing with the aftermath of the fire and my ears pricked up when they discussed the grand organ with one of the titular organists who had actually been in for a brief visit and seen the organ. As far as he could see it was not overtly damaged by fire/heat or by water. The organ has a separate roof over it and the water that was being poured onto the two bell towers by the fire services was directed over and around the niche that the organ sits in and down onto the floor. Bertrand Cattiaux the facteur who oversaw the most recent overhaul is to inspect the organ as soon as it is judged safe to do so.

[@Jm4steam]

@@epincion please keep me informed as possible

[@epincion]

Thanks for the update. Its great that its basically intact. This does raise another question. The idea that the cathedral could be repaired enough to be back in function by 5yrs is universally considered as nonsense and a far more realistic estimate is 20yrs at a minimum- maybe 40yrs. In my opinion it probably would be better to dismantle the organ and pack it away for safe keeping.

[@MrDenwayden]

I first heard the T & F in D Minor when I was 17 in 1953 on a shellac 78 rpm disc.. Played by a Fernando Germani who I believe was the Pope's personal organist. I've been hooked on it ever since!

[@charlescoleman5509]

The cathedral of Notre Dame has just opened its doors, five years after the disaster, as predicted by their president. ☺️

[@spacemissing]

The T&F is plainly a showpiece, but one that well transcends that description, which is what makes it a truly great and 'magical' work. Though it is serious, it doesn't take itself seriously. (I hope at least some people can understand what I mean by that.) And it definitely benefits from the player having a particular mindset about its timing.

[@richard7crowley]

I grew up in the Beatles era having no appreciation for popular music. My favorite records were the blind German organist Helmut Walcha playing Bach on my Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft LPs. I became accustomed to his more uniform and "metrical" interpretation which I thought of as "German" vs the more "swung" style which I fancied as "French" as I heard it on recordings by Marie-Claire Alain. To this day perhaps my favorite are the 18 Leipzig Chorales. I nearly wore out the grooves on those records. Congratulations on the now 13K subscribers. Great personable presentations on an excellent variety of organ topics. I once got the chance to spend the whole day shooting pictures in the factory of Rieger Orgelbau in Bregenz, Austria where they were building the instrument for our church in Portland, Oregon. You might want to check out Line Audio microphones from Sweden. Very sensibly priced (compared to the venerable old-school German brands). And with a reputation that exceeds their modest prices. It would be interesting to many of us to see a "behind the scenes" video of how you record video and audio and edit and mix them together. Very nice production value :-)

[@Cadwaladr]

I had the privilege recently of hearing this piece (among others) on the 1926 Casavant organ of St Thomas More Catholic Church in St Paul, MN. Every year we have a special concert series on or around Bach's birthday, and we have some really wonderful instruments to hear all around the Twin Cities. I loved hearing your thoughts on the piece.

[@lokeforce]

Hey congrats! I am learning organ from my teacher also!

[@OrganMusicYT]

If they could do York Minster in 2 years in the 1980s, I'm quite sure in this day and age, Notre Dame can be rebuilt in 5. The part that will take time is deciding what work needs to be undertaken and how it should be carried out, that'll probably take a year or two.

[@jtoutenhoofd]

Well played! My suggestion for an organ for Bach would be the Bach organ in the Grote Kerk (Great Church) in Dordrecht, the Netherlands.

[@Amadea27]

Omg yes,

[@amangogna68]

Amazing !

[@AndresMorales-wc4pg]

Love the Celeste and string stops!

[@mdlouie]

Reminds me of my childhood, probably partly because of Fantasia.

[@Ben-uj6qk]

now 20,000!!

[@kassemir]

Lovely little analysis of this iconic piece. I think it has its iconic statues, well, for lots of reasons. But, for me it boils down to two points. 1) Its association with horror. I don't know where and when it started. But one cannot listen to this, and not think of bats and Dracula. 2) The motifs and chords with massive tension resolving beautifully. Makes it very gratifying to listen to, the sense of relief you get is immense, and quite brilliant. Beautiful interplay of dissonance and consonance, a perfect balance.

[@esthermiller2713]

Yeah. I get the speechlessness!!! 😳

[@bobh5087]

Thank you for the update on the Notre-Dame organs. I hadn't heard the bad news about the Choir organ. Are all the pipes completely ruined/melted? Or just wet from les pompiers? I imagine that the windchests, reservoirs, action and console, etc. are shot, but can any of the original pipework be salvaged at all? Lovely "Prière à Notre-Dame" movement, and so appropriate. 👍❤️

[@DavidWood2]

Your thinking is the same as mine, Bob. I expected the news was not going to be good about the choir organ because of its location within Notre Dame. It is no surprise that there is no hope for the instrument 'in toto'; the functional woodwork will be too badly damaged for reuse. I believe I am correct in saying the choir organ had mechanical action (the grand organ is, of course, electric/electronic action). Other than, perhaps, any decorative elements of the case that can be salvaged, the replacement choir organ is going to be a new instrument with new action, windchests etc. Pipe metal is fairly low melting point, but perhaps some pipes or even complete ranks of pipes are in a state where they can be restored and reused in the new choir organ. I am sure that those responsible will do their utmost to salvage what they can from the destroyed instrument. There is an interview with Johann Vexo, who was playing the choir organ for Mass when the fire broke out, at www.nbcnews.com/news/world/notre-dame-organist-playing-when-fire-broke-out-calls-devastation-n995236

[@bobh5087]

@@DavidWood2 Thanks for your reply and the brief link. Vexo has appeared on BBC, etc. as well. I've seen/read so many items about the N-D organ(s) , but *none* of them mention the severely damaged Choir organ. They only talk about the intact Grand Orgue. That's why I was so surprised to hear Fraser deliver the bad news about the Choir organ. It's wonderful news that the larger instrument will be salvageable, of course. And as you wrote: the organ technicians will certainly refurbish/reuse any still-usable Choir ranks. That fire - such a terrible thing.

[@samuelfritz2446]

I'm an oboist and I've never seen the oboe pipes before and they look a lot more like an oboe bell than I would have thought

[@WAX6428]

There is an absolutely wonderful Baroque organ (1758/9) in Kirchveischede at St. Peter's just West of Lennestadt and Bilstein. Played a wedding on it and it is just wonderful. The mixtures are pure shimmering silver, not overpowering. It proved to me that the "North German Neo-baroque" organs that were being built in the 50's 60's and 70's were a lie.

[@ManyManyPandas]

You should perform on the Trost organ in the Stadtkirche in Waltershausen Germany. It's quite an old organ. We think Bach may have visited the organ and played on it once. There have been many Bach recitals by different people. Perhaps you should try it out.

[@SingerGeneLeonard]

What sort of music will you play during Easter? What hymns does your church sing at Easter??

[@lachlankay9212]

I know it's a long drive from Bonn but, any chance of playing at Basillica Ottobeuren ?

[@XenophonSoulis]

7:23 It was a sad week for every sensible person in this world.

[@trebeliant4707]

Please, try to record this in Ottobeuren!

[@FraserGartshore]

Wonderful instruments! I have played all three organs there and they are all amazing. The church itself is also beautiful!

[@ivandalmonte2997]

Dear Fraser, you asked why Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 is SO well known. I fully agree, most people consider this piece as THE organ music for excellence! Here’s my opinion on this fact: - Incisive: as you said, those famous “first three notes” are so simple but at the same time so characteristic to be easily “printed” in all minds, even those less interested in music. Almost everybody knows this is Bach! - Powerful: this piece seems ideal to show the power of a big organ, with several dramatic “full organ” chords. Very impressive for everybody. - Varied: instead of lots of monotonic classical pieces, this one features dramatic changes in speed, lenght, tone: there are suddden changes among fast sharp solos, slow fat vibrating bass notes and dramatic “full-power” chords. It’s impossible to get bored by that. - Timeless: apart from music scholars, who can say this is 300 years old baroque music? The feelings that it awakes and inspires in the listeners continue to be strong nowadays - Abstract: this is really “pure music”: no bird songs transposition, recalling of spring water flowing, thunders and the like. Totally theoretic, but at the same time so touching. - Majestical: this music seem to come literally from heavens, overwhelming the listener. The faithful will recognize in it God’s power, who doesn’t believe will instead feel the voice of the calling Fate. But for everyone, it’s very hard not to remain untouched. Now, put all these reasons together… and you'll have a (part of) the explanation of its success!

[@spacejazz6272]

beautifully put. those points in many ways describe perfectly the sound of the organ itself

[@ivandalmonte2997]

@@spacejazz6272 As many others, I think that Toccata and Fugue was the first organ piece that I really listened in my life, but for sure the one that most strucked me. As many others, I also tried to play it, but at that time, still without any musical training at all, the results were not remarkable at all... yet I remember that, playing a real organ in a small village's church, the emotion and the feelings were very remarkable, at least for me. Actually, the execution that I best remember was NOT the classical one for organ, but an orchestral arrangement by Tutti Camarata, in a 1972 LP that was presented to me by my mother. Well, maybe this arrangement could be questionable from a classical/philological point of view, but I liked it very much, and still do it now: I think that this music seems very suitable to be played by a large orchestra (most of the Toccata and its famous starting triplet being anyway left to a real organ). After all, the organ is a single instrument (or better, a "machine", like Fraser said...) aiming to reproduce the voices of various (if not all) instruments: it's considered the oldest form of synthetizer. So, why not to use their REAL voices for this magnificent piece? Also, the fact that Bach himself didn't indicate any registration lets free the arranger also to use an orchestra without "betraying" anything, isn't it? Coming again to the organ execution, I found an interesting comment below the Gert van Hoef's performance of Toccata and Fugue in D minor that can be seen on KZbin (kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnareKumh9SNh68). It says: "the mark of a musician who truly understands the soul of the pipe organ is one who understands how to work with the resonance of his space....too many organists keep playing at a pace unmatched to the resonance of the hall... The fading echo and silence are every bit a part of the performance as the bright fanfare...Without the silence, the fanfare becomes just noise." I woudl like to know Fraser's opinion on that statement: is that true (and so important?). I heard that in some churches the reverberation time is exceptionally long. Is that the case to extend the pauses, matching and adapting the music to the church's characteristics? Thans in advance to bear my long comments... Ivan

[@ivandalmonte2997]

Should one be interested, Camarata's 1972 record is this one: www.discogs.com/it/Bach-Camarata-Conducting-The-Kingsway-Symphony-Orchestra-Spectacular-In-Glorious-Phase-4-Stereo/release/10176094

[@BFDT-4]

Mikes, and placement. One of the problems I have seen / heard is the bad miking of theatre and church organs with the result of an untenable reverb. YEARS ago, Audio Fidelity recorded a huge Theatre organ in Chicago IL, and the recordings of 1958 in stereo have a huge sound, but an up-close personal sound, still big, but not with an over-powering reverb. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Fidelity_Records I hope that you can get those good mikes and that you get a marvellous result from your recordings! BTW, I do like the sound of the present video, with the three notes of the Tocatta. Best, BFDT.

[@marcussfebruary9104]

Congrats on the 10k, now 12k subs Fraser! 😳😵❤️Looking forward to the Tocatta

[@marko2873]

I can't remember where I heard this, but a while ago there was a school of thought that believed that Bach may have started composing the Toccata for something like solo violin before changing to organ and that is why there are so many passages played as octaves.

[@darobzamusic6007]

I think the tocatta and fugue realy got it's popularity through American film music.

[@multimapping8303]

To connect Notre Dame and Toccata and Fuga, last month an amazing video + recording of it by Olivier Latry in Notre Dame de Paris was released on KZbin. Look it up: Bach to the Future

[@DavidWood2]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2PYpnhrj7aBbKM is the Latry video you mention. The registrations show the organ's tremendous tonal palette.

[@roverrepairs1004]

Hi there. This is my first video i have watched from you and your channel and i love it!!!!!!! I love church organs and i love seeing how to tune organs and practice organ music. Whilst watching your video i noticed a slit German accent and i was wondering how long you have been learning English. Going on to notra dame I am glad that the grand organ is OK but so disappointed about the choir organ because i thought that it looked OK :(. The first time i heard toccata and fugue in D minor was when i was like 10 and my dad was playing it, i cant remember where but it was spectacular. Before i Finnish this i want to say your English is amazing its incredible. Great video i am subscribing for more videos. definitely.

[@williamwarnold6737]

ZOMBIE 646 I don’t think he would get lost in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿.

[@spacejazz6272]

you should probably be more impressed by his German than his English! he is from Scotland, English is his first language

[@colindunn7583]

Well done!!!

[@mattheww2797]

Next they'll be asking you to play Widor's Toccato

[@abriellh]

i was playing on my stores b3 and c2 and all i want is a better pipe organ sound