Bach - Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ (BWV 639) on the classical accordion

New recording of this beautiful organ choral taken from the Orgelbüchlein . The previous recording was too fast, much faster that many organ versions, which was not very satisfactory to me. This time I chose a slower tempo, which allowed me to add more breathing between phrases.
The pedal is played by the right hand, which leads to extreme extensions, making the piece more comfortable to hear than to play :-) !
I hope you like the result ! If not, I can take any constructive criticism, but keep in mind that I am not a professional musican at all.

[@claudedietrich8654]

love this unusual version. The beauty of the piece is retained

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed it ! I tried to respect the breathing between each phrase, in order to remember the vocal nature of chorals. Anyway, like singers (and unlike an organ), my accordion does need to breathe 😄 !

[@michelacampo8832]

Questo coraye lo sto studiando che bello

[@7857512]

Bravo! You say you’re not professional musician, yet you understand Bach better than one. This is absolutely one of my favorite renditions of the hymn.

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you so much for such an encouraging comment ! There are a few other organ pieces by Bach which I would like to record, but they will have to wait a few weeks (or months ?). Stay tuned !

[@harald8504]

One of my favorite bach pieces - The slow melody is so beautiful and the consistent rhythm and harmony of the bass- and middle voicing works so well to accompany it. Thank you

[@gyrocompa]

Hello Harald, Huge thanks for your support. It is an honour to play such a wonderful music. I consider myself very lucky, and Bach's music clearly was a very strong motivation when I was young and practised every day (a long time ago...).

[@wapolo1974]

Bravo! This chorale sounds surprisingly good on the accordion!

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you very much ! Among the various pieces that I play, this one is my wife's favorite. It is quite sad but sooo beautiful !

[@guillaumemeral6382]

As it’s written I understand you are not a « professional » musician, but you are a better musician than many professional accordionists.. Bravo! 👏🏻

[@gyrocompa]

Hello Guillaume, Thank you so much for your kind comment. In real life I am a physics teacher, and as an average I only take my accordion out of its case a few hours each month 😭. There are plenty of classical accordionists throughout the world, and most of them are waaaay better than I am, especially as regards virtuosity (but not only). However, I try to compensate by playing pieces that I really love and putting as much musicality (and as little false notes !) as I can in my recordings. And when they are not as good as I would have wished, I try to reassure myself by thinking that no one is perfect ! All the best, Nicolas.

[@fannyvicens]

@@gyrocompa je vous pensais professeur d'accordéon ! ça fait des années que je suis vos vidéos... cet enregistrement de ce choral est magnifique. Bravo....

[@gyrocompa]

@@fannyvicens Merci pour votre message, cela fait chaud au cœur ! Je me souviens très bien de votre commentaire encourageant sur la passacaille de Louis Couperin. Malheureusement, mon amateurisme se ressent lors des concerts (multiples fausses notes) et aussi lors séances d'enregistrement, où il me faut souvent une douzaine de prises pour en avoir une potable. Parfois c'est dû à la difficulté du morceau, en particulier quand il y a une partie de pédalier que je suis bien obligé de jouer avec les mains, mais le plus souvent c'est le trac (face à la caméra comme face au public) et globalement le manque de solidité. Ceci dit s'enregistrer est très formateur car on voit tout de suite les points à améliorer et les passages à consolider !

[@gyrocompa]

Hello Guillaume, Here is a channel which I think you will appreciate, and above all might prove you wrong 😉 : kzbin.info/www/bejne/gorJkH1_aaZqbqM kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4W6gZ2Am8yIgs0 With all my respect, this guy is waaaay better than I am (and he is most certainly not the only one). The very second I tumbled onto his channel I was flabbergasted, not by his virtuosity (this is quite easy on the accordion) but by his sensitivity and musicality. He has exactly the same conception of music as I do, but HE manages to apply it 😂 ! Since I have to face reality, I decided not to lock my accordion box in the cave (joking of course, it has accompanied my life for 25 years, I would never stop !). As a consequence, you should keep hearing my false notes in the future, only I will probably avoid the pieces he plays in order not to die from the comparison 🤣 ! Fortunately, he has not recorded BWV 639 yet !!

[@mangiapaninazittazittagatt6358]

I simply like it

[@loicprimeau-vinettimusic4619]

Beautiful rendition. You have a gift my friend. Amazing.!

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you so much for this heart warming comment ! I have lacked time to practice these months, not only because my job, but also because I now sing in two different choirs 😅, which I love too. However I realize how much I miss my accordion, and I hope to take advantage of the next summer holidays to practice again (and perhaps record other pieces).

[@El_mundo405]

Bravo !!!

[@hyperborean84]

I like this interpretation, nice choice of registers, trills are also well done

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you very much for your comment. I chose the simplest solution : bassoon on the left and right keyboard (I hope they are called the same way in French and English !).

[@marinafrancois]

Thank you! Your interpretation is beautiful.

[@gyrocompa]

Many thanks for your kind comment ! Your support is highly appreciated !

[@Poesiaevozviril]

Magnificent !

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you for your heartwarming support !

[@jeffcasey504]

Amazing, Thank You

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you very much for your support !

[@pascalpoussin1209]

Wow, bravo!

[@gyrocompa]

Merci pour vos encouragements !

[@margitpap2790]

Ismét meghallgattam,nagyon tetszik.

[@franz1828]

Very Nice !

[@SamuelJFord]

Bravo

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you very much ! I am glad that you liked it !

[@aaronbot3k]

Your recordings never disappoint. Well performed!

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you my friend !

[@8wwwwxlilililxwwwwvv8]

Молодец! очень хорошо!

[@gyrocompa]

Большое спасибо ! Это две трети моего русского словарного запаса, но для меня большая честь получать добрые комментарии из разных стран. Thank you very much ! I don't speak Russian, but I am honoured to receive nice comments from various countries !

[@iNikelas]

Cool!

[@lauterunvollkommenheit4344]

That was great.

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you !

[@danielgersax]

Muito lindo!!!! Bravo!

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you very much for your support !

[@margitpap2790]

Szeretem a Bach művet hallgatni!Köszönöm.

[@gyrocompa]

I love Bach, he is one of my favorite composers and the fact I could play numerous of his pieces on my accordion hugely reinforced my motivation when I was young and not always fond of practising 🙄...

[@dimasmith1]

Nice!!

[@gyrocompa]

Thank you !

[@jorgreinhardt7450]

crazy accordion - i have never seen buttons like this on the left / freebass side! Why are they black and white?? Player doesn't see them, so it is only for the spectators! And so big also!! Can't miss them now i guess ;-)

[@gyrocompa]

Hello Jörg ! Welcome on our channel and thank you for your comment. I will try to answer it thoroughly and not to forget a single point 😄 : * You are right : this type of accordion, called harmonéon, is quite rare. It is mostly made in France and Italy, but probably nowhere else. Moreover, I have no idea about the number of people who play it, but I guess this number decreases with time. I am sorry not to be able to give you more information about this interesting system specially made for classical music. * The color of the buttons follows the same principle as the piano : natural notes have white buttons, sharp notes have black ones. You are right again, it is purely esthetical since we don't look at our keyboards while playing. In order to know where we are on the keyboard, C and G buttons are carved, so we can feel them. Well, if you play the accordion yourself or know someone who does, you already know all that... If it is the case, don't hesitate to tell me ! * The left buttons are basically the same size as the right ones. The idea is to have 100 % symmetrical keyboards, for the sake of hands equality 😊. However, on my instrument the left buttons are now slightly smaller and nearer from each other than on the right keyboard. The purpose of this modification was to compensate the fact that the strap limits the freedom of movement of our left hand. That can be seen on the picture : the total height of the left buttons is inferior to the height of the right ones, whereas at the beginning they were equal. I hope (but cannot be sure) that my explanations were understandable. Anyway these are details : the main feature of the harmonéon is the idea of splitting a right keyboard into two parts, and to give the left part to the left hand, with basses at the bottom and trebble notes on the top. See you soon ! Nicolas.

[@jorgreinhardt7450]

@@gyrocompa thank you very much! Only now i read the answer to my question - after three years :DD very interesting!!

[@jean-pierre7264]

🙏🙏🙏🙏😊

[@bernardpailleux355]

🙏

[@josericardopierpauli5354]

Excelente interpretacion. Felicitaciones! Soy tambien profesor universitario como Ud. Por favor podria decirme si es posible conseguir ese arreglo de la partitura de Bach que Ud toca? muchisimas gracias. Ricardo Pierpauli de Buenos Aires Argentina

[@gyrocompa]

Querido Jose Ricardo, Muchísimas gracias por su comentario. Estoy muy honrado de saber que nuestra pequeña cadena tiene público hasta el país del tango 😍. Mi versión no es un verdadero arreglo, ya que toco cada nota escrita por Bach. Solamente toco la parte de pedal con la mano derecha, principalmente con la pulgada. Por eso, mi partitura no tiene nada especial : es la misma que usan los organistas. He elegido esta solución para evitar que dos voces se crucen en el mismo teclado. Si no me equivoco, muchos intérpretes de esta pieza tocan el cantus firmus y las semicorcheas con la mano derecha. Es perfectamente posible, pero de este modo, las dos voces se cruzan varias veces, y no encontraba el resultado muy satisfactorio. Espero que mis explicaciones sean bastantes claras. Si su instrumento tiene botones redondos en el teclado derecho, como el mío, y si sus manos son bastante grandes, debería ser posible hacer lo mismo que yo, aunque no sea muy confortable u ortodoxo : normalmente, no se usa el mismo dedo varias veces seguidas... Además, la extensión de la mano derecha aumenta el riesgo de falsa nota 🙄. Pero aquella pieza es tan bella que vale la pena. Atentamente, Nicolas.

[@stereotyp9991]

Hi! Any chance you got some news concerning the harmonéon? Kind regards

[@gyrocompa]

Hello ! Fist of all, all my apologies for such a late answer. But yes, I got some information that you might find interesting 😊 : * This italian maker seems to make harmonéons : www.musiquepiccand.ch/fisitalia-bayan-ergo-h-ht-hb/ Moreover, they might sell their instruments in Switzerland, and in this case cthey should have people speaking German. Since I don't know this brand at all, I cannot guarantee the quality, so the best thing would be to try one before buying. It really looks like my instrument, but details must be checked. For instance, does the left keyboard have deep notes at the bottom and trebble ones at the top ?... If you manage to contact them, don't hesitate to tell me the result. * A French accordion repairer might transform an existing instrument into an harmonéon, but that woud mean an additional cost (I don't know the real figure but I would say a few thousands of euros )... It depends on your budget. Here is their website : www.accordinova.fr/ . I contacted them and am waiting for their reply. * You might find second hand instruments. That will be much cheaper, but perhaps also much more risky. In this case, I strongly advise you to go and check the condition of the instrument, but that would mean travelling to France. I hope all these obstacles won't discourage you, and in case of further questions by all means don't hesitate 😉 . All the best, Nicolas.

[@gyrocompa]

I got in touch with Mr Blanchard, from www.accordinova.fr/ . He confirmed to me that these three options are the only way to get a harmonéon now. Moreover, Maugein no longer makes harmonéons, Borsini doesn't exist any more, so it will be harder and harder to get one, without speaking of finding a teacher... 😭

[@stereotyp9991]

Hi Do you have any idea where I can buy a harmonéon as you play it right there?

[@gyrocompa]

Hello, thank you for your interest in harmonéons ! If Borsini still makes them, you should be able to purchase one in France or italy... Is it indiscrete to ask you the country you live in ? Knowing this piece of information, I will ask a few people who might have a more precise answer. Keep in touch, Nicolas.

[@stereotyp9991]

@@gyrocompa hi Nicolas, nice to meet you! I'd like to tell you, that I'm looking to make the exact same kind of music you are doing. I'm so happy that I've found your channel! I want to play mostly Bach chorales and such on an accordion. Guess we're both knee deep in this niche, what a beautiful niche :D I already had a Hohner at home, but with piano keys and C-system on the left side. Piano keys are just a huge compromise and C-system makes no sense whatsoever! Which brought me to looking further. What you're using fits my needs just perfectly! Buttons, B-system AND large buttons on the left. I already wrote an email to Borsini in Italy, haven't got an answer yet. I live in Munich, Germany. And I'm ready to go great lengths to get such a masterpiece, and I'm willing to pay whatever is needed. So if you have any recommendation, I'd be very happy to hear :-) Kind regards Matthew

[@gyrocompa]

@@stereotyp9991 Hello ! With a harmonéon, you can play most of Bach's harpsichord work, BUT as regards his organ works I have to warn you : pieces that have "too much" pedal part are virtually impossible to play (at least for a single player). And "too much" pedal part for an accordion player is actually "very little" pedal part for an organ player (I hope it is clear 😅) !!! To sum up, do not expect to be able to play on your own the great preludes and fugues, or toccatas and fugues. That said, after a little work you should be able to play the French suites, the Italian concerto, the partitas and toccatas for harpsichord, the Goldberg variations, and all the manualiter organ chorals. That is quite a lot of pieces, and of course you have all the other composers : Scarlatti, Couperin, Rameau, the list is endless. And French baroque organ pieces don't pose any problem, since they have very little pedal notes. So your decision is an excellent choice indeed 👍 ! To be honest, I only know one man whou could sell you an harmonéon, and he is in France. However, that doesn't mean there is only one in the Universe. I will contact my former teacher and she might know more about the situation in Germany (she happens to speak German fluently 😊). At worst, you would need to come as far as Paris southwest suburb, which represents about 900 km. But I guess your motivation is high enough, a little like Bach walking from Leipzig to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude !!! I go for further information and will tell you the result as soon as I get it 😉 Good evening, Nicolas.

[@stereotyp9991]

@@gyrocompa yes, indeed! The motivation is as high as it gets over here :D Looking very much forward to your reply! Have a great day

[@geraldojorgedalmaschio9648]

The accordeon is almost a mini organ...

[@gyrocompa]

You are completely right ! The major difference is the absence of pipes...

[@geraldojorgedalmaschio9648]

@@gyrocompa Here, in Brazil he is very popular.

[@gyrocompa]

@@geraldojorgedalmaschio9648 I am not surprised at all : it is such a versatile instrument. You can play almost any music with it !