J. S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543

David Baskeyfield: recital on the Craighead-Saunders organ in Christ Church, Rochester, after Casparini, 1776.
David is the winner of the St Albans International Organ Competition 2011. He is also winner of the Miami International Organ Competition 2010, the Mader Memorial Organ Competition 2010 (LA) and the AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation 2010. He is a student of David Higgs at the Eastman School of Music.
www.davidbaskeyfield.com

[@christianindividual4550]

Prelude 0:01 Fugue 3:37

[@andrewwadley6415]

Amazing performance. Its incredible that the user three below could not resist commenting on the small blunder in the opening of the fugue! It would seem that he overlooked the absolute beauty of the performance. It's lovely to hear a wrong note, because it is a reminder that we are imperfect beings, who occassionally make mistakes... even after we have practiced something 4000 times. I would love to hear the above-mentioned user perform BWV 543! That is all...

[@johnswimcat]

A good organist. We are very privileged to have such people on this planet

[@olivierfritzfeller7654]

Très bonne interprétation !!!! Excellent Tempo. Couleur sonore belle, pleine généreuse Merci Cela fait longtemps que je n'avais pas entendu un jeu (juste) Olivier

[@cammus]

Maybe one of the best performances I have ever see about this piece, sorry, this master work. Magnificent.

[@thomasr.alstad1288]

From the point being an organist in Norway, 2003-2013? I can hear and how good he is playing this piece on this organ! Well done! 8-D

[@olivierfritzfeller7654]

Cela rappelle l'interprétation de Jean Costa, dans l'esthétique. Bravo

[@eddiebeato5546]

David! This is sublime! Your interpretion makes justice to the genius of Bach!!! Bravo!!!

[@Quintaton]

What a wonderful discovery! I was researching Casparini and came across this. I hear so many rushed performances of Bach from the USA, but this is wonderfully controlled and spacious.....the organ is speaking to the performer as he plays! And the performer himself? Fabulous! Thank you.

[@glockengambe]

Quintaton That's the big advantage if an organ has a flexible wind. Then the organ responds to the play of the organist. This results in an interaction. If an organ has a rigid wind, it does not.

[@Quintaton]

Romanikant There is some truth in this, but far more important than flexible wind is a flexible mind and spirit. Here we have a wonderful performance on a superb organ in the Casparini style, and it is wonderful because the organist is listening and reacting to everything that is going on, including the acoustic. If only organists had the capacity to hear how both organ and room dictate what is and isn't possible, we may then hear MUSICAL performances, rather than organists who merely press the notes in the right order..

[@PolkRidgeAesthete]

A mighty and inspiring performance of a godlike work. Bravissimo...

[@andre26071955]

Superb performance, played, as far as i can se on the screen, from memory! the instrument itself is also a gem; it's about time that the restauration of the original instrument in Vilnius is getting started...

[@BohumirStehlik]

Hats off, fantastic interpretation!!!

[@СтепанПриваленов]

Лучшее исполнение, которое я слышал, спасибо, Дэвид!

[@bsko3D]

Thank you for this beautiful performance

[@sorabji1]

Beautiful, David! Brings back memories of lessons and long hours in that loft. Such a wonderful instrument to play, a full-bodied experience. I commend you on a great performance!

[@ChickenOfMajesty]

I have played this organ several times since it was completed. While learning this Prelude and Fugue, I was ecstatic to find such a masterfully played performance, this video, of the piece on an instrument I've made music on before. It made this performance all the more personal. Thanks, David!

[@michaelmartens7728]

The sound of this magnificent instrument reminds me of the famous Trost organs.

[@DangerousFacts48]

A.G. Casparini was an apprentice of Trost's

[@samshearman5251]

Such a beautiful work!

[@franciscoantonio4321]

Se ve y escucha perfecto , bello,gracias.

[@darthgeige]

It's awesome how relaxed you are preforming this difficult master pice. If you play like that under pressure of a competition it is not surprising that you won several organ comeptions. Congratulations.

[@bert-hassokemnitz8580]

David, Beste Version von J.S.BAchs Präludium BWV 543 (Weimar, 1709) auf YOU TUBE. Melodischer Ablauf, Registrierung, Tempi, Lautstärke, perfekter Orgel-Sound, beeindruckende Fuge , live mit kraftvollem Organisten.Just like J.S.Bach himself during his contract with the Duke of Weimar (1708-1717).

[@evanithecigaro]

J.S. Bach was a genious for writing this, and u are a genious for recording this. Beautiful!

[@james.flores]

Bravo! Stunning performance and live!

[@glockengambe]

This is by far the musical smartest interpretation of this brilliant organ piece that I've heard on YT. Given with deliberate registration. The articulation and expressive phrasing in the musical highlights within the piece show that the organist has grasped its architecture and significance. He gets far out more music than is available in the scores. This organ sounds really exciting and lets the BWV 543 appear very authentic.

[@marklee7864]

Wonderful Performance ^-^ 👏 👏

[@peachy7776]

when the bass comes in good GOD what a fantastic feeling

[@Pymmusic]

Bravissimo!!!

[@jeanseborg]

Wonderfull!

[@guapo86100]

magnifique !

[@scarlattienthusiast7934]

Excellent performance and musical sense. Superb instrument; it's interesting that it seems to be tuned a half step sharp. That gives the piece a slightly different effect. Still persuasive, but different.

[@kloutvor]

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@holyforce000]

One of my favorites! :)

[@ArtOfFugueBach]

awesome!!!

[@hendy24]

Amazing

[@jjbarnaba2802644]

EXELENT

[@massimodeangelis7770]

Mamma mia

[@dhfrew1]

Bravo!

[@davidetani7986]

wonderfull

[@bordone32]

Awesome

[@helioman1986]

excelente!!

[@jmeister321684]

Very very nice ;-)

[@cammus]

Is the tone really in A minor? Sounds a bit upper, Bb perhaps? Anyway, amazing piece and performance.

[@Darth321111]

Klaus Serra Different temperament/tuning - in this case A =/= 440Hz, and is instead a bit higher

[@jamesjeffery1686]

A = 465

[@JesusVelasquez-xc2ni]

0:01 dolor y muerte en un campo sagrado

[@saxachewon8062]

What is the tuning on this instrument?

[@wernerkaltenbach9851]

Carson Myers 468 Hz, unequal temperament after Neidhard "für ein Dorf"

[@michaelmartens7728]

Danke! Da scheint sich einer auszukennen. Die Orgel ist sicher von Adam Gottlobs Original in Vilnius / Wilna beeinflußt. AGC war übrigens Geselle bei Trost, die Görlitzer Sonnenorgel hatte sein Großvater Eugenio gebaut.

[@geiryvindeskeland7208]

Sorry for my bad English. The Fugue, the final chord: Why is it so important for organplayers not to play the final chord correct? He didn't wrote a semibreve!

[@Quintaton]

geir øyvind eskeland I'm sure Bach wasn't a pedant. If it sounds right, do it! In a big acoustic, that final chord would linger for quite a while.

[@geiryvindeskeland7208]

Sorry for my bad English. "If it sounds right, do it!" But that's the problem - it sounds bad, and the reason is simple: The time signature is 6/8, not any slow time signature. The final section of the fugue are filled with rapid note values. Therefore it sounds bad if the final chord is playing too long. So that's the explaination why the composer wrote the final chord short.

[@michaelmartens7728]

geir øyvind eskeland I can generally agree with you, and think you feel also disappointed at the sudden loss of energy when the final chord grows too long. I would not use the word "correct" in this context, although I am convinced that it is not a simple matter of taste or generosity. During my studies with this piece I tried various ways of interpretation in rooms with different acoustic. For me the composer has left a clear message with the unique notation of the last bar: the fugue ends nearly exploding in a well prepared climax with most powerful final chords. The finally harsh ending needs totally concentrated energy. It reminds me of the endings in the Toccata BWV 540: as if the beat has to go on over the end...

[@geiryvindeskeland7208]

Sorry for my inadequate English. I really enjoy reading your comment. . . "sudden loss of energy when the final chord grows too long." Exactly, I love the formulation! I also agree with you about Toccata BWV 540. The Fugue in a-minor: I'm sure you know that one of the notes in the theme in the pedal is missing. Because of rather fast tempo I guess.

[@michaelmartens7728]

geir øyvind eskeland thanks for your comment. You listened correctly -the missing pedal tone is originally left out by Bach himself due to the playability on an average old german organ pedal -kind of simplification, compare to BWV 531: a more simplified example. With my short legs i am sometimes in danger of slipping off the bench on some historical instruments... so one can be grateful to rather simple pedal work.

[@djmotise]

Last chord held way too long. Not what Bach wrote. And why the big extended ritard? And why the slight fermata on the first note of the prelude?

[@unkastacky]

darren motise So don't play it that way yourself. What silly questions.

[@geiryvindeskeland7208]

William, darren’s questions are exactly like those questions organ teachers would ask their pupils about. The only silly in this case is that your stupid reply has got three likes, and darren’s interesting questions none.

[@Theodosius3308]

3:46 little mistake :p