Performing Bach's Orgelbüchlein: O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622

Learning to play Bach on the organ, using the "Little Organ Book" or
Orgelbüchlein. Music performance starts here: • Performing Bach's Orge...
For all the Orgelbüchlein episodes in order, see
• Bach's Orgelbüchlein (... .
For some background information, see the
introductory film on • Bach's Orgelbüchlein: ... .
This episode was recorded in Bjerkreim Church in Norway. Details of the
organ can be found on ryde-berg.no/o... .
The series is presented by Dr Tim Rishton www.rishton.eu

[@timrishton5871]

For all the Orgelbüchlein episodes in order, see kzbin.info/aero/PLABcWksVExXsIRFhMOewhg1hNzPDUxAsR

[@Bach6032]

Enjoyable, insightful and instructive comments and a wonderfully expressive performance. Thank you for sharing this.

[@timrishton5871]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it. Tim

[@Giggleswick84]

yes, Yes, YES. Best performance I've ever heard. Understated, but gripping and tragic. Exactly as described in the helpful talk.

[@timrishton5871]

Thank you! Glad you find the talk helpful. Tim

[@Filius-kr9hk]

When I some years ago studied in Heidelberg, we should play this work. I heard several CDs and actual performances as well as direct tuition. This music seems possible to play, difficult to play well - and impossible to play so well as this, with so much controlled passion, so much inevitability and direction. It is a great experience to hear the talk and performance - and I am inspired to take out the score again and try to improve my old performance. Thank you for giving me a new goal!

[@timrishton5871]

I'm very pleased that you are inspired to work on the piece - it's wonderful music and I hope you enjoy it!

[@johnparsons9089]

A glorious performance, with just the right amount of flow against rubato, and lovely ornaments which arise out of the melody, rather than being superimposed. I've listened to many performances of this, and this is one of the very best in my view.

[@timrishton5871]

Thank you so much, John - I really appreciate it. Tim

[@user-yy1zr2sc4d]

Yes, I agree with you, a glorious performance indeed. We have 14 recordings of the piece here at the university but I have kept returning to this video to try to decide what it was about this performance that was so moving. You're right - it has a feel of tragic inevitability but tempered by that subtle rubato and the lovely ornaments, making a perfect balance. There is no other recording quite like it, I feel. And superb articulation of the phrases.

[@EllenMoore-fb6nr]

Absolutely wonderful. Thank you.

[@timrishton5871]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-yy1zr2sc4d]

Lovely😀

[@mewsdo]

I like your approach to this work.... I like what you have to say about it... may I just add that articulation can help the music to 'speak'...? I mean a tiny gap in the legato that might result from a finger hopping to an adjacent note, without movement of the hand. The first note of trills would benefit from such an articulation, ie the equivalent of a consonant. We hear a slight chiff rather than a silence.... all best, Douglas

[@timrishton5871]

Thank you for the helpful comment, which is much appreciated. In the series as a whole I've proposed a relatively-legato approach to the chorale melody to distinguish it from the other parts in order to reinforce the integrity of the chorale, but I know that especially transatlantic colleagues often slightly separate the notes of the chorale, which creates a different but also valid effect. The problem with the start of trills in this particular piece is that the majority of them are preceded by their own auxiliary, which means that an articulation would require a very distinct repetition of the note, which I personally would find obtrusive and out of place. For that reason I've tended to tie preceeding notes over into the trill. But I'll give some thought to your ideas - and it may be that my colleague in the part B episode will have some thoughts, too. Very best wishes, Tim