Toccata BWV 538 Koopman, Schnitger organ

[@stevenschrier4207]

Impressive performance that beautifully illustrates the capability of the Schnitger tracker mechanical pipe organ constructed in the late 17th century. Ton Koopman performs BWV 538 at a fast tempo, a tempo that allows us to consider how talented professional organists of the 17th & 18th century might have played. Many people, including myself, used to believe the older European tracker pipe organs could not be played at a fast tempo, that baroque organ music performance was slow and ponderous, because of the imagined heavy key action created by the pipe organ's tracker mechanisms. However the academic research literature, and firsthand research of my own, tells us Bach's contemporaries frequently described his organ & keyboard performance technique as virtuosic. Listen again to Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #5, the concerto's virtuoso harpsichord solo says it all. With this KZbin video Ton shows us how vibrant, energetic performance was possible on quality 17th & 18th century pipe organs. There's no reason to believe Bach played his organ compositions any slower than today's contemporary organists. Ton's performance of the "Doric Toccata" on this Schnitger instrument clearly shows what 17th & 18th century organ technology was capable of achieving for the talented professional musician. I oftentimes believe Bach could foresee a time when pipe organs would have greater technical capability. His music lends itself to many interpretations. During a 2011 visit to Leipzig I came away with the impression Bach was quite literally pushing the existing music technologies (and oftentimes his musicians) to their limit. One can only imagine what he might have composed had electricity been available. Composing by candlelight and playing a pipe organ was a team effort with folks pumping bellows. I believe Bach had a pedal clavichord in his family's apartment at the Thomaschule so at least he could practice and evaluate his compositions before taking them into the church and getting a team of bellows pumpers together so he could play them on the organ. Soli deo Gloria!

[@УзеирМамедов-п6л]

I heard, that Bach had two pedal harpsichords in his collection.

[@annawood5725]

This is unusually slow for Ton Koopman - to my huge relief! ;-)

[@rsns311257]

The organ music by Bach was, in fact, conceived to be played more slowly than the harpsichord works. Not only Forkel tells us that but, perhaps more important, the works are usually writen in longer notes than those intended for harpsichord. And Koopman is not playing unusually fast here.

[@ForestChav]

The organ and church (aside from the chests and pipework) were totally destroyed in WW2. This is a 1993 Ahrend organ using Schnitger pipework, not a 17th or 18th century tracker.

[@someonelol3404]

There is this emotion in music that can not be traducted in words, it is this feeling of "power" that we can find in this piece.

[@tristantheuerkorn5124]

"Music is just time whereas architecture is just space." (Schopenhauer) "Music is the most powerful of all the arts." (also Schopenhauer).

[@someonelol3404]

@@tristantheuerkorn5124 "Without music, life would be a mistake" (Nietzsche)

[@tristantheuerkorn5124]

@@someonelol3404 Absolutely! 🙂

[@danmeaton9559]

This is insanely good!!! Great sounding organ, Koopman as good as ever. How someone wrote this hundreds of years ago is pure genius, Bach is awesome 👏

[@CantGetEnoughBach]

I never tire of it. Thank you for the energy. I won't complain about the tempo. Every musical expression is unique, and I love to listen to many. Some breathe fire, others call to the very roots of the soul. This does both. Thank you.......

[@javierdiazsantana]

The power of the organ is amazing. Beyond any words

[@tristantheuerkorn5124]

"The Queen of all instruments."

[@johnswimcat]

Every time I hear this wonderful piece I find so much beauty and joy in it

[@flavioserci6046]

Modified meantone temperament and the music has a new light. I love it with its dissonances and brilliant major chords. I love it.

[@Isegawa2001]

This is the definitive version.

[@passacaglia28]

thanks for posting this James. This is so beautiful.

[@BALDASSARREBRENTANI]

Great , superb performance ! we can understand all the single notes..!

[@stefanop.6097]

4:09 -> pedals solo! So metal 😂

[@Reino_X]

amazing

[@MaxMeloni]

It’s a box full of wonders

[@advisorC101]

@MusicPredominates, I know what you mean, there are other recordings of him where he uses different registrations. But personally speaking, I like this one the most out of his records. I think perhaps Ton said to himself that the piece is so terrifyingly "gripping" that he would rather let it 'speak for itself'. So in retrospect... Yes, I agree that the concept of the piece as a whole is very gripping.

[@Rheinlander95]

Phantastic! Breathtaking! Gripping! I love the tempo as well. After all it IS a Toccata.

[@disdonc6012]

Widor's is also a Toccata and he wouldn't get tired of telling everyone to play it more slowly.

[@ZoeEGrace]

Well Ton Koopman is the trillmeister so I'm sure that there is no question about it; he chose not to. His interpretation varies quite a bit from time to time and organ to organ. :)

[@redpenink12]

great playing

[@basgro]

Alex Gilson

[@raulreyes725]

just perfect!!!

[@3001st]

J.S. Bach. Dorian. Ton Koopman, born 2nd October 1944 in Zwolle, Netherlands.

[@drollie123]

I love Arb Schnitger. Would love to be his companion in building those beautiful organs. They are so open, so transparent.

[@Karlfalcon]

Yes.

[@VanAllen009]

Great!

[@micangess]

divino!

[@enthusedtosing9655]

Intense but God is it great

[@bowlerrollercoaster]

Who do you think performed it better? Ton Koopman, or Karl Richter? I can't decide.

[@silviosaditesche1556]

Der grosser Thomaskantor ist als Kantor nicht zu schlagen, doch als Organist ist Koopman einfach besser.

[@sylvanbear7125]

Now there's a guy who'se REALLY stoned!

[@sylvanbear7125]

What's the hurry? This is Bach!

[@bachinblack94]

Is a toccata, Watson. Toccata is a fast piece. And anyway, there are a lot of interpreters that do it faster. Check Chapuis version, for example.

[@yaelpalombo4093]

❤️👏🎹🎼

[@wunnagunna9608]

is A = 495.5 hz best and why or why not?

[@marknewkirk4322]

If you have to sing it, it is not best... The high notes become a real strain, and endurance, already a challenge in Bach, becomes will nigh impossible.

[@camirueda278]

wow ~l~

[@MusicPredominates]

Could we not do with a little more difference in registration strengths between the two manuals. Anyways, I consider the descending quaver scales in the pedal the most gripping section of this composition. But the whole is gripping is it not ?

[@MusicPredominates]

bach's 'dorian' toccata' und fuge oder Franck's Piece Heroique ?

[@ccoraxfan]

I find it odd that even Ton Koopman can't seem to sustain a trill in this piece! (1:30)

[@ThomCountryfan]

The thrill is not hard at all. It would have been no problem for Kopman for sure. Even I can do it as a non-professional player.

[@ForestChav]

Because it sounds like a giant spoon if you hold the trill for the whole bar.

[@Isegawa2001]

The effect works too well to not be deliberate IMO.

[@1100carver]

Pedal is too soft. In this toccata is this dialogue between Hauptwerk, Positiv and Pedal very important.

[@robertgift]

Wonderful, exciting tempo! 1:31 How disappointing that he does not continue the dramatic trill for the entire note. I play it. 2:46 Many notes not heard in this area. Same here: 4:48

[@HansLaros]

You worry too much ;-)

[@ForestChav]

Whatever, Ton is the finest Bach player. I really didn't see anything at any of those. Actually i listened to Walcha the other day and there were even a few wrong notes.

[@robertgift]

@@HansLaros No worry. I just play what is written and want ito be clear.

[@robertgift]

@@ForestChav Often I must listen to Walcha as an antidote to Ton _"Kan't connect notes"_ Koopman. Koopman often sounds impatient. But I also like Ton's tempos over Walcha'sometimes a little to slow tempi. I do not recall any wrong notes by Helmut except in the Wedge Fugue where he gets the left hand notes out of timing. Think I heard another organist do the same. (Why? I never had a problem with it.) Oh. Walcha plays a wrong note near the beginning of BWV538. A wrong note in the Peter's Edition score? Surprised he did not hear that it is wrong.

[@Mullikia]

Is this organ tuned high?...sounds like f min, not d.

[@ForestChav]

tone sharp

[@matteagle2185]

...better than Diane Bish.

[@christopherkeenan2294]

lol most decent European organists would put her to shame on this repertoire

[@liljs4189]

Christopher Keenan could you??

[@tristantheuerkorn5124]

So muß man sich Bach vorstellen.

[@fossosejore]

Ehi Tom, why so fast? Will your yoghurt expire in the fridge?

[@heeberman]

Maybe he chose not to.

[@advisorC101]

@dbringen1, And your second rate satire is born from complete ignorance. Ton can see into the higher realms of art, while you cannot even see past the tip of your own nose.

[@JKGaming1414]

Honestly... listening to this after Karl Richter's interpretation is quite painful. Sounds like a monotonic mess.

[@Todd1356]

Keve Józsa Biggs is my favorite kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHqUhZlphbqBmMU