Virgil Fox Legacy | Bach | Gigue Fugue

[@peteacher52]

To some of the smart-arsed critics who lambaste Mr Fox's showmanship, two points; there are many more people who like than dislike his playing, and at the time this concert was given, Mr Fox knew he had terminal cancer and was in pain. He knew it would be one of his last, and was determined to enjoy it in his own unique way. Respect to the man's memory.

[@anb740]

Mr. Fox was well known for driving by himself to concerts, with his entourage following behind. He drove like a bat out of hell, and the vehicles behind him had a hard time keeping. It was often joked that he would show up on time all by himself; the rest had gotten pulled over for speeding! He also had a way with the female toll booth operators; he would get them so flustered in conversation that they would completely forget that he hadn’t paid the toll yet and would wave him on through. What a character!

[@jayelm5392]

A child prodigy, blessed with a warm outgoing personality. The courage never left him, even in clutches of cancer.

[@jimgreco1287]

I was very fortunate to have see him live and he is the best solo performer I've ever seen! No need to say more!

[@lewwilliams9617]

I was fortunate to have a lesson on this piece with Virgil Fox when I was in college. He was truly an inspiring teacher; who was able to clarify a thorny problem with a few simple words. I wish that he had taught more during his career.

[@stefanhinners2199]

What a great honor!!!!

[@deldridg]

@@stefanhinners2199 And for our friend Lew Williams! ;-)

[@V1rowt8]

Wow!

[@joespeciale5875]

I saw and heard Virgil Fox, in person when I wax 12 years old: it was a sensation. He was an extraordinary performer & had an incredible magnetism and connection with the audience, both young and old from children to senior citizens. And one of the things that people don’t note about Virgil Fox, he was an extraordinary practicer. It is known that he spent somewhere around 15 to 20 hours of every day practicing.

[@MrSteve280]

I first heard Virgin Fox play the Gigue Fugue sometime during my senior year in high school. I went out and bought the 8-Track tape and promptly put Led Zepplin and Yes on the back burner for a while.

[@johnferguson8993]

Fabulous! The joy that Virgil radiated is wonderful.

[@loulisak8990]

I met Mr Fox in the 70's. He came to West Liberty State college and performed. Afterwards, several of us went to Howard Johnson's for coffee and conversation....not only was he a gifted organist, he was a cool person too.

[@willcweedon]

This piece is what joy sounds like!

[@christinesmithduffy3372]

Saw him in concert many times. Pure joy!

[@canajaneh]

Virgil Fox is the best performer of Bach's organ music I've ever heard. I had a collection which, alas, disappeared in a move some time ago and have never been able to replace it.

[@Ianthe22]

I love the fact, that he only plays what he enjoys playing. It's not always strictly after the original notations. He always gives it that "Virgil Fox touch" which makes the pieces so playful. Love it.

[@deldridg]

It's quite moving to witness someone so engaged with and tapped into their 'life force' so close to life's end, and despite the pain he must have been enduring at the time. I can't imagine playing the piano for the last time or worse, hearing my old dad play the organ for the last time. Brings tears

[@charlesdavis7087]

Still dancing... in my heart. A hero, a musical hero to many of us. Blessings kid.

[@drdylanman]

Look at how much fun he is having playing this piece! He gets the same kind of enjoyment and pleasure that Eddie Van Halen showed while playing the guitar, and his fans knew that he was having a great time and not being a stressed out rock star! 🙂

[@UUpianoman]

I was at that concert too!! 1974? I remember the most stunning sunset ever on the way there from Camden, and that concert is etched in my memory as one of the best ever! How wonderful this man was. A gift to us.

[@KarnakKobalos]

Une très émouvante découverte, c'est le premier enregistrement de Virgil Fox que j'écoute, et je l'ai réécouter encore 5 ou 6 fois sans m'en lasser. Je regrette de ne pas être tomber plus-tôt sur des enregistrement de ce génie de l'orgue. C'est en cherchant plusieurs interprétations de la Gigue BWV 577 que je commençais à croire que personne n'arriverait à transmettre la joie et la fougue de cette pièce. Toutes les interprétations que j'ai pu trouver sur KZbin sont lentes et mornes, ou bien mécanique et sans vie, parfois même brouillonnes et semblable à de la soupe....Pleins de dépit je finis par trouver enfin cette vidéo qui me comble de bonheur, le jeux fluide, léger, précis et fougueux de Virgil est un régal. Un homme merveilleux ce Mr.Fox, quel plaisirs de pouvoir l'écouter !

[@jimmartin3978]

I was very privileged to see and hear Mr. Fox in Lancaster Pa at a church now demolished. The experience was great and I can tell that he had a great love for his Lord. His style just held you in awe but for all his flamboyance he gave praise to Him who is in charge! Wonderful entertainment and very fullfiling

[@gingervytis]

I saw VF in South Bend Indiana about 1973. I also met him that night. Seeing that show literally changed my life. I knew then that there was no future in playing bar band rock songs on an old Hammond. I quit the band, studied classical piano, and took a degree in music from Indiana University.

[@deldridg]

What a great story - now in 2020! I was talked out of my musical aspirations to pursue a more 'conventional' career. Now 52 I will likely die wondering. Having said that, I play daily and derive enormous joy from it - especially accompanying my 8yo daughter and her angel voice and encouraging my immensely skilled 10yo son with his piano (I'm not at all biased of course). Cheers from Sydney, Aust - Dave

[@junezydek1532]

I believe this may be one of his last concerts. He played up until 3 weeks before he died writhing in pain of cancer. I find him one of the most amazing musicians who ever lived.

[@phrispirit]

Yup. Isn't interesting how vilified he's been?

[@GlamRockCowboy]

No, this was recorded in 1977, some three years before he passed away.

[@phrispirit]

Thanks for your vigilance. Btw, I got my copy of "All the Stops" which is very enjoyable so far and thank you for that too!

[@martinthorp6752]

Doug Blakely

[@freemanz4051]

@@phrispirit Huh?

[@1900intz]

He loved life and performing.

[@srschrier]

Seeing this rediscovered video of Virgil Fox in a live concert in Tokyo late in his career is really great. I was privileged to hear him in concert in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the early 1970s playing a 140+ rank Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ at Fountain Street Church and again later while in college at a concert playing his early generation Rodgers three manual analog electronic instrument. I only wish the audio quality of this NHK Tokyo concert video had been better. On KZbin this instrument sounds electronic although he was actually playing the concert hall's large new German made Schuke pipe organ. The NHK Hall organ has two consoles, one up in the pipe gallery on the right wall above the stage and the other console is the mobile onstage five manual. The pipes occasionally can be seen whenever the wide view from the side of the stage is shown. The pipe organ in NHK's concert hall sounds far better than what is heard on this recording, but it's still a treat to see one of the 20t century's organ virtuosos in performance.

[@junezydek1532]

+srschrier I heard him in Detroit and got to meet him back stage. :)

[@robertgift]

Thank you. Alsounded like an electronic organ to me. The difference Electronic organs are in perfectune. Wish we could keep pipe organs in such tune.

[@johnhenryholiday4964]

He played with broken bones in his hands (the cancer had spread to his bones) and they fractured during a slight fall...

[@Drewnov2003]

Virgil Fox, I missed hearing him when I was a first year college organ major in 1981. Have all his recordings and treasure his memory. I think Carlo Curly got as close to doing what he was doing in bringing the organ to a pop rock audience.

[@irineoromero9398]

Hello there Mr. Thuita. A friend of mine showed me a fantastic video where maestro Fox plays this same gorgeous Fugue at a concert hall in Minnesota (can't recall now the exact name though, perhaps you can help me here somehow), with light effects on the background and everything. People were applauding madly to the tune and I just couldn't resist but start trying to dance to its tune. Can you possibly guide me to a site where I can watch/hear it, please? How fortunate you are for having all those treasures in your possession, truly. Congratulations!

[@dannyjacobsen6215]

I did not have the honor to see Mr. Fox in person but have enjoyed his music and style for many years. I am sure the pain he suffered was mild next to the joy he felt sharing his gift with the world. I have played many of the same pieces, but now suffer the effects of arthritis, so like many I just enjoy hearing a Master Musician.

[@arsmvsicae6539]

Quelle magnifique interprétation de cette très belle , vous nous offrez ! La persistance obstinée du T°, le caractère volontaire et joyeux de la Gigue, danse ancienne "enlevée", est exprimé ici avec brio ! Vous savez, de plus, susciter l'intérêt de l'auditeur, en réussissant, on ne peut mieux, à faire partager votre grande passion !! BRAVO & MILLE MERCI !!!

[@AndreIsoirFansClub]

Ub genio assoluto!!! Virgil fox suona perfettamente e per di più tutto a memoria, incredibile!!! Peccato non ho potuto ascoltarlo di persona!

[@janiscortese]

There is nothing to beat the joy of seeing someone who is that gifted doing what they love brilliantly, and having a rip-roaring good time doing it! A pity there aren't more Virgil Foxes in the world. What an incredibly joyous piece of music!

[@glenhorn9453]

Your music sounds so heavenly, that God and His Angels would enjoy it! Beautiful performance! I have always loved big pipe organs. Thank you for all of magnificent performances.

[@johnanderson3700]

I had the pleasure of meeting him, and he was a delightful human being. His memory was fascinating. Even though we only met briefly at a reception, the next time I saw him after a recital, he called me by name and it was over a year later.

[@DavidSnyderLumierist]

Thank for the kind remberance.As Virgils PR man for 17 years,,I knew Englewood well,including our resident ghost! Blessings, David Snyder,,Lumierist, Creator of Heavy Organ Touring Production

[@hydrostatic100]

Right now Virgil Fox is up above in heaven sharing notes with Johann Sebastian Bach and making wonderful music! This is how Bach should be played! With Guts! All the purists think this is terrible! Well Fox played Bach like non other! He played it how Bach would have wanted to play it in his time! Long live Virgil!

[@organbuilder272]

Get off it. Have you lost your mind?

[@cathrynpindzola9578]

On the Heavy Organ vinyl record that I have, he says "I play the melody one, two, three times in the hands, the fourth time, I DANCE the gigue!" Now I have seen him do exactly that! I wish that I had been more into organ music back then, it was the Heavy Organ recording that turned me to it. I became a (self-taught) organist because of Virgil Fox!

[@harrypray88k]

I saw Mr. Fox at play this piece at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, SC while a college student. It was a carefree and fantastic night. The red haired hippie danced his heart out while Virgil danced in the pedals!

[@jerrytrue4981]

When I am tempted to have a "down" day, I listen to Virgil to bring sunshine back into my spirit. As a sometime aspiring organist myself, one who understands the thinking behind much of the criticism leveled against Virgil, I stand eternally in awe of him. I believe he was truly the greatest organist ever. I know he's the greatest I've ever heard, and I've heard most of them. Jerry5185

[@NeilGastonguay]

Exuberant and and joyful. A winning combination of musicianship and showmanship.

[@theflightofthebumble]

He's just having so much fun!!!

[@michalgeppert5373]

Because it's very fun to play this. But it's not fun to learn this ;P

[@scotm2250]

I saw Virgil live at Cullen Auditorium at U of H in 1973, he invited all back stage to meet him, I stood in line for a long time to shake his and say hi, will never forget it. I taught myself to play this piece. Is fun.

[@conemadam]

His gigue fugue is still the most stirring I’ve ever heard.

[@WelshHomo87]

It really is

[@user-jx3jp3gb4x]

just wonderful ,, Virgil was,,, and still is,,,, in our hearts!

[@stefanhinners2199]

Yes, really, he does!

[@davidjames1684]

I love how he slowed down the ending with a strong final chord. Very nice.

[@winstonelston5743]

My introduction to this piece and to Virgil Fox was a 1975 Heavy Organ concert with the Revelation Lights at the Atlanta Civic Center. The official finale of the concert was the Passacaglia and Fugue in C-minor, at the end of which the light show appeared to show a gibbous moon through a fog cloud. When the fog cleared and the focus sharpened, the moon resolved into a portrait of JS Bach. I couldn't name the encores, but The Maestro favored his audience repeatedly until he appeared to be on the brink of collapse.

[@KV4671]

Een meester in hoe hij de muziek van de grote Bach laat dansen. Dit is Gigue in grootse vorm.

[@karlsonkab51]

I saw his performance at the Keith Albee theater, Huntington WV. The 144 speaker Rodgers touring organ had real dynamics and spatial quality not obtainable with just a few speakers. Fox was exuberant and in strong form - the light show was very effective in that small theater. I wonder if such a tour would sell today (?)

[@OrganMusicYT]

The same happened with Reginald Dixon, he played to 14,000 people a day, live for 40 years at Blackpools Tower Ballroom. The public adored him all over the globe, conventional theatre organists do not because he broke the "rules".

[@hank1519]

Have you seen this video of him? kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGPGlH6lo8-qj6c

[@1900intz]

A genius and fantastic artist. He will always be remembered.

[@gregc6902]

Bach....for the masses and Virgil wanted all of us to dance the Gigue to his imcomparable renditions. 35 years later, I still love you Virgil, RIP!! Thank you for your immortal gift!

[@PaulWesleyBowen]

The main reason why Virgil Fox was disliked ... if you are a "trained seal" church organist, and I'm not trying to be harsh, but if you are "trained to do" in such and such a way, then yes, you will dislike VF because he broke most of the rules in the book whenever he wanted to ... and in the meantime, restored CPO to the mainstream of music, something that none of the others managed. His college concerts, right in the middle of the rock era, were "sellouts" ... no one else came close ...

[@DumpsterStig]

How could anyone dislike this!

[@cresta14]

He is a super heroe as Organist, person and salesman, able to have hundreds in his concerts...amazing,,,,you should be alive Mr Fox....

[@muzicmanj]

I have idolised this man all my musical life, his attitude towards the music that he plays makes it more appealing not to just himself but the listener. The people on here who have put him down clearly do not see music the way he did, and therefore I feel sorry for you. Because he is one of the most amazing musicians I have ever heard. I really do wish there were more musicians like Virgil Fox.

[@JustfineinChicago]

I knew Virgil Fox well, myself. He was quite a showman, but I loved hearing him tell his stories, and I also enjoyed taking lessons from him, on the fly, whenever our paths crossed. I was trained to be a cathedral organist by a student of the late Dr. Clarence Dickerson, fondly known as Dr. D, by his students; who taught my last professor of sacred music at Union Theological.

[@jamiemark6359]

Had the pleasure of meeting Virgil Fox at a charity do once. He was surprisingly down to earth, and VERY funny.

[@bastienbastienne]

J'aime beaucoup votre phrasé: d'abord [ haché], puis [lié ]. Le Tempo, "enlevé", invite à danser la Gigue !Votre interprétation est assez proche de celles de Christian BARTHEN & de Matthias HAVINGA [sur You Tube] Bravo & Merci !!

[@1philip]

In 1975 he played this in Portland, OR. There was a light show with a little character dancing a jig. ❤️

[@charlesdavis7087]

In a word: "Joy" pure joy... mistakes and all. Long live the spirit of Virgil Fox! CVD

[@stefanhinners2199]

Thats really true, not the mistakes, but the genius!!!!

[@deaganjones4666]

on the very rare occasion that he does make a mistake, you don't care because its virgil fox

[@BurkhardTerhart]

Seeing him playing always makes me smile!

[@zkwwz4365]

I was lucky enough to see Virgil Fox on the Heavy Organ tour in 1970 ( or 71) at the splendid Keith-Albee theatre in Huntington, West Virginia. It was a packed house and he had us rockin' ! I went backstage to meet him and get an autographed album. He signed "Virgil sends Love". I told him he made Walter (later Wendy )Carlos ( "Switched-On Bach" ) sound like a tin can. Virgil was immensely talented and a dear and gracious man.

[@scronx]

You're enthusiasm for the Virge is great and I share it -- but Carlos is a truly outstanding (yet very humble) musician on that very album and its successor The Well-Tempered Moog.

[@scotm2250]

I was lucky to see Virgil twice. First at UofH in Houston in '72, with his Rogers Touring Organ and the light show, at intermission, stepped outside to see snow, a rare event in Houston. A couple of years later in Dallas with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Genius. No one will ever compare.

[@wilfriedvomacka1783]

Stunning! Virgil not only played the music, he was the music.

[@christinericart4554]

What joy he has in the performance!!

[@DavidSnyderLumierist]

I remembered that night and yes it was great wasn't it? Thanks for remembering it. Blessing, David Snyder,,Lumierist Creator of Heavy Organ Touring Production

[@TheMiguellascano]

Maestro!!!!!....sos Bach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bcgrittner8076]

Back in the day I was going to see VF at the Guthrie in Minneapolis. And then he died. I also missed his performance at the St. Paul Civic Center. At least I can still enjoy his talent while watching these videos.

[@TheMiguellascano]

Qué maestro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@akeeldberg5218]

In 1980 I attended a feast at Uppsala Castle in Sweden where 150 people danced to this jig (played out on a 1+000 watt stereo). An unforgettable experience.

[@AndreIsoirFansClub]

meraviglioso! tecnica perfetta e suona tutto a memoria! geniale!

[@enockboahen9227]

Wow what a nice performance

[@smcracraft]

Practiced and mastered this piece. Fond of Fox/Richter/Biggs/Emerson and the master JSB. Not sure what to say about it all. Practiced at the Donald E. Knuth Tracker organ at my alma mater Stanford and with Professor Herbert Nanney, Department of Music Stanford, at the Memorial Church organ. If/when you are next there. do remember, these comments -- enjoy!!!! --Stuart-- P.S. I pushed HN very hard on re-joining with JSB in his own practice as I am a complete JSB fanatic. --Stuart--

[@robertgift]

Did Helmut Walcha everecord 577? Can't imagine it being as good as E. Power Biggs on the Flentrop organ. The mordents, grace notes and trills heard athe beginning I play throughouthis magnificent work. Biggs makes a little mistake in the pedal which sounds somewhat like a mordent. It soundso good that I play a mordenthere.

[@PointyTailofSatan]

What many purists didn't consider about Fox was that he was not a regular concert musician. He was a musical evangelist. His forte was introducing classical music to the unenlightened, and in particular, teens and young adults. And if showmanship was required to make this happen, so be it. Twice I brought friends to his concerts, friends that knew nothing of classical music, or thought all classical keyboard music consisted of pieces like the Turkish March and the like. These friends were all blown away by Fox's Bach, and left the concerts stunned, and now lifelong classical music converts. Such was the power of Virgil Fox.

[@rozconniwestsand7841]

Back in the 70s days of vinyl I wore out the discs of Fox and E. Power Biggs. They were the original great organists! 🎵🎶💖💝

[@inquistve]

Virgil nailed it - "[Bach] has all of this amazing spirit and imagine that you could put all the music on one side of the agenda with his great interpretation and great feeling and put the greatest man of all right up on top of a dusty shelf underneath some glass case in a museum and say that he must not be interpreted! They're full of you know what and they are so untalented that they had to hide behind this thing 'cause they couldn't get in the House of Music any other way!" ~Virgil Fox

[@escopiliatese3623]

inquistve oh yes, making ad hominems to compensate for your awful technique is great.

[@HankySwankles]

No one could play this quite like Mr. Fox. It is fact of life.

[@jeanneal9413]

I saw Virgil Fox performing when I was about 8 years old, which would make it about 69 years ago. My dad, a great organist himself, told me, "Watch those feet!" What a wonderful memory!

[@michaelhoerig4430]

No matter what you think about Virgil, you cannot deny his incredible technique.

[@andreasisenberg8700]

Wow! Awesome technical skill. There are some flaws, but it's live and what is more, the whole spirit is marvelous!

[@PRACTICEPIANO]

Thank you for posting this video. Virgil Fox: a life well lived.

[@5610winston]

I heard him play this very enthusiastically in the Atlanta Civic Center, a "Heavy Organ" recital accompanied by "The Revelation Lights". Would have been along about 1975, if I remember right. He invited the audience to rise and dance a gigue "when the fugue hits the feet!" At the end of this piece, he rose from the console and led the audience in a chant: "B-A-C-H! B-A-C-H! B-A-C-H!"

[@spikespa5208]

I hope that someone, some day, releases a remastered version of his Heavy Organ concert from Winterland in SF from the early 70's.

[@SuperBabel2]

Sublime maitrise, trés trés fort ! D.BABEL

[@huibtollenaar2574]

veel fouten, heel slordig gespeeld!

[@billginnj6595]

The man was amazing!

[@freemanz4051]

Military service During World War II, Fox enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces and took a leave of absence from Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Baltimore and the Peabody. He was promoted to staff sergeant and played various recitals and services at the request of Eleanor Roosevelt. He served on her Home Hospitality Committee and entertained returning troops who were in Walter Reed Hospital, by playing a piano he pushed around, and joining in with two others. They sang funny and rather raunchy songs to the bedridden. After having played more than 600 concerts while on duty, plus his obligations to H.H.C, he was discharged from the Army Air Forces in 1946.

[@donnaterkildsen7211]

Virgil Fox is to the organ, what Glenn Gould was to the piano....a genius!!!

[@hdgehog6]

I grew up with Virgil Fox.... OMG

[@bt10ant]

His 70's concerts at the intimate Beckman Auditorium at Cal Tech in Pasadena were amazing. They always sold out and I never missed one. It may have only been the Rodgers Touring Organ and not a "real" instrument, but for the many folks there who'd never heard an organ concert, it was a great introduction.

[@kb2seo]

Mr.JB Says:"You are absolutely right. I completely agree. Thus, Fox's approach to Bach's music is also sacrilegious..." Do you tape yourself to a board before going to concerts?It was Virgil Fox and Walter Carlos (yeah, I know,) that lit my passion for Bach. thanks to a new Teacher who dropped the Fillmore album in my lap. If you have passion and FEELING for the music, it is NOT sacrilege.Music, Like Prayer is done with conviction and expression of self. pull the pipe out of your keester

[@UrbanOutcast_MMA]

This is truly a goated performance.

[@AndreIsoirFansClub]

Un genio assoluto!

[@scotm2250]

After the concert had ended, you could go backstage and meet Virgil. No matter how long the line was, he would shake hands and greet everyone who wanted to say "Thank you."

[@benk314]

It's like he's having a party, and we're all invited.

[@bcstechnologylimited896]

One of the greatest organists in modern history.

[@henrygarciga]

This has an Irish jig feel which I can dance to--splendiferous selection!!

[@robertgift]

Bravo! Virgil. So fun. The mistakes are inconsequential in such a lively performed work. But I really like Biggs recording on the Flentrop organ much better. When I play this I must look athe pedals. But I also continue the mordents, grace notes and trills throughouthis joyous work.

[@charleskesner1302]

The Master.

[@theRealPlaidRabbit]

YES!!! That is how to play Bach! Not by pinning him to a sheet like a dead moth, but by swinging down to the pub with him and having a beer.

[@jackjowsey1927]

theRealPlaidRabbit b

[@escopiliatese3623]

That is not how Bach would’ve played Bach.

[@bibliopolist]

@@escopiliatese3623 Not in 1730, but why not in 1980.

[@GlamRockCowboy]

While my own personal favorite Fox performances, both of this work and of BWV 565, are from the "Heavy Organ at Winterland" album, this rendition is certainly nothing to sneeze at, particularly in view, not only of the state of Virgil's health, but also of the problems Virgil had with this organ, particularly the console! Schuke, the organ builder, is said to have never built an organ like this one before (particularly the second console which Virgil uses here!), and so a number of mistakes were made in the process. When Virgil was confronted with this monstrosity, he practically went up in smoke! He explained the problems that the console especially presented, not only in enabling him to perform the works of Bach, but also the Jongen Symphonie Concertante. As I recall, they practically had to rebuild and rewire the dumb thing before Virgil would agree to go through with the performance! (Of course, when he finally did. it was a triumph for him!) This was a demonstration, not of "artistic temperament," but rather of musical and artistic integrity! Throughout his career, Virgil had VERY high standards, and his audiences responded accordingly.

[@spikespa5208]

It is my hope that one day someone will post a recording of Fox's Heavy Organ at Winterland. It introduced me to him and has a power and "fury" lacking in other recordings. And played to a very appreciative crowd of crazies.

[@robertgift]

What was wrong withe Schuke console? Schuke did not build ito AGO specifications like alhis others?

[@parisalan1]

I can't watch this without seeing C. Montgomery Burns playing Bach

[@HIPguy]

Awesome!

[@BruceXuHasADream]

matthew cates Lmfao

[@joshuawhittemore1283]

He was truly a blessed genius.