XAVER VARNUS PLAYS BACH'S PASSACAGLIA IN THE GREAT SYNAGOGUE ORGAN OF BUDAPEST 1/2

The Varnus Organ Hall needs your help. We are asking the community's support to restoring and operating Varnus Hall, Canada's only private organ concert venue owned by Xaver Varnus, to provide a worthy home for organists, famous artists and young talent alike, from around the world to perform, and broadcast their concerts online. We are grateful to you if you can help our work with any donations. ca.gofundme.com/f/fundraising...
Recorded live in 2004.
Eight thousand people.
xavervarnus

[@dieselheart001]

This is just magnificent- the Passacaglia is brooding, pensive and lovely. Varnus approaches it with a confidence that I haven't heard before. The opening notes are tentative but ponderous, almost foreboding. What follows is delicious musical angst, the rending of Heaven with plaintive, pain-filled musical cries for restoration and redemption. This just makes me want to fry bacon in the nude, with this at full volume on my sound system. It's just that noble!

[@jidduvega9565]

I personally find your version amazing. I can hear all the chords and harmonies that Bach had in his head. It also makes you have an idea of what Bach's ideas were and his thoughts.

[@13thBear]

Magnificent! The organ sound just flows through my body. I may not know music or the organ but I know what I feel and I feel marvelous and I know I have heard a master musician sharing his talent and soul with us. To those of you complaining, you have my sympathy for not feeling what I feel.

[@nicolesanhuezaheller2173]

maravilloso, menos mal que existen gente tan virtuosa para traspasar estas grandes obras que nos hacen desconectarnos de este pequeño mundo.

[@user-be8wr4jj1q]

Хавер спасибо тебе за волшебную музыку ! ! !🙂

[@organblower]

It is a new mechanical organ with 63 voices and 4 manuals built in 1996 by the German firm Jehmlich Orgelbau Dresden GmbH. If I remember the story correctly, the huge turnout to this event was unexpected. There were 8000 in attendance which means SRO as the Great Synagogue, also known as Dohány Street Synagogue seats less than 3000. The synagogue is the 2nd largest in Europe. The twin domes soar to 43 meters which should give the building an excellent acoustic for organ.

[@user-be8wr4jj1q]

Волшебная музыка органа супер видео ! ! !🙂

[@adagio2915]

❣️Mind-blowing, totally masterful performance❣️

[@Panoramix67]

***** Belles sonorités auxquelles on ne s'attend pas! BRAVO!!!

[@CHOLACHACAL]

Me parece muy original su interpretacion. Me encanta.

[@sbakst]

Aside from the music, this synagogue is beautiful!

[@peteacher52]

This is brilliant! Why should Xaver Varnus play it much the same as all the others? He is well known for coming up with something a little different and unexpected, and this vast audience came to hear their wonderful organ put through its paces. They would not have been disappointed. And as for those who are whining about poor mic placement and the organ needing attention, all I can say is that an organist of Varnus's stature wouldn't have played it if it needed attention.

[@edigabrieli7864]

Note by note Varnus play the same as any other professional of his level but Varnus is a master of dynamics and dare to stand out with this quality sometimes taking risks, love it or hate it Varnus is not one to go unnoticed.

[@SUPER80s]

Molto originale! Sicuramente meno banale di quelle esecuzioni piatte che vanno tanto di moda oggi, tutte uguali.

[@tolick01]

Jhr. Humphrey. Fabulous and Wonderful.

[@MrGar11]

very good

[@PavaDK]

У у у у у Божественно ! Слава господу ! !

[@user-be8wr4jj1q]

Хавер супер органист мира ! ! !🙂

[@Engineer9736]

Love it, what a great atmosphere and culture there. I wish I could experience such a recital live :).

[@AGLMIL]

Excelent interpretation!!!! Thank you

[@lacibacsi2519]

Gyönyörü! Danke!

[@LiliaAnauSmith]

Thanks. A un passo dal cielo...

[@Matigor-Mefistoo]

interesting version, heavy and slow, monumental

[@RiccardoBonci]

I personally wouldn't play the Passacaglia in this romantic style, and wouldn't stretch the tempo of the theme at the very beginning in the same way. The registration choices, as for pretty much every organ performance by anyone, could be debated till kingdom come, however I just wonder what prompted the very first entry of a loud trumpet to enunciate a secondary theme. Pure curiosity. This said, I think the whole debate here is based on personal taste, academic versus unconventional. We could keep debating for ever, however.... let's just keep making music and entertain our audiences, shall we? Peace and love everyone!

[@martasimon5820]

nagyszerű szuper

[@martasimon5820]

Kedves Xavér. Van olyan érzésem ,hogy fölujitás és karbantartás alatt van az az orgona amelyiken 😍😍legközelebb hangversenyt szerettél volna adni.Reméljük jobb hangja is lesz nincs kizárva.

[@Arjunai]

Sometimes surprising registers, but nice played...

[@mattmaysfan]

very sorry that the end is cut off - was there applause? did the last note reverberate???

[@JohnSmith-lu1mu]

Reminds me of Karl Richter's interpretation, with the registrations and all

[@markb61]

a refeshingly different treatment - Varnus adds color to a lot of pieces that could use it

[@erzsebetforgacs4720]

Ezen a koncerten játszotta a Bolerót is, amit sehol nem találok. Tudna valaki segiteni?

[@glutinousmaximus]

As a Bach piece, it was a bit slow getting off the ground; but worth the wait!

[@Engineer9736]

I actually enjoy the slow heavy intro. It’s why i keep coming back to this recording 🙂 Too bad one of the audio channels drops out during the soft middle part

[@Engineer9736]

Link to part 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2XYY3p8rNdojs0

[@95bach]

@themates46 You have the reason, Varnus is a great player but his registration was bad

[@anotherday3365]

Hehe...he has his "organ shoes" on... ;-D

[@ledylanclair]

Was the plague going around? I haven't heard so much coughing in one place!

[@zwz.zdenek]

At least there was no selfitis going around, no playing with phones.

[@Dirkovic80]

bach wrote no diary only his wife i guess ...

[@faithmatters1004]

Elephants!

[@mlodyorganista]

Where is this synagogue?

[@loujudson]

It might be in Budapesht.

[@justinianlthegreat7378]

this is one of my favorite songs but he was to slow in my opinion and kinda messed it up

[@Conan2403]

This is not a song, there's nothing being sung... It's a piece

[@johanswart1]

@Dirkovic80 This reaction is inappropriate and does not do justice to this masterpiece. Apparently you forgot to listen....

[@justinianlthegreat7378]

I understand Karl Richter did the same song also in a slower way but at least Karl Richter was intune with it. Xaiver was like seconds long and overall changed the pipes as he played when it could have sounded better with the same pipes. not hating but I wasn't feeling the vibe in this performance. but hey A for effort

[@gerardesberg]

he plays verry well , but hus registration do i not like , from loud to soft , i like it more when you buld it slowly up.

[@cyronoiyo3953]

Then listen to Pierre Cochereau playing it

[@Hauptwerkgek]

This organ needs some work, not to much, I think in a couple of weeks, maybe months, maybe years... well, it shouldn't take much longer. hmmm, maybe a couple of days more. but thats it!... I believe, or maybe not, I don't know... But it definitely needs some work!

[@rekkinregen]

bach and a celeste stop. of course....... pfffffffffffffffffff

[@organbuilder272]

Too bad they didn't remember they were in the 20th century when they rebuilt the organ. Why anyone should want this tracker business with all the inherent problems of cracking chests and tables is inconceivable. Beautiful building, monstrosity of an organ. It's a wonder the Germans didn't destory this place. Rough reeds -either too loud or too soft. There is a middle ground, folks. When the fad passes you'll regret wasting so much money on a useless organ that can play only baroken buic. That buiding is magnificent - so are the acoustics. Horrible use of mixtures during one variation. No pitch refrence.

[@charlesdavis7087]

God, can't he count. 1, 2, 3, 4. Oh God, Xaver. Your teachers are going to shit themselves or puke or deny ever knowing you.... Come on; I know you can do this: 1, 2, 3, 4. CVD

[@jeromecirconflexe8058]

+Charles Davis It's more 1,2,3, given that this is a passacaglia...

[@JRorgel]

+Charles Davis This is a passacaglia, that means, the metre is 1,2,3. it is a metre with 3 times.

[@charlesdavis7087]

Don't tell me. Tell him. I probably should have said;"1, 2, 3, 4 what?" CVD

[@JRorgel]

As I said. Passacaglia is just 1, 2, 3. So you are wrong with 1, 2, 3, 4

[@Engineer9736]

You sound a bit jealous about Xaver's status in Hungary's community. Try enjoying the music instead of counting the notes :)

[@pretol3134]

bruh. that kind of abomination should be forbidden

[@revfalusi]

Bad, scrappy.

[@michedowning7088]

Hello Gior Jaky OH YES this is the one who goes away laughing out loud to the bank. How can anyone have the damned gaul so as to trying to perform SUCH GORGEOUS MUSIC .. You might enjoy trash as you like it but let s face it you are such a idiot wanting to buy years and years ago when I could buy from Canada fro a mere DOLLAR each. This is what about they re worth today .what a waste of money and How can be so sensitive to JUNK MUSIC. I would love to talk to you and chat about music. My godfather was an organist and also played in the US and Europe..This is so hard to one to talk about music..I miss it ... I would love to hear from you.. I do not give away my email address but sincerely I might hear from you so we can discuss music which thing I truly have in my heart