Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, George Ritchie :: J. S. Bach: Organ Works Complete [Box Set]

Bach with a nice difference

David J. Trainer | Sydney, Australia | 02/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bach, hmmmm, one of the desert island composers for me. I own three complete organ works (yeah I need a life). This is one of the better. The recording quality is faultless. And for a laugh, listen to the wonderfull reeds of the pedal department jumping from left to right (speaker) in BWV 550 ... Prelude and Fugue in G Major ... I just love stereo when the mics are right in the middle of the organ and you hear the pipes singing from left to right!! Another wonderful surprise was Ritchie's use of the 32' reed stop in the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor.



I can almost hear the purists intake of breath, tsk tsk's and see their rolling eyes. However, Bach did travel around central Germany and I read in Grove's Dictionary his comment about the wonderful 32' stop at Leipzig.



The collection of American organs on this set was also an eye opener for me (not being from America) and only knowing about the monster organs like St. John the Devine (NY) or the Wannamaker. It's good to know that there are some beautifully voiced and balanced smaller organs to be found."

No Need to Look Further

B. Browne | 01/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All the superlative reviews of this set are correct. The sound engineering is superb. The performances range from the sublime to the magisterial, as one would expect with Bach's organ works. If you order direct from Raven Records, you can pick up this set for about $50. They delivered it promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed!! I've never purchased a box set of CDs that gave you more for your money."

Excellent recordings.

Dermot Elworthy | Florida , United States | 01/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This set of the Bach works is very fine indeed and quite outstanding in two respects: firstly, the consistently excellent standard of recording and secondly, the selection of instruments employed. The accompanying notes are comprehensive and well written. Furthermore, the specification of each instrument is provided as is the registration chosen for each work, thus allowing the listener to appreciate the character of a particular instrument as well as helping delineate the separate voices of the score.



George Ritchie has chosen nine different examples of the superlative mechanical action instruments built in the last twenty five years or so by a thriving group of North American organ builders; builders who have eschewed replication of the 19th/20th century symphonic behemoths and gone back to the roots of the Dutch/North German traditions within whose framework Bach wrote. Due in no small measure to the efforts of the late Edward Power Biggs, the Americans have discovered the cutting edge of 18th century technology and to my mind, these instruments compare with the best of Northern Europe. I see nothing heretical in my preferring the Fritts-Richards organ in Seattle (featured in Vol.1) to, for example, some of the Andreas Silbermanns with which I am acquainted.



The choice has been well made; all the instruments and the registrations drawn, coupled with sympathetic acoustics, allow the construction of Bach's contrapuntal style to shine with a luminosity all but extinguished in so many recordings made of large and usually inappropriate instruments. Furthermore, Ritchie plays these works "off the page" without departure from the script although an exception is to be found in the middle movement of the Toccata, Adagio and Fugue to which he does introduce his own embellishment and ornamentation. Frankly, the Adagio is not one of Bach's more inspired creations and I find its performance has to be something of a compromise between fidelity to the score and the need to avoid the ennui which often flows from this; the Andante in the Italian Concerto, being of related construction, has similar problems but rubato seems to work better with the piano than the organ. In any event, I like the Ritchie "curliques".



In my view, these CDs are a required possession for someone seeking a cohesive collection of all the Bach organ works. Individual instruments have their defined characters lending variety to the set but all are cast from the same generic mould to provide a strong homogeneity to this cycle. However, in terms of technical execution, I have to say that I like the performances of Walcha and Fagius a little better but that is a subjective and personal view - George Ritchie provides a first class performance here.



This set has a very great deal to commend it; I rank it with that superb (and long unavailable) cycle done by Lionel Rogg in the early 'sixties. Professor Ritchie's contribution is fully deserving of a place in every library; I'm delighted to have it mine.





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