Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: James Johnstone
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Metronome
Catalogue: METCD1096
Release: 2021
Size: 545 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
01. Fantasia super ‘Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott’, BWV651
02. Komm, Heiliger Geist, BWV 652
03. An Wasserflüssen Babylon, BWV 653
04. Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654
05. Trio super “Herr Jesu Christ dich zu uns wend”, BWV 655
06. O Lamm Gottes unschuldig, BWV 656
07. Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 657
08. Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BWV 658
09. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659
10. Trio super “Nun komm der Heiden Heiland”, BWV 660
11. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 661
CD 02
01. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 662
02. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 663
03. Trio super “Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr”, BWV 664
04. Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV 665
05. Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV 666
06. Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist, BWV 667
07. Vor deinen Thron tret’ ich, BWV 668
08. Chorale Prelude BWV645 ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme’
09. Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV 646
10. Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten, BWV 647
11. Meine Seele erhebt den Herren, BWV 648
12. Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 649
13. Chorale Prelude BWV650 ‘Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter’
Canonic Variations on the Christmas Hymn ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’, BWV769
14. Var. 1
15. Var. 2
16. Var. 3
17. Var. 4
18. Var. 5
This is the third release in James Johnstone’s series of recordings of the Organ Works of Johann Sebastian Bach on the great extant baroque organs of Europe. Here he performs the Leipzig and Schübler Chorale collections and the Canonic Variations. The Christoph Treutmann organ of Grauhof, Germany was built in 1737 and today survives in close to its original state, making it one of the most important instruments in northern Europe. The recording complements the earlier performances on instruments in Norway and Netherlands providing further palette of sound to these masterpieces.
For his new recording dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach, the English organist and harpsichordist John Johnstone has chosen one of the most important and best-preserved historical instruments in Europe, the German baroque organ built by the craftsman Christoph Treutmann in 1737 for the Stiftkirche St. Georg De Grauhof, in Lower Saxony. With 42 stops and 2,500 pipes, three manual keyboards and a set of pedals, this instrument is particularly well-suited for all Bach compositions.
This former student of Ton Koopman has forged a career as a recitalist while participating in concerts with a range of baroque ensembles in the United Kingdom, and in Germany, Canada, Italy and the Netherlands. He was a keyboardist for the Gabrieli Consort and Players for seventeen years and regularly works with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and his Monteverdi Choir. This new album is one more stone in the building of his recording of Bach’s complete organ works which he started in 2016.
It is devoted to the Leipzig Chorales, the Schübler Chorales and the famous Canonic Variations on “Vom Himmel hoch”, BWV 769. Here we encounter the sovereign art of Johnstone, dominating these short pieces with an often flamboyant dynamism. His long experience as a continuist helps him to bring these chorales to life: they become real concert pieces under his fingers, shining with a thousand lights thanks to the exceptional colours of the composer’s contemporary instrument.