capekurtz (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Was interested to get your comments. First let me say that I was introduced to Bach's organ music by LP recordings of Helmut Walcha and so I tend to judge other performances against his interpretations. One of the aspects I like best about Walcha's playing of the chorale preludes is that he never lets the cantus firmus dominate the ornamentation. Some performers "blast out" the cantus firmus so the ornamentation is lost. As an example, Walcha's playing of the Orgelbuchlein is a delight.

smalin (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I just listened to Walcha's early (5'14") performance, and didn't like it as much as I expected to; it seemed inexpressive, mechanical (this wasn't related to the tempo, though; it seemed fine, in spite of being incredibly slow). I liked some aspects of his registration, and especially the way the transition between the 3rd and 4th sections works. But I'll have to listen to it a few more times before I'm used to the sound of the reed on the pedal; it still strikes me as somewhat comical ...

smalin (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I expect I would agree with you. My tempo is ca. mm=60; Adalbertt's version at mm=50 is enough to show how much "bigger" the piece can be if given the time. Walcha's 5'13" version would be ca. mm=40 ... wow, that's slow. I originally performed the version here with a sampled pedal harpsichord sound, when I was 37. I'm now 55, and I'm sure I would play it slower today. Maybe in a few more years, with a real organ (a bigger one!) in a place with lots of reverb, I'll be in Walcha's universe.

capekurtz (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I do not know who is playing in the Adalbertt version but it is not Helmut Walcha. I was referring to the recordings made in 1950 and 1952 by Helmut Walcha for the German company Archiv Produktion at which time this version of Jesus Christus Unser Heiland (BWV665) was played at 5'13". (In 1971 Walcha did a re-recording at 4'45").

smalin (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Is that who's playing in the version posted on YouTube by Adalbertt (v=LfEnd62zy9U)?

capekurtz (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I find the impact of this interpretation diminished by its fast pace. Compare the slower interpretation by Helmut Walcha.

suddenly2 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

smalin could you do some christmas songs PLEASE?????!!!!!

h3115r3p3ntanc3 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

you don't need to be smart to be amazing.

Turanga1i1a (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Nice graphics chart to this piece. I never heard of any piano recording of Busoni's transcription of this.

dsfatman (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

a very intelligent man can play this!