Sample Set Presentation: Bach & His Pupils

--- due to the limited file size of CCH the audio file is of bad MP3 quality. I recommend to listen to the video. Find the time stamps of the 9 pieces on the timeline of the video. ---

Sonus Paradisi released a new sample set of the famous Bätz organ of the Lutherse Kerk in Den Haag (The Netherlands), built in 1762, with later additions. In this video of 23 minutes I show mainly the baroque side of this organ. I compiled a program of 9 pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach and his pupils, mostly focusing on Christmas. Because of the later additions to this organ it is very capable for playing romantic music on it. Therefore a fugue on B.A.C.H. from Robert Schumann is included. I'm sure many romantic pieces will follow by others, knowing how popular this organ is in Holland.

Some notes about the composers and pieces. Per hymn I combined a prelude of J.S. Bach with a prelude by his pupil. Johann Tobias Krebs, father of Johann Ludwig Krebs, was an early student of J.S. Bach. His prelude and fugue in C major is an uplifting, uncomplicated piece. The version I recorded has some later (probably romantic) additions, compared to the original manuscript. Mainly the chords are fatter and the pedal part is more prominent in the fugue. Son Johann Ludwig Krebs is well known for being a student of J.S. Bach. In his galant trio in C major I used both tremulants (Rugwerk and Bovenwerk) to gain the effect this Bätz organ is famous for. Some musicologists claim this use of tremulant wasn't unusual in the (late) baroque period. Johann Kirnberger studied performance and composition with Bach. He is famous for the so called 'Kirnberger Chorales' BWV 690-713, preserving many of Bach's manuscripts in his library.

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