Fantasia in G (Piece d'Orgue) BWV 572

This is a re-upload of this piece that was lost in the 'security' updates!

Bachs monumental Fantasia, is in the French baroque style and was written sometime before 1717, possibly whilst he was at Weimar, when Bach had been copying out Nicholas d' Grigny's tremendous Livre d'Orgue.
The first section (marked Tres Vitement) is a wonderful cheerful flurry of triplets, reminiscent of bells pealing, that slowly works it's way down the scale before moving up again. I have heard somewhere that this section is based on the Circle of Fifths.
A triumphant pedal entry begins the immensely majestic middle section - which is in 5 part counterpoint, and reminiscent of a French plein jeu. After moving through several keys, and reaching a plateau above a dominant pedal, the section ends on a resounding. discordant diminished 7th chord. This is followed by a dramatic toccata, whith harmonies which would have been very daring at the time, moving in a descending pattern before coming to rest on a low D, and then rising to the final chord with a flourish.
It is thought that the piece is about the Ascension, due to the 5 part section's continually and majestically rising theme.
The Lentement section does remind one of the place in the Nicene Creed where it says that 'He descended into Hell'
Regarding tempi there is some dispute as the middle section is marked 'Grave' but one is natrually inclined to play it Alla Breve, and the final section is marked 'Lentement'. Some play the Lentement very fast and others quite slow. I have played it both ways myself and they both work, but in this recording I have chosen to follow Bach's instructions: high tempo in the first section, solemnly in the second, and broadly at the end.

Thank you very much for listening to this again. Please let me know what you think/1