Bach: Fantasias, Preludes and Fugues

On this CD:

1. Fantasia and Fugue for organ in G minor ("Great"), BWV 542
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

2. Fugue for organ in G minor ("Little"), BWV 578
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

3. Canzona for organ in D minor, BWV 588
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

4. Prelude and Fugue for organ in B minor, BWV 544
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

5. Prelude and Fugue for organ in A minor, BWV 543
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

6. Fantasia and Fugue for organ in C minor, BWV 562
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

7. Prelude and Fugue for organ in C major, BWV 531
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

8. Fantasia for organ in G major, BWV 572
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

9. Fantasia for organ in C major, BWV 570
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

10. Passacaglia and Fugue for organ in C minor, BWV 582
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ton Koopman

Tracks:

Fantasia
Fugue
Fantasia In C Minor
Prelude
Fugue
Prelude
Fugue
Prelude
Fugue
Prelude
Fugue
Prelude
Fugue ('St. Anne')

Tracks:

Prelude
Fugue
Fantasia In G Major
Prelude
Fugue ('The Wedge')
Prelude
Fugue
Prelude
Fugue
Fantasia
Fugue
Prelude
Fugue
Prelude
Fugue

Average customer rating:

Bach: Fantasias, Preludes and Fugues

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004S4MN
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Fantasia Et Fuga In G Minor, BWV 542
Fuga In G Minor, BWV 578
Canzona In D Minor, BWV 588
Praeludium Et Fuga In B Minor, BWV 544
Praeludium Et Fuga In A Minor, BWV 543
Fantasia In C Minor, BWV 562
Praeludium Et Fuga In C Major, BWV 531
Piece D'Orgue In G Major, BWV 572 (Fantasia): Tres Vitement - Gravement
Fantasia In C Major, BWV 570
Passacaglia In C Minor, BWV 582

Bach: The Great Fantasias, Preludes and Fugues

Average customer rating:

Amazon.com essential recording!

Bach: The Great Fantasias, Preludes and Fugues

Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccatas and Fugues - Christopher Herrick, Organ

ASIN: B000002ZW2
Release Date: 1993-11-30

Tracks:

Fantasia And Fugue In G Minor, BWV542: Fantasia In G Minor, BWV542
Fugue In G Minor, BWV542
Fantasia In C Minor, BWV562
Prelude In A Minor, BWV543
Fugue In A Minor, BWV543
Prelude In D Major, BWV532
Fugue In D Major, BWV532
Prelude In B Minor, BWV544
Fugue In B Minor, BWV544
Prelude In G Major, BWV541
Fugue In G Major, BWV541
Prelude In E Flat Major, BWV522 - 'St. Anne'
Fugue In E Flat Major, BWV522 - 'St. Anne'

Tracks:

Prelude In C Minor, BWV546
Fugue In C Minor, BWV546
Fantasia In G Major, BWV572
Prelude In E Minor, BWV548 ('The Wedge')
Fugue In E Minor, BWV548 ('The Wedge')
Prelude In C Major, BWV547
Fugue In C Major, BWV547
Prelude In F Minor, BWV534
Fugue In F Minor, BWV534
Fantasia In C Minor, BWV537
Fugue In C Minor, BWV537
Prelude In A Major, BWV536
Fugue In A Major, BWV536
Prelude In C Major, BWV545
Fugue In C Major, BWV545

Customer Reviews:

Amazon.com essential recording!.......2002-03-22

Yes, at one time this CD was listed as an amazon.com essental organ recording, now a defunct catagory, but nevertheless an indication of the general esteem felt for this performance of the great fantasias, preludes, and fugues of J.S. Bach. Christopher Herrick plays the magnificent Metzler organ at the Jesuitkirche, Luzern, in a sublime program that represents no less than the very summit of western musical art. Bach did not just write great fugues (the Spielfugue, dance fuge, alla breve, and art fugue), he also synthesized the musical vocabulary of his time to forge an all-encompassing language of his own, incorporating the sectional 'stylus phantasticus' of the North German school, the sequential forms of the South, and the dense five-part counterpoint of France. The resulting works are indeed "great," from the imposing Fantasia and Fugue in G minor which opens the first disc, to the vibrant Prelude and Fugue in C major which closes the program. As usual, Herrick's performances are intelligently registered and technically assured--this is indeed an essential recording!

Bach: Fantasias, Preludes, Fugues And Fughettas

Average customer rating:

Bach: Fantasias, Preludes, Fugues And Fughettas

Manufacturer: Concord Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005Z2J
Release Date: 1998-02-24

Tracks:

Fantasia And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 944: Fantasia
Fantasia And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 944: Fugue
Fantasia And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 904: Fantasia
Fantasia And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 904: Fugue
Fantasia 'duobus subiectis' In G Minor, BWV 917
Fantasia in C minor, BWV 919
Fantasia on a Rondo, BWV 918
Fantasia in A minor, BWV 922
Prelude And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 899: Prelude
Prelude And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 899: Fugue
Fugue in C major, BWV 952
Fugue in C major, BWV 953
Prelude And Fughetta In E Minor, BWV 899: Prelude
Prelude And Fughetta In E Minor, BWV 899: Fughetta
Prelude And Fughetta In E Minor, BWV 900: Prelude
Prelude And Fughetta In E Minor, BWV 900: Fughetta
Prelude And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 895: Prelude
Prelude And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 895: Fugue
Fughetta in C minor, BWV 961

Great Pianists of the 20th Century: The Complete Edition

Average customer rating:

Wonderful set
Don't buy the whole thing
Not Insane
insane
For the real music lover

Great Pianists of the 20th Century: The Complete Edition
Great Pianists of the Twentieth Century
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Gavottes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Nonets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Voluntaries | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Airs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00002EITP
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful set.......2004-10-24

This set is for serious piano fans, not for the ones who just start building up a CD library. I sort of agree with one of the reviewers, that there are many repetitions. But if you love piano, you wish to hear the same piece in different interpretations. Indeed, I really like this feature of this set: I can compare the style of various performers.
If you are into piano music, I encourage you to grab this set, if you can find it used (not available anymore at Amazon). I also hope, that there will be a continuation, in which other great pianists, who were left out because of the space limitation, will be included (Prokofiev, Bartok, Dohnanyi, etc).

Don't buy the whole thing.......2001-07-08

I've put a lot of thought into constructing my own piano library, and unless you can easily afford the present set, I would recommend a different approach to collecting piano music. This set emphasizes the piano player rather than the piano composer. Of course both are important. For example, the "Barcarolle" appears in this set EIGHT times. I'm sorry, although I love the piece, if I am going to spend [the money], I would prefer more variety. Where are the Alkan, Medtner, and Szymanawski compositions represented in this set? I appreciate having so many interpretations of the same pieces, but I would also appreciate more exposure to pieces not so popular. The selection by Philips which I consider a somewhat popular selection suggests to me that when Philips constructed this set, they realized most people would be buying the disks separately, and this affected the selection. And it's not just that obscure composers are left out, but also if one spends so much money on piano recordings, you'd think you'd want to buy pieces from a composer in completeness. For example, an alternative way to construct a library would be to combine purchases of complete cycles, e.g. complete Beethoven sonatas, complete Scriabin preludes, etc., along with outstanding recordings of more particular pieces. I'm not sure why someone would want to concentrate so much on so many famous artists, instead of acquiring complete sets of compositions. For me the composer is more important, or at least, if I am going to spend [the money]on piano recordings, I'd prefer more complete, rather than snapshot, exposure to the composers.

Not Insane.......2001-01-02

I had to write this review, as I am enthralled with this set. I have been going through it in order having already purchased a few individual units from the collection earlier. I am not sure what `insane' was talking about as there is NO repetition. Sure some pianists perform the same pieces, isn't that what they did in reality? The idea is to appreciate the different nuances and approaches taken by these artists. You will then enjoy these pieces from a better vantage.

It is a large ambitious contribution to the art of great piano playing. It is a labor of love and represents a tremendous amount of research and cooperation between many record companies. Rather then representing insanity, it is a resource to treasure.

Yes experts can quibble over who was left out, and what performances were inserted. I do not think such a massive undertaking could have been accomplished without someone being able to find faults. Overall however, unless you already have a monumental collection, (it would have to be almost legendary), this incredible set will give you a rewarding look into 74 of the greatest pianist of all time. You will come away with a honed sense of appreciation for your likes and dislikes. You will undoubtedly become someone who will search out recordings and be able to enjoy them for the rest of your life with a refined ear.

The only negative is this price. I would shop around, as it is daunting to spend 2 thousand dollars on such a collection. Of course you do get 200 CD's. However, the used collections might be good to consider.

Enjoy these masterpieces. I am not ashamed of owning this music as `insane' implies. I am proud to have enriched my life.

insane.......2000-10-12

This is not a good library of piano music. The reason is, there is too much repetition. I'm not saying the series is bad. The series is wonderful. But this collection as a whole is a bad libary. For the same money you could collect together (with more effort) an incredible libary of piano music. There are so many wonderful cd's out there, this is just a waste of money. If you can actually afford to spend 2 grand on piano music, then either (1) spend the time and do some research to get a good library of piano music, which will probably include some selections from this collection, or (2) hire someone to do that for you. Personally I would be embarrassed to own this whole collection, since that shows I have put little thought into my purchases of piano music.

For the real music lover.......2000-03-12

This series attempts to present important and representative performances by most of the major pianists of the 20th century. One might quibble a bit with the choices, but the works presented are of consistently high quality, and often do represent what may be the best works of a performer. Since this covers most of the time that recorded music existed, some of the recordings are technically challenged, as there is only so much one can do to enhance an old recording. Still, these appear to have been treated with love and respect in their restorations. Since this series is so large (and expensive!) one is tempted to "cherry pick" through the series, yet by doing so one can easily overlook gems by artists one is less familiar with. This large a set must inevitably have many versions of the same pieces, and takes many hours to listen to. The true enthusiast will appreciate the differences in interpretation, whereas the less experienced listener may find the set repetitive and overwhelming. If one has the time to really dig into this set, it can provide years of exploration and discovery. It would make a wonderful gift for some special music lover in your life ... or for yourself!

Bach: Organ Works Vol 1 - Fantasias, Preludes & Fugues /Koopman

Average customer rating:

Exciting performances, beautifully recorded

Bach: Organ Works Vol 1 - Fantasias, Preludes & Fugues /Koopman

Manufacturer: WEA / Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000SMT
Release Date: 1995-04-04

Tracks:

Fantasia et Fuga in g BWV 542
Fuga in g BWV 578
Canzona in d BWV 588
Praludium et Fuga in h BWV 544
Praladium et fuga in a BWV 543
Fantasia in c BWV 562
Praludium et Fuga in C BWV 572
Piece d' Orgue [Fantasia] in G BWV 572
Fantasia in C BWV 570
Passacaglia in c BWV 582

Customer Reviews:

Exciting performances, beautifully recorded.......2006-02-03

Ton Koopman has recorded Bach organ music for a number of labels including Novalis, DG, Hanssler, and Teldec (complete). Though out of print this Teldec series is really worth searching for. These comments really are for the entire 12 volume series.

Recorded in different locations in Germany, Austria and The Netherlands, Koopman uses authentic instruments (unlike Peter Hurford) and with ideal microphone placement (except possibly in the Trio Sonatas) these are beautiful sounding recordings.

Koopman always raises a few eyebrows with some of his ideas about added ornamentation. Some might call it improvisation! This did not bother me in the slightest. The playing is at times quite exciting, virtuoistic and dramatic so the recordings are never dull. Exception: possibly at times in the Trio Sonatas.

In addition, these performances do not disdain what one might call the "Gothic" atmosphere in Bach.

The documentation is very fine with a brief article on the music, a history of each organ usually with pictures, and sometimes an additional essay on the music by Koopman with each disc.

Possibly even better were Wolfgang Rubsam's series for Philips (sorry, also out of print!), far better than his eccentric recordings done later for Naxos. However, I think Rubsam's Philips series was recorded at only one location whearas with Koopman we get a little European travelogue!