It goes without saying that almost all serious organists regard Johann Sebastian Bach's magnificent works as the foundation of their musical art. Performed on any decent instrument dating from Bach's time forward, the composer's genius and compositional facility never fail to shine through in any of his works, be they large or small. His impeccable craftsmanship, supreme sense of musical invention, intense spirituality and unmatched contrapuntal mastery make each example a memorable and uplifting experience. Christopher Houlihan says, "The past sixty or so years have seen numerous, ground-brekaing recordings of Bach's music on historic and historically informed instruments; this recording is a decidedly modern take on this repertoire. You'll hear crescendos and diminuendos as well as registration changes that are only possible on a modern organ. I do not believe this distorts Bach's genius, but rather highlights different aspects of it. It's a little like playing Bach on a piano - perhaps one doesn't play it like Liszt would have, but how much does one pretend the piano is a harpsichord?".

Tracklist:

Fantasia & Fugue In G Minor, Bwv 542: Fantasia
Fantasia & Fugue In G Minor, Bwv 542: Fugue
Concerto In The Italian Style, Bwv 971 (Arr. For Organ): I. Allegro
Concerto In The Italian Style, Bwv 971 (Arr. For Organ): II. Andante
Concerto In The Italian Style, Bwv 971 (Arr. For Organ): III. Presto
Prelude & Fugue In B Minor, Bwv 544: Prelude
Prelude & Fugue In B Minor, Bwv 544: Fugue
Trio Sonata For Organ No. 6 In G Major, Bwv 530: I. Vivace
Trio Sonata For Organ No. 6 In G Major, Bwv 530: II. Lento
Trio Sonata For Organ No. 6 In G Major, Bwv 530: III. Allegro
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue In C Major, Bwv 564: Toccata
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue In C Major, Bwv 564: Adagio
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue In C Major, Bwv 564: Fugue
Passacaglia & Fugue In C Minor, Bwv 582: Passacaglia
Passacaglia & Fugue In C Minor, Bwv 582: Fugue

UPC: 787867131428
Label: Azica
Release Date: 2.17.17
Format: CD

J Bach S / Houlihan - Christopher Houlihan plays Bach (CD)