Bach: Complete Organ Works - Kooiman, Gremmel-Geuchen, Gnann, Klapprott

Aeolus AE-10761 (19 discs)
Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid
Classical - Instrumental
Bach: Complete works for organ
Ewald Kooiman, Ute Gremmel-Geuchen, Gerhard Gnann & Bernhard Klapprott
on the organs of
Marmoutier, Abbatiale St. Etienne
Ebersmunster, Abbatiale Saint-Maurice
Strasbourg, Eglise Saint-Thomas
Wasselonne, Temple Protestant
Soultz-Haut-Rhin, Eglise Saint-Maurice
Arlesheim, Dom
Bouxwiller, Temple Protestant
Villingen, Benediktinerkirche
This is the first complete Johann Sebastian Bach Organ Edition on Super Audio CD available in surround sound and played on famous historic organs on a label which is famous for it’s experience with organ recordings. In the same time it is a very precious and detailed documentation of the Silbermann organ tradition in the Alsace and includes the most beautiful and important instruments of this organ builder dynasty.
It was in April 2008 at the Abbatiale St.Maurice at Ebersmunster (Alsace) that I started working on Aeolus’ biggest recording project so far: the complete organ music by Johann Sebastian Bach with the dutch organist Ewald Kooiman for an ambitious SACD Edition with a total of 19 Super Audio CDs (compatible with any CD-Player). For this edition Aeolus and Ewald Kooiman chose the famous alsatian organs built by Andreas Silbermann (1678-1734) and his son Johann Andreas Silbermann (1712-1783).
Tragically Ewald Kooiman died totally unexpectedly during his holidays in Egypt on January 25, 2009, at the age of 70, after having recorded only eight SACDs. We have been discussing whether it would make sense to release these eight recordings as a kind of musical testament. On the other hand there were so many important organs works that had not yet been recorded by Ewald Kooiman. Finally I contacted three of his former students and asked them if they would like to complete this edition as a homage to their teacher: Ute Gremmel-Geuchen (Kempen), Gerhard Gnann (Mainz) and Bernhard Klapprott (Weimar). They were all enthusiastic about the idea and immediately agreed. These recordings started in 2010 and were finally finished in July 2011.
All the recordings have been realized simultaneously in two channel stereo and in five channel surround sound with state of the art equipment using the famous DPA 4006 microphones all over.
The booklet texts have been written by the German musicologist Peter Wollny (Bach-Archiv Leipzig) and by the alsatian Silbermann expert Marc Schaefer (on the instruments).
Comment by producer Christoph Martin Frommen:
"I feel immensely honored to have had the unique opportunity to realize this great project and to have spent five years with the music of J.S. Bach. I extend my warmest thanks to all those who have supported me and without whose help it would not have been possible to make it happen, especially to Mr. Anne den Hartigh."
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- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ach Gott und Herr - Chorale Prelude, BWV 714
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein - Chorale Prelude, BWV 741
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ach Herr, mich armen Sunder - Chorale Prelude, BWV 742
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ach, was ist doch unser Leben - Chorale Prelude, BWV 743
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen - Chorale Partita, BWV 770
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Alla breve in D major, BWV 589
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr - Chorale Prelude, BWV 711
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr - Chorale Prelude, BWV 715
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr - Chorale Prelude, BWV 717
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 25
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Aria in F major, BWV 587 (after F Couperin)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Aus der Tiefe rufe ich - Chorale Prelude, BWV 745
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Canons, BWV Anh. 72 Christus der uns selig macht
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Canzona in D minor, BWV 588
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Chorale Preludes (18), BWV 651-668
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Chorale Preludes (21), BWV 669-689
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Chorale Preludes (31), BWV 1090-1120
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Chorale Preludes (46), BWV 599-644
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Chorale Preludes (6), BWV 645-650
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Christ lag in Todesbanden - Chorale Prelude, BWV 718
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Christ, der du bist der helle Tag - Chorale Partita, BWV 766
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Christus, der uns selig macht - Chorale Prelude, BWV 747
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 48
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Das alte Jahr vergangen ist - Chorale, BWV 288
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Das Jesulein soll doch mein Trost - Chorale Prelude, BWV 702
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Der du bist drei in Einigkeit - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich - Chorale Prelude, BWV 719
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Duettos, BWV 802-805
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Durch Adams Fall - Chorale Prelude, BWV 705
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott - Chorale Prelude, BWV 720
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 49
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott - Chorale Prelude, BWV 721
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 50
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Erstanden ist der heilig Christ - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 51
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Es spricht der Unweisen Mund - Chorale, BWV 308
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Es stehn vor Gottes Throne - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 562
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia in B minor, BWV 563 'con imitatione'
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia in C major, BWV 570
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia in C minor, BWV 1121
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia in G major, BWV 571
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia on 'Christ lag in Todes Banden' - Chorale Prelude, BWV 695
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia on 'Jesu,meine Freude' - Chorale Prelude, BWV 713
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasia on 'Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält' - Chorale Prelude, BWV 1128
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fughetta on 'Christum wir sollen loben schon' - Chorale Prelude, BWV 696
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fughetta on 'Gottes-Sohn ist kommen' - Chorale Prelude, BWV 703
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fughetta on 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland' - Chorale Prelude, BWV 699
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in B minor, BWV 579
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in C major, BWV Anh. 90
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in C minor, BWV 574
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in C minor, BWV 575
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in F major, BWV Anh. 42
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in F sharp major, BWV Anh. 97
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in G major, BWV 577 'a la gigue'
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in G minor, BWV 131a
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 'Little'
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Gelobet seist Du Jesu Christ - Chorale Prelude, BWV 697
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ - Chorale Prelude, BWV 722
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ - Chorale Prelude, BWV 723
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Gott, durch deine Güte or Gottes Sohn ist kommen - Chorale Prelude, BWV 724
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 54
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottes Sohn - Chorale Prelude, BWV 698
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 55
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn - Chorale Variations, BWV Anh. 77
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend - Chorale Prelude, BWV 726
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu unswend - Chorale Prelude, BWV 709
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Herzlich tut mich verlangen - Chorale Prelude, BWV 727
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 105
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ich hab' mein' Sach' Gott heimgestellt, BWV 707
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ich hab' mein' Sach' Gott heimgestellt, BWV 708
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 111
- Johann Sebastian Bach: In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr - Chorale Prelude, BWV 712
- Johann Sebastian Bach: In dulci jubilo - Chorale Prelude, BWV 729
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu, meine Freude - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 58
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu, meine Zuversicht - Chorale Prelude, BWV 728
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu, meines Lebens Leben - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 121
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesus Christus, unser Heiland - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Kleines harmonisches Labyrinth, BWV 591
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 127
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier - Chorale Prelude, BWV 706
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier - Chorale Prelude, BWV 730
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier - Chorale Prelude, BWV 731
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier - Chorale Prelude, BWV 754
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott - Chorale Prelude, BWV 704
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich - Chorale Prelude, BWV 732
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 129
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt - Chorale Prelude, BWV 957
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt - Chorale Prelude, BWV Emans 132
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Mein Seel, o Gott, Muß loben dich - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Meine Seele erhebet den Herren - Chorale Prelude, BWV 733
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Nun freut euch, lieben Christengmein - Chorale Prelude, BWV 755
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Nun Ruhen Alle Wälder - Chorale Prelude, BWV 756
- Johann Sebastian Bach: O Gott, du frommer Gott - Chorale Partita, BWV 767
- Johann Sebastian Bach: O Gott, du frommer Gott - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: O Herre Gott, dein göttlich's Wort - Chorale Prelude, BWV 757
- Johann Sebastian Bach: O Vater, allmächtiger Gott - Chorale Prelude, BWV 758
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Organ Concerto in A minor, BWV 593 (after Vivaldi RV 522)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Organ Concerto in C major, BWV 594 (after Vivaldi RV 208)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Organ Concerto in C major, BWV 595 (after Ernst)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Organ Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 (after Vivaldi RV 565)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Organ Concerto in G major, BWV 592 (after Ernst)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Organ Concerto in G minor, BWV 975 (after Vivaldi RV 316)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Passacaglia in C minor, BWV 582
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Pastorale in F major, BWV 590
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A major, BWV 536
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 (after BWV 944)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 551
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 544
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 531
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 545
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 547
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 549
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 539
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E flat major, BWV 552 'St. Anne'
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV 548 'Wedge'
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 534
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 541
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 550
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude in A minor, BWV 569
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude in G major, BWV 568
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Preludes and Fugues (8), BWV 553-560 'Kleine Präludien und Fugen'
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig - Chorale Partita, BWV 768
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Sei Lob und Ehr mit hohem Preis - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 62A
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Sei Lob und Ehr mit hohem Preis - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 62B
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 538 'Dorian'
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in E major, BWV 566
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in F Major, BWV 540
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata in D minor, BWV 913
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major, BWV 564
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio in C minor, BWV 585 (after Fasch)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio in G major, BWV 1027a
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio in G major, BWV 586 (after Telemann)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata in C major, BWV 529
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata in C minor, BWV 526
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata in D minor, BWV 527
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata in E flat major, BWV 525
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata in E minor, BWV 528
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata in G major, BWV 530
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Valet will ich dir geben - Chorale Prelude, BWV 736
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vater unser im Himmelreich - Chorale Prelude, BWV 737
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vater unser im Himmelreich - Chorale Prelude, BWV 762
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 63
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 64
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 65
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her - Chorale Prelude, BWV 700
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her - Chorale Prelude, BWV 701
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her - Chorale Prelude, BWV 738
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her - Chorale Variations, BWV 769
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wenn ich in Angst und Not - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein - Chorale Partita, BWV Anh. 78
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten - Chorale Prelude, BWV 690
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten - Chorale Prelude, BWV 691
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern - Chorale Prelude, BWV 739
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wir Christenleut - Chorale Prelude, BWV 710
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wir Christenleut - Chorale Prelude, BWV Deest
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wir danken dir, Gott wir danken dir - Cantata, BWV 29 (after BWV 1006)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wir glauben all an einen Gott - Chorale Prelude, BWV Anh. 70
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Wo soll ich fliehen hin - Chorale Prelude, BWV 694
Review by John Miller - July 17, 2013
Listening to all of J.S. Bach's organ works over a relatively short time is one of the most intense experiences in the whole of music; something like going on a journey of pilgrimage. It can now be done in one's own home, thanks to the artistry of the great organists and technical skills of recording engineers - and of course the not inconsiderable financial outlay for record companies.
The German company Aeolus has gone further, and offers the first Complete Bach Works in high resolution surround sound as well as stereo. It comprises 19 SA-CDs, each disc carrying over 70' and up to 81' of music. The discs come in cardboard sleeves with handsome photographs of the appropriate organs on the front and a track list on the back. These fit into a stout card box with an upwards slide off sleeve lid, together with a chunky booklet in German, English and French (of which more later).
The Aeolus producer and artistic director, Christoph Martin Frommen, writes a brief Editorial explaining how he and Ewald Kooiman (Dutch organist of world renown and Bach specialist) met in April 2008 to start working on the long-planned project. This was to be no less than Kooiman's third complete Bach Edition recording. They chose well-preserved organs by Andreas Silbermann (1678-1716) and his son Johann Andreas Silbermann (1712-1783) from Alsace (a tiny region of France up against the German border, which has suffered centuries of dispute between the two countries). Silbermann organs were celebrated in Bach's time for their distinctive sound, with reedy 16' Posaune ranks in the Pedal register (Silbermann eschewed 32' pipes) and the silvery quality of the flutes. Playing on their name, organists called the organs "Silberklang" (Silvery Sounds). This special sound was achieved by having more than usual tin in the alloy of their organ pipes, bringing out high harmonics.
J.S. Bach, known best during his lifetime as an organist and formidable organ-tester, was well acquainted with the famous organs of Gottfried Silbermann, Andrea's brother, and he generally approved them, although he was less than happy that they had mixtures which were "all too weak" compared with the Thuringian organs, adding that Gottfried was also averse to new stops. The workshops of Andreas and Johann, absorbing much French influence, seems to have striven to overcome such shortcomings. It was an inspired idea of Aeolus to settle on the group of Alsatian organs, which have so far been little recorded. Eight Silbermann organs were used, in buildings ranging from abbeys and parish churches to a Dom (cathedral).
Tragedy struck the project in January 2009 when Kooiman died suddenly while on holiday in Egypt. Only about 40% of the works were "in the can", constituting 8 SA-CDs. Deciding not to simply abandon the project and publish the partial set, Frommen suggested to three of Kooiman's previous students that they could finish the schedule and dedicate it to Kooiman's memory. Ute Gremmel-Geuchen (5 SA-CDs), Gerhard Gnann (4 SA-CDs) and Bernhard Klapprott (2 SA-CDs) are each organists with international reputations and are also teachers and recitalists in their own right, with recordings already to their credit. Their performances are excellent and fully committed, and they are clearly still using many elements of Kooiman's distinctive Baroque style. He always warned his students about "Stylus Locomotivus", which he used to describe the heavily mechanical approach to interpretation of Bach on the organ. There is no laboured playing in this set.
The performances captured for this boxed set in fact vary from excellent to outstanding, each disc making for compelling listening. The shortest, simplest pieces get performances as carefully expressed and thought out as do the great free Preludes and Fugues. Kooiman's discs in particular are graced with a feeling of freedom and spontaneity born from a life-time of playing Bach and a sure technique of handling various manuals, pedal boards, stops and making decisions on registrations which constitute the art of great.organ playing. Music-making with organs is so much more than merely playing on keyboards. In particular I was enchanted by the often inspired registrations drawn from these organs; there are some gorgeous solo stops, some, especially pedal voices, are very soft and subtle, others pert, playful and amusing. Still more evoke the pre-Baroque age with raucous, buzzy sounds from imitations of late Renaissance instruments.
Frommen and his team have gone to great lengths to make this marathon disc issue as listener-friendly as possible. This set does not use the standard classical record preferred "list order" method of programming, i.e. devoting a disc or more to all the trio-sonatas, each of the various Organ Books of Bach and collections of chorale preludes or concertos. Instead, Aeolus present each disc as a self-contained and well-planned recital programme. Thus some of the stand-alone works might top and tail a group of chorale preludes extracted from, say, the Neumeister Collection, so there is plenty of variety in pace, expression and colourful use of each organ's resources. Generally, each SA-CD features a single organ, but there are one or two with "mixtures", suggesting that the whole huge set of Bach's works have been organised with great care, matching piece to organ.
A significant element of this organisation is manifest in the booklet of some 251 pages in the three languages mentioned above. It begins with a detailed track listing of the 19 SA-CDs, followed by the aforementioned Editorial introduction. The bulk of the texts is a very handy essay by scholar Peter Wollney, which comments on the music and its context, roughly in the order of the BWV catalogue numbers, so it is fairly easy to locate the piece one is listening to. This very readable account also briefly considers those disputed works which still remain in the usual JSB Canon, until often warring scholars find some more concrete evidence of their true provenance. Following this very useful and up-to-date commentary is a print version of a lecture by Christoph Wolff on the importance of the organ to JSB at various stages of his life, presented at the 2010 International Organ Festival Haarlem as part of a concert in memory of Ewald Kooimann.
Next come brief biographies of the performers, then summaries of the histories of the eight Silbermann organs and their settings. These are followed logically by listing the specifications of each organ (it would have been impossible space-wise to add registrations for each piece as is often done for individual albums). Then there is an invaluable index, listing the BWV catalogue for all the pieces present, with a list of titles, durations, disc volume numbers and track numbers for each. Locating a particular work in the set is thus very easy. The booklet is rounded off with a set of coloured photos of the performers and organs. The whole thing is very well designed, with clear layout and reasonably readable typography.
As for the sonics, I could simply say that the sound is consistently superb and leave it at that.. Aeolus have a stock of the legendary Danish DPA 4006 omnidirectional microphones, which are deployed in two arrays. According to Aeolus producer and recording engineer Christoph Frommen, “For our recordings we use two completely independent setups: one surround setup with five discrete channels, and an additional two-channel stereo setup. We sometimes use two or four more channels for capturing additional ambiance."
The surround array was configured in the 'Polyhymnia pentagon', which reflecting the proportions of the surround pentagon defined for loudspeaker installation, while an AB setup was used for the stereo recording.
Both stereo and multichannel tracks offer remarkably clear, transparent and detailed sound, with a fairly wide sound stage, so that individual pipe ranks are easily located. With 5.0 multichannel in particular, the organ's effect on the building acoustics is thrillingly conveyed, reminding us that one of the Silbermann "secrets" was careful voicing of each pipe and calculated positioning of ranks so as to make the most of the building's acoustic input to the overall sound of each organ.
My Bach journey with Aeolus, so well navigated by the set's thoughtful guidance, has been a joyful one indeed. Now I will be able to dip into the individual albums at will to relish them further. Although the initial outlay on this set, despite its reasonable pricing, is relatively high, I can assure potential buyers that this is a sound investment (no pun intended), lovingly put together and executed. It is also a fit memorial for Ewald Kooiman, to whom it is dedicated.
For a "small" record company like Aeolus, this was an ambitious project indeed, and despite a potential calamity they have produced a musical marathon which will not easily be surpassed. It has already won a German Record Critics' Award ("Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik"). Its importance to the list of essential Bach and essential organ recordings is manifest, bringing C21st scholarship, performance practices and recording technology together in an inimitable way. Well done, Aeolus!
Copyright © 2013 John Miller and HRAudio.net
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