Secrets of Organ playing contest Week 87 submission--Alle Menschen müssen sterben, BWV 643 from Orgelbuchlein by J.S. Bach
And another recording from the Orgelbuchlein--one more until I reach the end of the book and can return to the beginning. It is kind of fun to set a goal, and try to follow through on it. I have been trying to get one prelude from this collection learned and recorded every one or two weeks since January 1. It has been a long trek, and still have several weeks to go.
When I was a kid, I had a t-shirt that said "He who dies with the most toys....still dies." While this was supposed to be an inspirational quote about the importance of hard work, it still holds true. We are all going to die, it is how we die that is the important part. Bach connects us to this piece by setting it as a kind of lullaby. I think he is recognizing that, although death is inevitable, we die cradled and comforted in the arms of a loving God. In the score I worked from, the registration recommended was for a solo reed over a light flute chorus of 8 and 4 foot pipes. I think this worked quite well, although I have heard several recordings only using a single manual.
In other news, the organ I am playing is my new "home" organ at Dowd Chapel in Boy's Town, Nebraska. It is an enormous instrument that has been renovated four times since it's construction in 1951. The last renovation added in Midi capability with two 32' stops and a Vox Humana (oh, the glory of that sound). The history behind it is fairly intimidating....Here's a couple of pictures:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10157801545422736&set=pcb.10157801557617736
That's quite an instrument you have there. And by the looks of it on the video, the console is right in the middle between the two halves as seen in the photo? Could be quite noisy for you to play full plenum sitting there.
Playing this with solo voice is rather tricky, but you pull it of well. Though I miss a bit you taking advantage of playing the chorale melody with one hand and adding some ornamentations here and there.
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