That was a lot of fun to listen to. It's always a pleasure to hear Koopman play, and this was well-recorded. The detached playing and fairly brisk pace make a lot of stylistic sense, and I liked the manual changes at the beginning. Thanks for sharing!
Was für tolle Version, die der grosse Organist Koopman an der Orgel spielt. Herr Koopman zeigt wegen der Geschichte der Orgel über Bach, wie Barock klingen muss, wer das nicht verstehen kann, weiss nicht über Bach/Orgel.
@@BachFlip just because someone hasn’t recorded all the Bach organ works doesn’t mean that they aren’t entitled to an opinion. There are so many better versions than this and lots of people are not fans of Koopman’s style of playing. In my opinion his phrasing and articulation here are clunky, broken up and nonsensical.
In my opinion Helmut Walcha has never been bettered for a truly other-wordly concept inside view of the music. I agree that Koopman is one of the worst culpits of the ‘authenticity’ brigade. His chopped up quirky articulation and phrasing are horrible and predictable. The organ is all about sonority and clarity of line at the same time. All those harmonies need milking not chopping up!
Except (barely) for the first section, this was generally atrocious. Uneven, rushed tempi; wildly misguided and inappropriate registrations; wrong notes played (because he was rushing through everything?), etc., etc. I've decided that some organists often play Baroque organ music so detached and disjointed - thereby robbing the music of any possible phrasing/articulation - in order to hide their inadequate pedal and manual technique. Are organists, especially European organists, not taught *legato playing* anymore? Everything is so "sliced-up, chopped and diced" nowadays. Horrible to listen to! All in all, a thoroughly unsatisfying performance. And, obviously, all of this is my personal opinion - as is, obviously, yours.
This detached staccato style and speed is the result of musicologists research: I've never liked it or agreed with it and I certainly don't remember Karl Richter playing like it! Tom Kopman is one of the top baroque performers (as was Richter in his day) so everything in this recording is intentional but I have to give it a thumbs down.
@@Matthew-he3jw Yes, I do understand your historic musicological point. Further, I think it's a combination of 1. misunderstanding that the indication "Allegro" originally (17th-18th cent.) meant "light-hearted and cheerful," not Presto Furioso; 2. the *mistaken belief* that cathedral acoustics somehow *demand* a constant, detached playing style in order for music to be to be heard "correctly"; and 3. the hubris of many highly proficient performers simply "showing off." In all cases, the music suffers - contrapuntal music, especially; which requires that the intricate polyphonic "goings on" *must never be rushed through,* but given "breathing room" to be savored and enjoyed. As one of my wise organ profs taught us: always take the *middle way* when it comes to tempi - neither too slow nor too fast - and you will never be in the wrong.
@@bobh5087 I agree especially about the acoustic properties of a building dictating performance tempo. One of the reasons behind Widor's complaint about organists needing to listen to themselves?
@@Matthew-he3jw And, I believe, organists (in fact, all solo performers) must be keenly aware of *their audience's expectations, needs and responses* to their music-making . Take, for example, the art of hymn-playing. The congregation must 1. be able to naturally and comfortably *breathe* at textual punctuations; and 2. the *text's meaning* must be easily and instantly *comprehendable* to them. So, the *refined and practiced experience* of an organist becomes a Friend and Helper to his/her audience, showing them the way. And this same good taste, humility and congeniality must extend to recital repertoire, as well. And, as you alluded to: *critical listening* is the key.
@@bobh5087 You're so right about hymn-playing (and psalm pointing as well), I think the congregational organist has an unique responsibility amongst musicians in that they lead the singing rather than dictate it; one might almost say "Governing with the consent of the governed".
That was a lot of fun to listen to. It's always a pleasure to hear Koopman play, and this was well-recorded. The detached playing and fairly brisk pace make a lot of stylistic sense, and I liked the manual changes at the beginning.
Thanks for sharing!
The manual changings at the beginning are Helmuth Walcha's idea from his famous recordings of the 60' (Alkmaar). Now that's interesting!
Was für tolle Version, die der grosse Organist Koopman an der Orgel spielt. Herr Koopman zeigt wegen der Geschichte der Orgel über Bach, wie Barock klingen muss, wer das nicht verstehen kann, weiss nicht über Bach/Orgel.
Great organist ? The real virtuoso organist play the most difficult works of Max Reger or Dupré by memory.
@@BachFlip I don't like this interpretation.
@@orgelfan1675 neither do I.
@@BachFlip just because someone hasn’t recorded all the Bach organ works doesn’t mean that they aren’t entitled to an opinion. There are so many better versions than this and lots of people are not fans of Koopman’s style of playing. In my opinion his phrasing and articulation here are clunky, broken up and nonsensical.
Very well ! Also quite interesting is this poetic Synthesizer-Version of BWV572:
ua-cam.com/video/6jwn_g0ZvmQ/v-deo.html
In my opinion Helmut Walcha has never been bettered for a truly other-wordly concept inside view of the music. I agree that Koopman is one of the worst culpits of the ‘authenticity’ brigade. His chopped up quirky articulation and phrasing are horrible and predictable. The organ is all about sonority and clarity of line at the same time. All those harmonies need milking not chopping up!
Except (barely) for the first section, this was generally atrocious. Uneven, rushed tempi; wildly misguided and inappropriate registrations; wrong notes played (because he was rushing through everything?), etc., etc.
I've decided that some organists often play Baroque organ music so detached and disjointed - thereby robbing the music of any possible phrasing/articulation - in order to hide their inadequate pedal and manual technique. Are organists, especially European organists, not taught *legato playing* anymore? Everything is so "sliced-up, chopped and diced" nowadays. Horrible to listen to!
All in all, a thoroughly unsatisfying performance.
And, obviously, all of this is my personal opinion - as is, obviously, yours.
This detached staccato style and speed is the result of musicologists research: I've never liked it or agreed with it and I certainly don't remember Karl Richter playing like it!
Tom Kopman is one of the top baroque performers (as was Richter in his day) so everything in this recording is intentional but I have to give it a thumbs down.
@@Matthew-he3jw Yes, I do understand your historic musicological point. Further, I think it's a combination of 1. misunderstanding that the indication "Allegro" originally (17th-18th cent.) meant "light-hearted and cheerful," not Presto Furioso; 2. the *mistaken belief* that cathedral acoustics somehow *demand* a constant, detached playing style in order for music to be to be heard "correctly"; and 3. the hubris of many highly proficient performers simply "showing off."
In all cases, the music suffers - contrapuntal music, especially; which requires that the intricate polyphonic "goings on" *must never be rushed through,* but given "breathing room" to be savored and enjoyed.
As one of my wise organ profs taught us: always take the *middle way* when it comes to tempi - neither too slow nor too fast - and you will never be in the wrong.
@@bobh5087 I agree especially about the acoustic properties of a building dictating performance tempo. One of the reasons behind Widor's complaint about organists needing to listen to themselves?
@@Matthew-he3jw And, I believe, organists (in fact, all solo performers) must be keenly aware of *their audience's expectations, needs and responses* to their music-making .
Take, for example, the art of hymn-playing. The congregation must 1. be able to naturally and comfortably *breathe* at textual punctuations; and 2. the *text's meaning* must be easily and instantly *comprehendable* to them.
So, the *refined and practiced experience* of an organist becomes a Friend and Helper to his/her audience, showing them the way. And this same good taste, humility and congeniality must extend to recital repertoire, as well. And, as you alluded to: *critical listening* is the key.
@@bobh5087 You're so right about hymn-playing (and psalm pointing as well), I think the congregational organist has an unique responsibility amongst musicians in that they lead the singing rather than dictate it; one might almost say "Governing with the consent of the governed".
Not my favourite organist when in his "go like hell" mood.
Koopman is one of the worst organists I've ever heard to, your right
Marcel Dupre owned most organists if not all...
Horrible in every way! The final section sounds like someone vomiting!
Never heard so much nonsense in my life!
@@rieske2000 yes- it’s horribly played nonsense indeed. Glad you agree.