I first heard Simon Preston play the more familiar BWV 565 D-minor Toccata and Fugue on the 3-manual 1829 William Hill organ in Big School (the assembly hall) at Christ's Hospital school in Sussex. This was in about 1964, when he was Sub-Organist at Westminster Abbey, and although that was nearly 60 years ago I still remember his immaculate performance. I was a student at the school and played both that organ and the massive 5-manual Rushworth in the Chapel. The latter is currently undergoing a major rebuild which should be completed this year and I am looking forward to hearing it again. Sadly the Big School organ is in need of significant repair and is not regularly played at present.
a sa facon incomparable de jouer il ajoute surtout un choix juditieux des registres . le resulta et la ! merci mr simon preston : pierre-xavier de chassot .
Mr Preston is the one organist in my sensibility who never ever ever gets it wrong with Bach pieces. I can sometimes find another version that I prefer by a very small margin (like, no one plays 564 like Christian Barthen, or I prefer this toccata as interpreted by Aarnoud Degroen, 540 is mastered best in my opinion by Ulrich Boehme...) but Simon always has it near perfect to my ears. Always. (and I haven't found anyone better than him on 532)
In saying that you invite anyone else to say they give their complete allegiance to some other organist, which they can do quite legitimately because the whole thing is subjective. It is however difficult to believe that everything Simon Preston does with Bach is in full accord with your own ideas on interpretation. If it truly is then you must be a clone of him. At any rate, Simon Preston' s playing is impeccable. If one likes his interpretation of this work, one can say so. Some may not like it, and I am one. It must then be said that it was interesting and enjoyable to hear his interpretation. I would certainly say that, and by the way I do have the complete CD set of Simon Preston's Bach recordings.
Having the highest regard for Simon Preston as a brilliant player, and also as a legendary cathedral choir trainer, one has to add that there are several other great Bach players who have recorded equally vaild interpretations of this and all the rest of Bach's organ works. High on my list are the late French organist Michel Chapuis, the redoutable Marie-Claire Alain (a very fine 'Dorian' Toccata and Fugue, BWV538, recorded on the Marcussen organ of St. Mary Church, Helsingborg, Sweden c.1965) and the stylish Robert Quinney (New College, Oxford).
@@marcgregory8934 What makes great music great is that it CAN be interpreted differently by different artists (or even at different times by the same artist). I have my preferences as well for any given piece, but the greatness of Bach shines through even with variances in interpretation. At any rate, glad that so many people still love music of this type!
I love this piece - and have since I first heard it many years ago - but I do wish he hadn't sped up the tempo so. Did Preston study with Von Karajan? Can't argue with his phenomenal skill, but IMHO, this would have been vastly superior had he slowed it down a bit. I've seen this played (up close and personal, standing right next to the organist) during a rehearsal for my own wedding in 1974, and played at a slower tempo, it is a much more powerful and moving piece.
Does anyone have anyyyy idea which stops Preston used in this recording? It sounds different than other recordings of this piece (most of the others sounds like they’re using all of the stops but this one just doesn’t)
"...played on a Baroque-style plenum (chorus of principal stops) throughout, facilitating an ideal balance between grandeur and momentum..." (Barry Millington, The Guardian)
What instrument was this played on? I looked on the video beginning and ending and notes here, and it is not mentioned. Is it the console at which he is pictured?
according to the booklet of this 14 CD set, this piece (on CD #2) was played on the marcussen organ of tonbridge school chapel and was recorded in dec.98/jan.99.
Jenairaslebol27merde Merci l’ami ! Orgue de construction ‘moderne’ donc , mais de tradition d’Europe du Nord et parfaitement adapté. Superbe registration de SP.
STKO Absolutely not one mite too fast ! JSB was a virtuoso of the organ, acknowledged as such in his own time by his contemporaries, those who actually heard him play were amazed at his mastery and virtuosity on the pedal. Simon Preston was perfectly « historically informed », what he did here is exactly what must be done with this pièce !
@@a.f.4248 You can say, what ever you want.... It IS too fast. There are quiet a lot of highly reputated organists in the world, all perfectly " historically informed ", and NO ONE of them will ever play THIS Toccata with THIS speed. Only some american organists (not all of them !) would play it this way. But in the US, there really is problem with the organ-music. The organists set speed in play equal to excellence. That of course is wrong and stupid, but so it is until today. And the greatest Specialist on Bach, we all had in the last 50 Years, Karl Richter, also played it slower (you can find recordings here on YT.).
@@kevinharrell203 It seems, that YOU do.... ?!? Or what else is the intention of your stupid post ? Some British and a lot of US organists confuse " real skills " very much and real often with " speed of play ". This is a worldwide known, and long-proven fact. Btw.... I normally love the playing of Simon Preston, i own a bunch of Records and CDs with him as perfoming Artist. Only to make THIS clear. But, sorry, once again : THIS Piece was played to fast. Normally it's 5:20 to 5:30 for the toccata, and 13:40 to 14:00 for the whole piece. HERE we have : 4:50 !! for the toccata and 13:25h for the toccata and the fugue.... More Questions.... ?
Take a few minutes off, put on your earphones and listen to Simon Preston playing this piece. It is a gift from God.
I first heard Simon Preston play the more familiar BWV 565 D-minor Toccata and Fugue on the 3-manual 1829 William Hill organ in Big School (the assembly hall) at Christ's Hospital school in Sussex. This was in about 1964, when he was Sub-Organist at Westminster Abbey, and although that was nearly 60 years ago I still remember his immaculate performance. I was a student at the school and played both that organ and the massive 5-manual Rushworth in the Chapel. The latter is currently undergoing a major rebuild which should be completed this year and I am looking forward to hearing it again. Sadly the Big School organ is in need of significant repair and is not regularly played at present.
i love the way Simon interprets this powerful piece
The "Hurricane" Toccata & Fugue - a perfect storm of deep thought & emotion. Preston plays it perfectly!
Une oeuvre magistrale magistralement interprétée !
a sa facon incomparable de jouer il ajoute surtout un choix juditieux des registres . le resulta et la ! merci mr simon preston : pierre-xavier de chassot .
A música de Johann Sebastian Bach é uma das maiores realizações da humanidade
Magnifico si percepisce ogni singola nota.
Powerful!
Johann Sebastian Bach's music is one of humanity's greatest achievements
Bach is the Fifth Evangelist.
Gracias!!
+María Jesús Ortega You are very welcome, dear Maria ! Hugs Ria
Mr Preston is the one organist in my sensibility who never ever ever gets it wrong with Bach pieces. I can sometimes find another version that I prefer by a very small margin (like, no one plays 564 like Christian Barthen, or I prefer this toccata as interpreted by Aarnoud Degroen, 540 is mastered best in my opinion by Ulrich Boehme...) but Simon always has it near perfect to my ears. Always. (and I haven't found anyone better than him on 532)
In saying that you invite anyone else to say they give their complete allegiance to some other organist, which they can do quite legitimately because the whole thing is subjective. It is however difficult to believe that everything Simon Preston does with Bach is in full accord with your own ideas on interpretation. If it truly is then you must be a clone of him. At any rate, Simon Preston' s playing is impeccable. If one likes his interpretation of this work, one can say so. Some may not like it, and I am one. It must then be said that it was interesting and enjoyable to hear his interpretation. I would certainly say that, and by the way I do have the complete CD set of Simon Preston's Bach recordings.
Having the highest regard for Simon Preston as a brilliant player, and also as a legendary cathedral choir trainer, one has to add that there are several other great Bach players who have recorded equally vaild interpretations of this and all the rest of Bach's organ works. High on my list are the late French organist Michel Chapuis, the redoutable Marie-Claire Alain (a very fine 'Dorian' Toccata and Fugue, BWV538, recorded on the Marcussen organ of St. Mary Church, Helsingborg, Sweden c.1965) and the stylish Robert Quinney (New College, Oxford).
ZL54JK8 You have the complete set? You are blessed!!!
@@marcgregory8934 What makes great music great is that it CAN be interpreted differently by different artists (or even at different times by the same artist). I have my preferences as well for any given piece, but the greatness of Bach shines through even with variances in interpretation. At any rate, glad that so many people still love music of this type!
I love this piece - and have since I first heard it many years ago - but I do wish he hadn't sped up the tempo so. Did Preston study with Von Karajan? Can't argue with his phenomenal skill, but IMHO, this would have been vastly superior had he slowed it down a bit. I've seen this played (up close and personal, standing right next to the organist) during a rehearsal for my own wedding in 1974, and played at a slower tempo, it is a much more powerful and moving piece.
Does anyone have anyyyy idea which stops Preston used in this recording? It sounds different than other recordings of this piece (most of the others sounds like they’re using all of the stops but this one just doesn’t)
"...played on a Baroque-style plenum (chorus of principal stops) throughout, facilitating an ideal balance between grandeur and momentum..." (Barry Millington, The Guardian)
What instrument was this played on? I looked on the video beginning and ending and notes here, and it is not mentioned. Is it the console at which he is pictured?
according to the booklet of this 14 CD set, this piece (on CD #2) was played on the marcussen organ of tonbridge school chapel and was recorded in dec.98/jan.99.
@@Jenairaslebol27merde thanks!
Jenairaslebol27merde Merci l’ami ! Orgue de construction ‘moderne’ donc , mais de tradition d’Europe du Nord et parfaitement adapté. Superbe registration de SP.
marcussen-son.dk/church-organs-1848/tonbridge-school-chapel-%C2%B7-england/?lang=en
I didn't know Dr. Fauci played organ. Why isn't he wearing a mask?
Sorry. Too much staccato. Completely ruins it.
Christine Lambe Respect your opinion but Preston has NEVER ruined ANYTHING!!!
@@janetsmith2600 Whatever you say.... THIS here is WAY too fast !
When you can play like that, then start being critical and not before.
What the hell.... ?? Bach on Formula-1 ??
Sorry, but the speed of THIS interpretation is way too fast !!
STKO Absolutely not one mite too fast ! JSB was a virtuoso of the organ, acknowledged as such in his own time by his contemporaries, those who actually heard him play were amazed at his mastery and virtuosity on the pedal. Simon Preston was perfectly « historically informed », what he did here is exactly what must be done with this pièce !
@@a.f.4248 You can say, what ever you want.... It IS too fast.
There are quiet a lot of highly reputated organists in the world, all perfectly " historically informed ", and NO ONE of them will ever play THIS
Toccata with THIS speed.
Only some american organists (not all of them !) would play it this way. But in the US, there really is problem with the organ-music.
The organists set speed in play equal to excellence. That of course is wrong and stupid, but so it is until today.
And the greatest Specialist on Bach, we all had in the last 50 Years, Karl Richter, also played it slower (you can find recordings here on YT.).
Rubbish. What makes it 'too fast' other than your opinion? Perhaps you knew Bach in a former life?
@@kevinharrell203 It seems, that YOU do.... ?!?
Or what else is the intention of your stupid post ?
Some British and a lot of US organists confuse " real skills " very much and real often with " speed of play ".
This is a worldwide known, and long-proven fact.
Btw.... I normally love the playing of Simon Preston, i own a bunch of Records and CDs with him as perfoming Artist.
Only to make THIS clear.
But, sorry, once again : THIS Piece was played to fast.
Normally it's 5:20 to 5:30 for the toccata, and 13:40 to 14:00 for the whole piece.
HERE we have : 4:50 !! for the toccata and 13:25h for the toccata and the fugue....
More Questions.... ?
@@stko9164 hah...what a fool.
Totally ridiculous........