I love that Biggs plays the instrument - meaning, he's playing the piece differently on pedal harpsichord than he would on an organ, because the instrument has different demands. I love how he make the distinction through his play.
What is so great about this performance is how he phrases the notes. Especially wonderful is how he brings out the pedal parts in the fugue. Delicate and powerful. Outstanding!
Back in the day organists/composers were limited in their resources. You would need people to pump the bellows. The pedal harpsicord was their alternative practice instrument.
I had this very album a thousand or so years ago. There has been speculation around cowboy campfires that Bach actually composed Toccata and Fugue in D minor for the harpsichord, not the organ. E. Power Biggs himself stated that and proves it very well here. Sounds good on the organ, sounds GREAT on the harpsichord.
I remember back in my theory class in high school we had a discussion on the origins of this piece and there's the possibility of it being written for the violin, as the lower registry breaks many rules Bach would support; it was merely transposed to be played for organ. It's been years since I've read about this though, but definitely an intriguing idea.
@@Christopher-h4z Te estarás refieriendo a Johan Petter Kellner, pero esa teoría ha sido totalmente desacreditada, decir: "La mayoría de eruditos", en verdad, es excesivamente deshonesto.
I still have this on vinyl from about '75 or so. No way to play any of my vinyl right now, so glad to hear this again. I adore this on the organ, I feel transported to another dimension. On the harpsichord, not quite the same effect, but it makes me feel good and very happy. I think those two things make up what music is here for anyway. Thanks for posting
Harpsichord = Best Instrument Ever .... Somebody should throw an electric guitar distortion pedal on one, i bet it would sound totally badass. personally I don't think I can afford (or play in tune) a harpsichord, but Ill try running this youtube video through a pedal
So I ran the harpsichord through some distortion and it does sound good but there is one obvious flaw -- it's extremely lacking in the bass frequency ranges. However, simply running it through a filter that transposes the spectrum down an octave, adding that to the original signal, and running that through a distortion should sound pretty freaking crazy, I'll get to that someday
Got this album, also; though mine is only 900 years old. My imaginary best way to hear this piece is: the Toccata on harpsichord, followed by the Fugue played on organ. I remember hearing a recording like this - can't place it.
Quite amazed how the piece slots in perfectly to the harpsichord. It’s not like all organ pieces do - see BWV 582, where the thin texture does not bode well with the bold and full passacaglia.
In earlier visits, I think UA-cam just said "Hunh?" when i entered E. Power Biggs. Or maybe that was Pandora radio. I mean, come on, guys! Thanks for posting!
I strongly prefer the sound of the pedal harpsichord to that of the organ. The organ pipes do not fade, so long chords tend to become a huge tonal mash, often overlapping other melodic voices.
Yes, pipe organ are known even in time of acient Grece and Rome, but they were forbidden in Church until 7th century. Then Pope gave a permission for pipe organ, but Orthodox churches don't want a pipe organ in their churches so in Orthodox and Greek-Catholic church are common singing in "a cappella" version
Musou, I am curious as to your source. I am not certain that J S Bach even had access to a pedal harpsichord. The pedal voice is integral to the fugue, which nearly all pipe organs were equipped for, but few if any harpsichords were. 🌹
I can't prove it but since they didn't lighters, they light candles and roared with this rockin' number. JSB...think Chick Corea+Frank Zappa+Ramsey Lewis. Now remember, the style..for every well dressed courtier on the way up was....Long luscious hair, bad silk stockings, culottes and high heels, gurl friend. And don't forget your lipstick, rouge and fake mole... see you row 9 aisle C at the J.S. Bach concert at the Palace; seven and the after party is 11 until...
I love that Biggs plays the instrument - meaning, he's playing the piece differently on pedal harpsichord than he would on an organ, because the instrument has different demands. I love how he make the distinction through his play.
What is so great about this performance is how he phrases the notes.
Especially wonderful is how he brings out the pedal parts in the fugue. Delicate and powerful.
Outstanding!
Back in the day organists/composers were limited in their resources. You would need people to pump the bellows. The pedal harpsicord was their alternative practice instrument.
!!!! After rehearing this, I realized that the Toccata and Fugue end in the same chord.
Marvelous!
I don't think that's a big deal...
@@cube4547 You are correct. Since posting the comment, I asked around to my musician friends; it's pretty standard to do this.
I had this very album a thousand or so years ago. There has been speculation around cowboy campfires that Bach actually composed Toccata and Fugue in D minor for the harpsichord, not the organ. E. Power Biggs himself stated that and proves it very well here. Sounds good on the organ, sounds GREAT on the harpsichord.
I remember back in my theory class in high school we had a discussion on the origins of this piece and there's the possibility of it being written for the violin, as the lower registry breaks many rules Bach would support; it was merely transposed to be played for organ. It's been years since I've read about this though, but definitely an intriguing idea.
Most scholars believe it wasn't even composed by Bach, but what does that matter when almost half if not more of his works went lost?
Most scholars believe it wasn't even composed by Bach, but what does that matter when almost half if not more of his works went lost?
how did Cowboys gain knowledge about Bach though? Or was it just a metaphor
@@Christopher-h4z Te estarás refieriendo a Johan Petter Kellner, pero esa teoría ha sido totalmente desacreditada, decir: "La mayoría de eruditos", en verdad, es excesivamente deshonesto.
I am familiar with Biggs and of course T&F but this is the first time I'm hearing this particular recording.. Quite literally breathtaking.
I still have this on vinyl from about '75 or so. No way to play any of my vinyl right now, so glad to hear this again. I adore this on the organ, I feel transported to another dimension. On the harpsichord, not quite the same effect, but it makes me feel good and very happy. I think those two things make up what music is here for anyway. Thanks for posting
+Michael Fitzgerald I bought a USB turn table, just for this album.
BACH WILL SOUND GOOD IN ANY INSTRUMENT. NO MATTER IF IS ELECTRIC GUITAR OR THE LITTLE MICKEY PIANO OF MY KID BROTHER.
This is absolutely breathtaking.
ugh obsessed with this
Isä O feel ya, same here
Many Thanx for the post. I Love Power Biggs
Mr. biggs plays with such an elegance and solemnity...
Fugue begins at 2:47
@@fluox_etina2201 btw the music is called the wood carving partita and it's preformed on harpscihord as well
thanks
Harpsichord = Best Instrument Ever .... Somebody should throw an electric guitar distortion pedal on one, i bet it would sound totally badass. personally I don't think I can afford (or play in tune) a harpsichord, but Ill try running this youtube video through a pedal
So I ran the harpsichord through some distortion and it does sound good but there is one obvious flaw -- it's extremely lacking in the bass frequency ranges. However, simply running it through a filter that transposes the spectrum down an octave, adding that to the original signal, and running that through a distortion should sound pretty freaking crazy, I'll get to that someday
Paul Ciarlo could you post a video?
@@ballinnickyc I'm sure people have done dist guitar covers of this
i bet that'd sound great. maybe playing with the EQ could punch up the bass. also, you're handsome.
This deserves way more views
I just stumbled on this version....how cool! And it does sound great on harpsichord....who would have thought it?
I think Bach meant it this way. What an experience to hear it! Big Power!
Got this album, also; though mine is only 900 years old.
My imaginary best way to hear this piece is: the Toccata on harpsichord, followed by the Fugue played on organ.
I remember hearing a recording like this - can't place it.
This sounds like it should be playing on a harpsichord that plays itself in some haunted house.
I’m in love with this right now
PERFECTION!!!!!!!!
MAGNIFICO!
Perfect! This is exactly what I was looking for also!
Wonderful!
Quite amazed how the piece slots in perfectly to the harpsichord. It’s not like all organ pieces do - see BWV 582, where the thin texture does not bode well with the bold and full passacaglia.
Brilliant! This is exactly what I was looking for!
This by far and away the most powerful piece by any composer
agreed!
So Good ❤
got my juices flowing exquitely - so revved up that I'm chowing down a bacon salad!!
That is Power
In earlier visits, I think UA-cam just said "Hunh?" when i entered E. Power Biggs. Or maybe that was Pandora radio. I mean, come on, guys!
Thanks for posting!
@FuzzyGeekProductions I've discovered that one can find just about anything on UA-cam!
This piece was actually written for the harpsichord if I’m not mistaken… though it’s well know as a organ piece …
E X T A S E ,
mit grossen Buchstaben !
Hear-hear! :)
Terrific!
this is the most baroque-est thing I've ever heard
If it baroque, don’t fix it!
@@Stumblingthunder Or don't practice too hard or you may get baroquen fingers!
3ibp where u at?
There's nothing similar to a harpsichord to play Bach!
And?
I strongly prefer the sound of the pedal harpsichord to that of the organ.
The organ pipes do not fade, so long chords tend to become a huge tonal mash, often overlapping other melodic voices.
Probably how he played it at home?
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
But… What is a toccata and what is a fugue
02:48
What is that 3rd chord from the end?
The sheet music is very easy to find on Google :-)
bVI^9
I believe it's an Bb Major. ☺🎹
2:47
The sound reminds me of "the Addams family'...
Lurch playing?
This is how this music was before organ. I reaf Bach write it and compose it for harpsichord.
Organ was before harpishchord ._.
Yes, pipe organ are known even in time of acient Grece and Rome, but they were forbidden in Church until 7th century. Then Pope gave a permission for pipe organ, but Orthodox churches don't want a pipe organ in their churches so in Orthodox and Greek-Catholic church are common singing in "a cappella" version
Musou, I am curious as to your source. I am not certain that J S Bach even had access to a pedal harpsichord. The pedal voice is integral to the fugue, which nearly all pipe organs were equipped for, but few if any harpsichords were. 🌹
That may be nice, but face it....Good taste, like common sense, is so rare it oughta be a super power.
I can't prove it but since they didn't lighters, they light candles and roared with this rockin' number. JSB...think Chick Corea+Frank Zappa+Ramsey Lewis. Now remember, the style..for every well dressed courtier on the way up was....Long luscious hair, bad silk stockings, culottes and high heels, gurl friend. And don't forget your lipstick, rouge and fake mole... see you row 9 aisle C at the J.S. Bach concert at the Palace; seven and the after party is 11 until...
2:46
7:34
1:06