Bach & his Pupils - Bätz Organ, Lutherse Kerk, Den Haag, Hauptwerk

Описание: Sonus Paradisi released a new Hauptwerk sample set of the famous Bätz organ of the Lutherse Kerk in Den Haag (The Netherlands), built in 1762, with later additions. In this video of 23 minutes I show mainly the baroque side of this organ. I compiled a program of 9 pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach and his pupils, mostly focusing on Christmas. Because of the later additions to this organ it is very capable for romantic music. Therefore a fugue on B.A.C.H. from Robert Schumann is included. I'm sure many romantic pieces will follow by others, knowing how popular this organ is in Holland.

Some notes about the composers and pieces. Per hymn I combined a prelude of J.S. Bach with a prelude by his pupil. Johann Tobias Krebs, father of Johann Ludwig Krebs, was an early student of J.S. Bach. His prelude and fugue in C major is an uplifting, uncomplicated piece. The version I recorded has some later (probably romantic) additions, compared to the original manuscript. Mainly the chords are fatter and the pedal part is more prominent in the fugue. Son Johann Ludwig Krebs is well known for being a student of J.S. Bach. In his galant trio in C major I used both tremulants (Rugwerk and Bovenwerk) to gain the effect this Bätz organ is famous for. Some musicologists claim this use of tremulant wasn't unusual in the (late) baroque period. Johann Kirnberger studied performance and composition with Bach. He is famous for the so called 'Kirnberger Chorales' BWV 690-713, preserving many of Bach's manuscripts in his library.

Bach's sons were also his pupils. Wilhelm Friedemann was the son who incorporated more elements of contrapuntal style learned from his father, than any of his three brothers. His use of this style has however an individualistic and improvisatory edge. The chorale prelude on 'Nun komm' is simple and in the 'stile antico', like his father often did (for example 'Vater unser' BWV 737).

Robert Schumann (and Johannes Brahms too) were deeply influenced by Bach's music. Schumann's compositions often reflect Bach's contrapuntal techniques and structural clarity. So in a way you can call Schumann also a pupil of Bach, like many other composers from other style periods. Schumann's admiration for Bach is obvious, because of his Opus 60 with six wonderful fugues on B.A.C.H.

It's not sure if the setting on 'Vom Himmel hoch' is from Bach's pupil Mohrheim. The manuscript only reads F.C.S.M. Others mention Scheidemantel, but it's suspected Mohrheim is the composer of this fine example of counterpoint due to these four initials. Mohrheim was Bach's student at the Thomasschule in Leipzig from 1733-1736. As final piece I recorded Bach's strict contrapuntal setting on 'Vom Himmel hoch' BWV 700, with a glorious and firm ending.

This sample set offers 8 channels (direct, diffuse, distant, rear). The perspectives I used, change per piece; sometimes more direct, another time more distant.

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Time stamps:
00:00 J.T. Krebs - Praeludium & Fuge C-Dur
01:55 J.L. Krebs - Trio C-Dur
06:28 W.F. Bach - Nun komm der Heiden Heiland
08:42 Schumann - Fuge 3 über den Namen B.A.C.H.
12:43 Kirnberger - Gelobet seist du
13:48 Bach - Gelobet seist du BWV 604
15:49 Mohrheim - Vom Himmel hoch
18:00 Bach - Vom Himmel hoch BWV 700

Website Sonus Paradisi:
https://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organ...

Sheet music are on these platforms:
Partitura Organum (Kirnberger, Mohrheim), IMSLP (the other pieces)