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J S Bach - Organ Works Vol.9

£13.60

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Label: Challenge Classics

Cat No: CC72175

Barcode: 0608917217520

Format: CD

Number of Discs: 1

Genre: Instrumental

Release Date: 28th April 2008

Works

Bach, Johann Sebastian

Canonic Variations on 'Vom Himmel hoch', BWV769
Chorale Prelude BWV668 'Vor deinen Thron tret' ich'
Fugue in C minor, BWV575
Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV549
Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV548
Trio Sonata no.6 in G major, BWV530

Artists

Jacques van Oortmerssen (organ)

Works

Bach, Johann Sebastian

Artists

Jacques van Oortmerssen (organ)

About

Although Bach was not occupied exclusively as an organist, his name and his works are clearly associated with the organ. He was acquainted with the instrument from his earliest years. After the death of his parents, ca.1695, he lived with his elder brother, Johann Christoph, the organist of Ohrdruf, and his family, and from 1700-2 he was a pupil at the Michaelis School in Lüneburg. At the end of 1705, Bach travelled on foot to Lübeck to hear Dietrich Buxtehude, the renowned organist, play.

From 1708 to 1717 Bach was employed as the court organist at Weimar, where he wrote the majority of his works for organ. Subsequently he served as Kapellmeister to the court at Cöthen (1717-23). In his capacity as Kapellmeister he was expected to write church cantatas for specific occasions. Although it is uncertain whether Bach had to fulfil duties as an organist, various organ works date from this period.

His last appointment was as Kantor at St Thomas’s Church, Leipzig (1723-50). There he was responsible for the church’s music (both as composer and director), but, as at Cöthen, there was no specific task for him as an organist; this seemed to be no obstacle to his composing numerous works for the instrument. In earlier centuries it was the norm for composers to write functional music. Bach was no exception to this - not only the chorale-based works, clearly written for specific times in the Church Year, but also most of the ’free’ organ works can be accorded a place in the liturgy.

Jacques van Oortmerssen studied organ and piano at the conservatory of Music, Rotterdam under André Verwoerd and Elly Salomé respectively. He continued his organ studies with Marie-Claire Alain in Paris and was awarded the ’Prix d’Excellence’ in 1976. Since 1979, Jacques van Oortmerssen has taught organ at the Sweelinck Conservatory, Amsterdam. In 1982 he succeeded Gustav Leonhardt as chief organist at the Waalse Kerk in Amsterdam.