Toccata in F Major BWV 540 J. S. Bach

[organpipe8]

That was awesome BRAVO Lance ♫♪♫

[superpipes100]

Stunning playing! The articulation gives the music vitality and clarity.

[cradochephy]

Magnificient!

[Fireball1787]

This is an absolutely magnificent performance of another of Bach's great organ masterpieces.

The pedal playing is quite superb. Only Bach would have had the genius to ask the organist to hold the F pedal for 32 bars at a time.

An amazing organist. Why haven't we heard more of him?

Bach must have been absolutely fantastic in his organ playing! "Let's test the lungs of this beast", he would say on encountering a new instrument. Some challenge!

[soubass16]

Hermoso.Gran interpretación.



[ebroenroen]

i have listen to this now every evening now for almost two years, it always gives me s great joy, not least the way it is prefomed, simply wonderful!

[CaMaster]

Great stuff.

[ears61]

I say just have the pedal reed on and blast away from the begining. That long note IS called a pedal :)

superb

lol "some of the lower registers of the organ don't sound so well" darn those 16' reeds :)

[ears61]

I say just have the pedal reed on and blast away from the begining. That long note IS called a pedal :)

superb

[xlegiofalco]

some of the lower registers of the organ don't sound so well, like a tenor trying to sing a base part, very raspy. But otherwise a very nice performance!

[bhsher]

Wonderful!!



[grandorgue128]

WOW!!!

[BigD4348]

Any time you can do a score from memory you have performed a truly incredible feat! Bravo. Plus I must say that this organ is a marvelous piece of craftsmanship.

[BaroqueLover72]

Wow, terrific rendition! I must say it's rare to find BWV540 played so clearly. I get so tired of others playing the tempo as if they're trying to break a speed record. I can truly appreciate every note here...well done!

[SIRC0L0RS]

Awesome playing

[Gregorius24]

I am a baroque violinist and used to direct a period instrument orchestra in L. A.

Your playing, technique, musicianship, style, and interpretations are brilliant beyond belief.

[McKwarro]

The Spirit of JS Bach lives on you.

[SparkySharky7]

This is a riveting performance of an incredible piece of music. Mind-blowing.

[zoonambulo]

I just love this toccata

[aston0708]

Well done ,,a simply marvellously intelligent performance of the canon or Toccata.Beautiful phrasing every lione came out perfectly, also if you make another on a bigger organ please post as I'm sure it will give even greater pleasure.Thank you.

[bobmusick]

Is this by memory? Or are you reading?

[Youpeoplearejoking]

@bobmusick

Going by the conspicuous lack of a score, I'd say it's from memory.

(good job, BTW!)

[ToccodelDestino]

I really like your performances. I listened to other organists here on you tube, but for my musical taste, your the best in my opinion.

[joeyboi87]

fantastic playing but not the most attractive of pedalling techniques... his feet were all over the place...should be more smooth and accurate

[ser4ton]

Мощная вещь! Сегодня слушал живьем в исполнении Хааса.

[lucasw0]

it is great and my mum is crazy with it!

[jameserous]

Truly outstanding playing. Wonderful sense of line, and nice shaping of phrases. It takes months and months and months of practice to pull this off at this standard of playing. Kudos to you! --virginia--

[martianmusic1]

For your listening type in, the only way tarkus and there it is .Emerson Lake and Palmer in the 1970's

[martianmusic1]

I just checked this out. The prelude if F is the intro to Greg Lake's beatiful Hymn titled, "The Only Way " from the Takus album. The "conclusion" is a very different animal and Bach it most certainly is not. A Time And A Place is not Bach either, its a very hard core rock piece. Sorry for the confusion but hey who cares? It sounds great.

[martianmusic1]

Phew! What a rendition. The intro to this was used by Keith Emerson on Emerson Lake and Palmer's album Tarkus in a piece called Time and space. I have adapted a section for my rock band and I have to say its stunning. The brilliant Bach lives on even in a 6/8 jazz timing....I'm sure Ronnie Scott would have booked him to perform this with the likes of Pete Townsend, Cosy Powell etc...the possibilities are mindblowing....after all its Jazz man, pure jazz.

[eameece]

I wish someone could post it on you tube. That would be neat to hear. According to wikipedia there are 2 tracks on side two called "Infinite Space" and "A Time and a Place" (you must mean the latter?). Of course the original is also in "6/8 (but not "jazz") timing". Bach indeed has infinite possibilities...

[amelithpastor]

Bravo!!

[telephilia]

This work does not have the drama (in terms of contrasts) of the famous D Minor Toccata but it is more majestic. A mighty stream starting at its tributaries and building to a broad river of sound.

[buzzbaybear]

lacking drama? are you kidding? listen to those modulations and deceptive cadences 3:45, 5:59, 7:37, 8:00 just to name a few. Must have brought an 18th century crowd to it's feet.

[telephilia]

please read more carefully - I said in terms of contrasts. I did not say it lacked drama. I was comparing it to the D Minor. In fact, over all I usually prefer the F Major over the the more well-known D Minor.

[1401JSC]

This is superb.

What great independence of hands and pedals after 5:00.

Love the articulations. Don't particularly care for the "commas" where we wait around for the next theme to arrive, but this approach is defendable.

[1401JSC]

30 years old

[TreblRebl]

what sort of camera captured this?

[bobmusick]

video.

lol I'm sorry i couldn't resist.... But yeah idk

[henderek]

Very impressive playing, good quality of sound,just good timed

[MrNBA24]

wow!! i play the organ and that was way better than what i can do!!! rofl

[MichaelLatulippe]

Very impressive performance of this piece. I just saw it performed yesterday at the Legion of Honor Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, and this truly out does that performance. Thank you for this upload and keep up the good work. I have subscribed to your videos and I visit Boston a few times a year due to family, if you have a recital make sure you let your subscribers know!

[richardadugyamfi]

I am so impressed that I think this is finest show of this particular piece by Bach.

Infact the organist is good. His choice of stops makes the music sound majestic. It was performed with virtuosity.

[corgigreta]

Breathtaking!

I don't necessarily like Bach played at breakneck speed (Anthony Newman style), but in this case, I consider it so well done as to be utterly appropriate and most musical. It is is the quintessential TOCCATA.

I suppose it helps to have a wonderful, articulate organ so that nothing becomes lost in mush.

[Weffe52]

Just like a youg dog.

Thank you, I like it. very much.

Brilliante.

[ebroenroen]

I think I have listen to this now for about a 100 times,and I enjoy it every time,what an artist and what an craftmanship.Thanks!

[ebroenroen]

Thank God for this performance,have listen to organ players and self played for almost 50 years but this is on top of most

We realy should be thankful that young people are taking up the profession

[bbbbmer]

i agree...outstanding!

[karlmahlmann]

outstanding!!

[robertgift]

Wonderful tempo! Clean, crisp, clear playing. Camcorder, zoom in for detail. Pedal arpeggios often a little late in coming in. After the arpeggios, hate when you do not tie the pedal notes together. Not a musical line if not connected. May even need to use heals to play legato at some places. Oberwerke for the trio sections. Brings relief and such clarity. The arpeggios are then more mighty returning to pedal reeds and Hauptwerke. Wonderful performance. No fugue? Thank you.

[saintsaens888]

He is the organ version of the late Alexei Sultanov. Bravo Karosi! Apart from the organist and the power of the organ instrument, this toccata by Bach brings my spirit to lofty heights! I savor and hum every note with not just my lips but with my entire soul.

[muzikalmaestro]

This dude is brilliante. We don't get to hear talent like this very often in Africa or Asia. Bravo!

[organcomposer]

Wonderful

I have never heard this toccata with such a talent. Thanks.

[weisthorr]

Great Balint, you're a gift thath our God pleased to give to we all!

Thank for have your vids posted.

[pipeup1]

This guy is fantastic, gives life and energy to the piece. Its not often that you hear this pasacaglia played where you don't presume theres a coffin coming down the church! His pedelwork is outstanding. A professional organist if ever i saw one!

[pipeup1]

lol, sorry, I posted for the wrong piece, of course i was referring to the passacaglia this organist has also posted.

This toccata is also fantastic - he's so talented!!!!

[WeHoFur]

He did it w/o music sheets! Bravo!! I also applauded!

[lwnf360]

It was so good that I actually applauded at the end.

[vizipok01]

Instead of debating, check out my other Bach recordings.

[larrytherangerdog]

I already did, a long time ago lol. They're awesome! especially the passacaglia & fugue. didn't you study with jim christie? i'm about to go to the oberlin summer camp on the 29th - looking forward to seeing him again

[ToccodelDestino]

You have the same musical taste as me. I cannot play any instrument, but you performed 2 of my favourites bach's organ pieces: this one and the fugue in G-Minor.

Compliments, I like the way you play very much.

[EliaMarius]

beautiful!

[PerrrfictKats]

Now.... Where,s THE fugue? Reminiscent: Where,s THE Beef?

[PerrrfictKats]

WOW!! {same thing backwards) WOW!

[wandalewlandowska]

PS - Denise sends her love.

[wandalewlandowska]

Jory is correct, as always. Smooches, Jory!

votre Wanda

[DavidARowland]

Great and very exciting. However, the same video posted on myspace has a better audio track in STEREO. Does Youtube flatten the audio?

[bbbbmer]

i love this performance's spirit, but i've been searching for a recording of virgil fox's performance, which i heard live in the late 70's at the marin ctr in california, where he disappeared into the stage amid smoke and laser lights after having played bwv540 at break neck speed -- he was rumored to have been on acid, and it was an AMAZING performance !!! he was THE MASTER!!!

[JoachimEssig]

You would like to play the piece with much drive like a real baroque orchestra. The piece remembers on the last movement of Brandenburg concerto number One.

The rigid organ sound can only be animated with rubato-tricks. 8:00 and 8:17 are especially successful. The reed stop in the pedal is very melodious.

Your playing is perfect.

Congratulations!

[willyhog]

awesome gj, very workable and interpretative registration, even and fluis tempo, but eurgh straight set pedalboard: horrible to play on.

[Fozzymaple]

I love your playing and your tempo is a "human" tempo. I say that because one of my favorite recordings of this is of Virgil Fox at Riverside playing this piece faster than anyone ought to be able to, your recording is 8:00, Fox came in at 6:18.

[billjhyt]

Your tempo is very fluid and convincing as a stream (Bach) moving from an unlikely mountain source back to the sea with countless twists and turns and even supposed delays, however brief, until, at last, home again in the sea as it should be--until another similar excursion somewhere else in God's cosmos, matrix, universe(s), dimension(s), etc. Thank You

[jlamour]

This piece is fucking awesome. Nice tempo, quicker than that Biggs dude. Good stuff.

[clashtitans2]

professional !! 5stars

[joeyboi87]

fantastic registration. Sounds very like Jonathan Rees Williams's recording at St Georges Chapel

[BACHrroco]

Parabens, é a unica versao decente no YouTube desta Obra-Prima.

[pianopera]

Very well played! It's relly a showpiece for an organ-player, isn't it? With walz-like rhythm and at 3:47 the B-A-C-H motif in the pedal. Do you play the fugue as well?

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Non, tu te trompes: ce n'est pas le thème B-A-C-H, parce que, si tu entendes, la dernière note est un si bémol (Bb), pas un si becarre.

Je dois dire qu'il joue vraiment très bien.

[pianopera]

Hello Louis, I'm sorry but you are mistaken...

To be precise:

3:47 Ab-G-Bb-A

5:59 Db-C-Eb-D

8:02 Cb-Bb-Db-C

So three times the BACH motif, only with different tones.

Now I hope the King won't decree to cut my head of...

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Salut, Pianopera. Dans ce cas, alors, ça va; il n'y a pas besoin de couper ta tête. Mais à 3:47, le "BACH" c'est (je suis en train de le lire, mais je l'avais entendu) Bb-A-C-Bb. Donc, ici n'est pas "BACH" (il y a un ton entre les deux dernières notes). Les autres deux sont vraiment "BACH".

[pianopera]

No, His Imperial Highness is wrong, the first one has the same intervals, it's Ab-G-Bb-A, corresponding with B-A-C-H (Bb-A-C-B)...

Check the score if you don't believe me! Free available on the internet at free-scores . com (address without the spaces).

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Sa Majesté Impériale reconnaît qu'elle avait tort: elle avait lit deux mesures après.

Merci pour le lien, mais j'ai déjà la partition; j'avais mal lit.

[anisometropie]

"elle avait LU deux mesures" :)

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Ops... Tu as raison: lu. Excusez-moi...

[RoiSoleilXIV]

J'y ai pensé et je vois que c'est bien normal qu'il y ait trois fois B-A-C-H: trois le tempo (je crois qu'en français on dit comme ça, je suis italien), trois les parties, trois les B-A-C-H. Trois fois trois. Je n'ai pas compté les mesures, mais il est bien possible que le nombre soit un multiple de trois. Est-ce que tu y vois d'autres trois? Ça me rappelle BWV 552.

[pianopera]

552, isn't that the one with THREE different themes in the fugue that are combined in the end? Magnificent piece, I hope Karosi will also post it!

Anyway, the Holy Trinity (Trinitarianism), as well as other forms of religious symbolism and numerology are used quite often by Bach I think...but I'm not a specialist in this subject...

Nice talking to you, and your french is much better than mine!

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Oui,c'est cette fugue-là. Mais même le prélude est divisé en trois parties (A-B-A), et son tempo est en trois. Un vrai hommage à la Trinité. Il n'est pas un cas que ce prélude et fugue soit le "quadre" de la Messe pour Orgue (PRELUDE-elaborations de chorales-quatre duos-FUGUE).

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Encore sur le sujet du simbolisme, cette Messe-là, dans la partie des chorales, est "divisée" pour les connaisseurs est pour les débutants (comme dans le Cathéchisme de Luther): il y a donc des chorales sans pédale (débutants) et avec pédale (connaisseurs) (et quelle pédale! Dans un chorale est même double!).

Moi aussi j'aime parler avec toi; pour le français, merci... Mais ton anglais est décidément meilleur que le mien!

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Encore symbolisme: dans le Clavecin bien Tempéré, le nombre des notes du sujet de la prémière fugue du premier livre est la signature de Bach: 14 notes (dans l'alphabet, B=2, A=1, C=,3, H=8; 2, 1, 3 et 8 sommés font 14); et puis, dans cette fugue-là, Bach a mis le sujet 24 fois, comme les 24 tons. Génial...

[RoiSoleilXIV]

Excuse-moi, le prélude BWV 552 n'a pas le temps en trois; il a trois bémols en clef (j'espère qu'en français on dit comme ça...).

[Tazeruk]

Correction: "le prélude BWV 552 n'est pas à trois temps, il a trois bémols à la clef" :)

[joeyboi87]

BWV 552 is the Prelude and Fugue in E flat. The fugue is based on the St Annes hymn theme and does have 3 sections...is indeed a fantastic piece!!

[onionpizza]

BRAVISSIMO!!

[tony5858]

Does it matter that he looks at his feet? He's playing from memory! I think this performance is as near to flawless as I've ever heard.

[Tazeruk]

I agree.

[stuartormson]

this is the best recording of the 540 i have heard/seen on line to date, especially in light of how difficult a piece this is, really enjoyed the footwork etc. thanks for posting.

[Tazeruk]

That's not so important... no ?

[ririkuku]

i remember of you, you are also clarinettist, no? you were in friedli and rogg's class in geneva, right? very good job!

[SwedeforJesus]

WOW!!! My progress came to a grinding halt on the 6th page, it's so hard, I've been working on the three main hard parts for weeks now and I still can't hold a steady tempo, even really, really slow, through the second and 3rd hard spot.

You're amazing!! I wish there were enough hours in a day to practice organ more, but it's just my secondary, just for fun.

[bbbbmer]

this is the best youtube recording of the 540 online to date... full of passion and fun -- especially in light of how difficult this piece is....

[Chesterbarnes1]

Viszikpoka plasy with such FIRE, here is an organist that enjoys plaing Bach! Wow! How I enjoyed listening. Thank you!

R.L. A

[prootwadl]

Very nice! I wish I could play like that. :-(

[giufighter]

bravo.

[sebastiano555]

Braaaavo!!!