J.S. Bach Fugue in A minor BWV 543

[bklyncosanostra]

Great suit even better than playin. Heil, Heil, Heil.

[Fireball1787]

Superb playing. Just the right tempo and registration, in my opinion. Many thanks!

[PerrrfictKats]

Pachelbel's son came to the American colonies to live in the 1790's and may have brought some copies of Bach's music with him, he was also knew Samuel Wesley, [John Wesley's brother] who also knew Bach's music. It was German settlers coming into the U.S. to establish residency, that brought the Haussman Potrait of Bach and Bach's Bible which was found at a garage sale in Michigan now at the University Of St. Louis, Mo, U.S.

[PerrrfictKats]

543: first written record of performance played in the United States in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, Feb 2 1862. The audience sat in stunned silence at what the had heard . Bach was brought to the States by the German immigrants thru the established Mennenite church in Bethelhem, PA, altho some music of Bach's sons was played in the American colonies of the 1790's. Bach in America was not well established intill mid 19th century.

[PerrrfictKats]

@PerrrfictKats One of Pachelbel's sons also immigrated to the U.S. to live in the American colonies and its quite possible he may have brought some [or had sent from Germany] Bach's music with him, and I think I read somewhere he had the aqaintance of Samuel Wesley, John Wesley's brother who was familar with Bach's music.

[RakiMan01]

Who was that rude person talking!

[CHOLACHACAL]

I play the oboe and is a complicated instrument but every time I see a musician who plays the pipe organ and also as you do, the oboe and does not seem so complicated. Sometimes I think to play the pipe organ is necessary to have two brains. You play very well.

PS: Does anyone know of a piece of music by JS Bach is not great?

[stargroove4]

I can play pan pipes, electric guitar, accoustic tab flawlessly. I can sing 3 part harmony with Simon and garfunkel. I can play synthasizer to Floyd like Echoes, Darkside, Animals, Atom, but mylanta, I cannot read that organ music at all.

This guy and others like him are a rare breed.

[SecondAgeOfReason]

@stargroove4 I'd love to imagine someone able to sight read stuff like this

[stargroove4]

@SecondAgeOfReason LOLOLOL hee hee, and just to make it interesting, the site reader needs to be say, only 20 years old heh heh!

This guy is awesome, thank you Ron!!!

Such majestic beauty, such passion and elegance, such a connection through Space and Time you are!!

[AlsatianCousin]

@stargroove4 -you mean sheet music? I'm quite sure a lot of people can read it:)

[manto57280]

c'est lourd comme toucher......:(

[newFranzFerencLiszt]

why on earth a person should talk when somebody is playing? and Bach is sacred, damn!

[FlacidoDomingoo]

Wow marvelous congratulations.. I wold not expected something better !! Congrats

[rrrulian]

So beautifull, for me the best song of Bach ! Great interpretation Dear Ronan

[ronanmurray]

@rrrulian Thank you!

[poopingeneral]

God smiled at you while you played this. A job well done, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[MiSSDiSaSt3r]

you're very good with your hands.. ;]

[syncomposer]

Very good playing. I feel the connection towards the instrument and your passion for the music. Don´t stop playing the organ as long as you feel that connection. I wish you all the best. Greetings from Holland.

[ronanmurray]

@syncomposer Thank you!

[Rykhart]

BEAUTIFUL, MAN!

[xlarve2010]

Слишком медленно!!!!

[daasvand]

These notes ring soooooo beautifully!! ;)

[sabcoffee]

Be quiet!!!!

[busamadman]

Also - seriously amazing performance of 543! I am starting to learn the Liszt version and hope that someday I can play it with anything approaching your skills. Bravo!

[busamadman]

Is that Felix Hell in the background?

[ronanmurray]

@busamadman No.

[PJinBston]

@ronanmurray

is it Jim Gartner?

[rodstartube]

i want that organ in my house

[matwix5]

@rodstartube then your neighbours will be crazy. lol

[obermax25]

@rodstartube no. trust me you do not.

[bpaschsion]

great!

[powerkor]

playing the black keys on Satan's Organ

[pepitho]

Uf.... you wake me envy!

Bach: universe pillars

[LucaSbaBabetto]

massive

[thegoddescomposer]

nice ending

[soiledworld]

MERCI ENORME

[l000kin]

Great work! This is really hard fugue. I'm trying to learn it, but your tempo is at this time totally out of my facility. So my respect to you :-). Btw. how long did you learn it?

[bersa888]

Rhythmically shaky, but good overall.

[Mrababab121212]

outstanding articulation

[rudly]

nice tempo

[ronanmurray]

Thank you!

[1401JSC]

Should left hand phrasing be in function of the fingering?

When should quavers be legato and when detatched?

And the descending thirds in the pedal? Detatched or phrased in pairs?

What structural considerations influence the change of keyboard?

And the ascending quavers at 6:00 legato or staccato?

Why an acceleration for the pedal solo and the bars that follow?

Why is the penultimate bar played slower?

[24161412416141]

If you want cleart version of this tempo, you can look for Chorzempa's playing in youtube.

[iglaczek1]

Perfect tempo! not faster at all, good clear articulation

[joeyboi87]

fantastic tempo, although could maybe be a tad faster

[Pischnaholic]

If played any faster in a room with that much reverberation, all the notes would run together, and it would sound cacophonous.

It might have more bite and animation if the player used more short-phrasing in each statement of the theme -- meaning certain notes should be played detached and others slurred. This, however, is extremely difficult to do when the theme occurs in the pedals.

And "authentic" or not, I'd prefer a few changes in registration.

[joeyboi87]

I personally quite like the registration, however I supose it could be a bit less heavy with crescendo's towards the end

[Pischnaholic]

That was my thought too more or less, Joey. If performers hold most of the "power" in reserve, and vary the textures when it's feasible and appropriate, the performance is most apt to hold our interest, and the climactic moments gain tremendously.

I take a lot of my cues from Wanda Landowska, who got more expressive impact from her fragile harpsichord than most conductors get from a symphony orchestra.

Playing expressively is MUCH harder, of course, than giving the notes flat out.

[Vitruvium]

excellent...this is the speed i prefer to play this particular fugue and i think it is much better played like this, maybe only a few beats faster but no more. Well done!

[Ntalikeris666]

Really nice playing!

It is really impressive that you managed to play this piece in a Catherdal with such long reverb wihtout making it "dirty" and "asphixiating"

[ronanmurray]

Thanks. I think the key to it is not to play too legato and to accent subject entries carefully. Also, I try to avoid using very high, screechy mixtures.

[Ntalikeris666]

Yea i know, i play the organ too. Always even in the organs with low Reverb. (i play in the Organ Of the Greek Concert Hall in Athens which has 6080 Pipes, 100 Ranks and is located in a large room that can hold up to 2600) Even with this 3 seconds delay always i have to play the legato parts a bit more staccato. Not completely, just not too legato.

The organist never hears what the audience does. As about the mixtures, i have to agree. Even in pieces that need a tutti i never select the stops

[Ntalikeris666]

the stops that have sounds that they might have an aditional delay for technical reasons (usually in that organ these are the Trumpet And Swiss Trumpet Pipes)

[BillyRosinet]

@ronanmurray "high, screechy mixtures..."

I like that. :) Describes some French "symphonic" instruments, as well as early 20th century theatre organs. This instrument's mixtures nicely define the voicing and keeps the polyphonic texture of the music alive.  Also, I'm happy to hear the fugue not being played at the speed of an express train. Good job!

[surreyorganist]

nice tempo

[quantec500]

Nice

[edolch]

Very nice, Ronan

[ronanmurray]

Thanks Eric!

[WBmore]

you have to love trackers (mechanical)! nice job...

[tim32211]

i love this vid

[mmooccaarrtt]

I hope that bach is now watching this video and saying to him self:"I made a masterpiece"

[jamesotoolemusic]

love bach fugues...well played...

:-)

[ronanmurray]

Cheers!

[joeyboi87]

fantastic!!

[lordcica]

the echo is too strong, but he is very hood

[lordcica]

i mean good

[moonlitejohnny]

Magnificent! Nice lean back at the end...LOL

[ronanmurray]

Ha ha! Thanks. It was my opening piece in the recital and I was quite nervous...hence the rushing at the end and the few bloopers!

[moonlitejohnny]

wow I would have never noticed. Sounded smooth to me

[MichaelAKAMicA]

Good playing. Some footwork bloopers at the end! Try to avoid them!

[ronanmurray]

Thank you. I generally do!!!