Passacaglia in C Minor-Fugue

[wernervoss1]

Awesome performance. The brisk tempo and tasteful registration keep the piece from feeling too ponderous.

[ebroenroen]

This guy is truly gifted,this is the real spirit of Bach

[mvwjo]

what kind of organ is this?

[douddy21]

j'admire ce jeune organiste qui bat en même temps qu'il joue ce qui lui assure une continuité et une constance dans le tempo de cette pièce extraoordinaire, félécitation pour cette interprétation magistrale.

[22013]

it's funny on how when the music end, you hear police sirens. FTW

[jppuertorico85]

You are fantastic- this is a gorgeous piece, one of my favorite Bach compositions and you certainly did the the 5th Evangel justice!

[hutzman76]

the head bobbing and conducting yourself when you have a free hand is a little over the top. The performance is great though. 

[xypz]

não dar para entender o contraponto????

[rappejopie]

Very heavy to "keep it rolling" with all those semiquavers. Well done!

[trevjr]

Great performance, I was enthralled although I have heard this piece hundreds of times. Thanks.

[jwkuehne]

A comment about registration: I see no harm in the profuse changes in registration in this fugue. I find this interpretation refreshing and authentic. It's pretty obvious that Bach's thoughts are flowing through this man, and the mix is marvelous.

[altpapapi]

A comment about registration: I see no need for profuse changes in registration in this fugue. Bach's own music is enough to drive the energy and ceaseless movement towards the two bar trill then it is relentless in its pursuit of the final C major chord. This rolling fugue to me is exemplary perfection of baroque "verve."

[altpapapi]

I really enjoy this performer. His wiggling at first seemed exaggerated, but once you realize the empathy he has for Bach's spiritual core, then all seems perfect. The tempos were well thought out, since it seems this space does not have much more than about a second and a half reverberation period, though it's difficult to hear, especially in the fugue. Bravo master Karosi, it's on par with Chorzempa, no doubt!

[1239633]

Great performance!

[emmysayspeaceandlove]

I thought that i liked it better slower but for some reason it didnt really matter!! I adored it!

[shokjh33]

すごいねぇぇ～～！！

[MichaelLatulippe]

Definitely an impressive performance of one of my favorite pipe organ pieces! You have a good sense of the passion JS Bach put into this piece.

[alexbradfordalvarado]

how impressive thie piece of art is!! great interpretation!!! OH DEAR!!!!

[ATHYAYA]

bright interpretation!!!!!

[morgulddt]

Bwv 582, fugue!!!

[tropiclassic08]

One of my favorite pieces, and done justice in my opinion by this organist. I'm all for taking a piece in a measured way, but some renditions of this most exquisite of Bach's creations are painfully slow and lack momentum. I love the pace this artist adopted. He kept the momentum going and the performance dynamic.

[Osamabinjackson]

This is the best music I have ever heard...

[lustful2]

Enjoyed your playing however, I was amused at times why u felt u had to count the tempo when your hands should have been on the keys all the time. As Organ players we try not to over exert what muscles the human body has . The Fernando Germani organ method had the right idea knees together and your back should be straight.

[xx13blackrose]

I disagree. I will also have to say that when I listen to this guy's playing, there is not a dull moment that catches my ear... it doesn't seem as if he lost concentration once. The music sounds very much like it was played with a lot of emotion, and as you can see, it was.

[Praestant32]

sehr gefühlvoller Spieler... Gefällt mir gut :)

[saokoikuno]

Absolutely beautiful. I don't know how many times I have listened to this and still cannot get enough of it. He is the best organist ever.

[bloqq333]

simply unbelievable performance!!!

[tuxedomoon]

The quy is an artist ,outstanding perfomance

[willsd87]

careful not to headbutt the organ.

[albertop952]

For Daneste 613

I agree!

[mullah06]

This piece should bring tears to the eyes of a goat even played on a Hammond!

[robertgift]

Wonderful!

A little rushed.

Like the countersubject notes broken. (first two connected, rest slightly detached.)

Must pedal always have that too loud reed?

Keep the theme notes in the pedal CONNECTED!

Not broken.

[ForestChav]

Not rushed.

Rubsam on Philips, Bowyer and Weinberger all play it as fast or faster.

I don't think you can comment on balance with a camera in the gallery, might be near a pedal tower.

[robertgift]

I wish this were in stereo.

I tried adding "fmt=18" but still monaural.

Now I must go play it with pedal notes connected, not detached.

You can't articluate and phrase pedal lines with ALL notes detached.

Why does it seem so many lack the ability to connect notes?

Also, is there ever a pedal registration without 16' reed?

We have Princple chorus in the manuals but must unbalance with a reed in the pedal?

[albertop952]

Look at his feet! who is this organist?

[admdavid]

It looks like he's self-taught (like me). My pedal work isn't the most beautiful thing to behold, but I get the job done. :)

[ForestChav]

Self taught :D he studied with Lionel Rogg. Toes only pedalling is considered authentic in Bach.

[ForestChav]

Balint Karosi - like his profile says, he won the Leipzig Bach competition thingy.

[ilorts]

great performance for a great composition.

[brestull]

Very, very nice playing! The organ has a great sound as well!

[pipeorganloverNJP]

At the end of the day, this is one of the better performances of this piece. Although I have a predilection for a slower pace, I've seen too many videos of this piece now to not be able to judge the playing impartially. So many other organists make errors- He hasn't. So I say: Bravo!

[Daneste613]

Bravo, Bravo, Bravo !!

Every organist plays differently, and so what? This guy plays it beautifully, with great passion, and perfection. This is what makes his play so inspiring. I give him a 10 +++ Thank you Karosi!!!

[redletterchurch]

Daneste613: I like your attitude. Variety is a good thing. We're all different.

[seth669669]

Oh so lovely - how much enjoyment you can get when you see an artist being so much affected by the piece he plays.

As for comparing this with Karl Richter's - I wouldn't care less... I think some people only listen to a performance just to make comparisons - never to enjoy it as it is.

[organcomposer]

Very nice performance indeed. A grand organist. I love tgis music played with such talent.

[ozziepenguin]

I'm not an organist, but I've loved organ music since I was a teen. I particularly love J.S.Bach. I loved this version of one of my favorite pieces of music. He plays with feeling and everything is crisp and clean. Love it!!!

[pipeorganloverNJP]

Moreover, ForestChav, you have to admit that the ending of Richter's version of BWV 582 is unparalleled. Or haven't you listened to it?

[OrganistJohn]

NOW! Who said this bloke has no feeling to his playing???

I don't think the people that seem to be criticizing have tried to play this. It is so so so difficult. In my opinion this is one of the most difficult of Bach's organ works.

Superb performance 5 Stars

[pipeorganloverNJP]

The pace of this organ is a trifle too fast to actually capture the essence of many portions of it, for instance the very end. Here, coupled with the higher pitches being drowned, the end was not as glorious as it was Richters. In the latter's, time seemed to have stopped during the ending, while over here, the ending is gone before you can register it.

[pipeorganloverNJP]

Although I've commented many times before, it always appeared as though I was prejudiced toward Richter's version. I'll elucidate that now. The organ Karl Richter plays on (Ottobeuren) sounds better. I mean to say, the amplitude of the higher scales is considerable, whereas over here, the higher pitches are drowned by the lower pitches. This organist follows a fairly uniform registration, while Karl Richter was generous with the stops. This is a limitation of this organ, though.

[tuxedomoon]

Richter plays on one of the most supreme organs and he is more romantic although a superbe musician,i prefer the version here it follows the tradition much better

[pipeorganloverNJP]

Why has this video been deleted!?!?

[pipeorganloverNJP]

Dude; watch the one played by Power Biggs.

[uorgel]

Etwas ruhiger beim spielen wäre angebracht. Die Musik ist wichtig, nicht die Verrenkung des Interpreten. K. Richter z.B. machts vor!!!

[ronanmurray]

Wonderful also!

[CAGARWALA]

inspiring thank you

[marioout]

Brilliant performance. Tempo is just right. Remember accounts of Bach's organ playing from contemporaries suggested his breathtaking virtuoso technique. It is likely that his music was played in a "lively" fashion. Once you realise this and get used to these tempos they seem much more authentic to Bach and the music itself.

Anyway a great testament to Bach's towering genius this fugue probably one of the greatest takes us into profound harmonies- note the change from 3' to the pedal at 3'29"

[zmov1]

Outstanding!

[bartk07]

It is really a great job!

And much much better than Richter's interpretation.

Congratulations!

[pipeorganloverNJP]

I personally like Richter's better.

[joeyboi87]

sounds good but i think a bit too rushed

[suffiice]

Wow very well done

[ClandOp]

I know the T&F d-moll is of doubtful origin, and may be a bit primitive at points, but I'd love to hear you record it. Have you seen Richter performing it at Ottobeuren?

[pipeorganloverNJP]

Have you seen Richter performing this piece? You really should, because it's unimpeachable.

[ForestChav]

Richter is eww. Ottobeuren is coolness though.

[pipeorganloverNJP]

You're eww, you disrespectful mongrel.

[ForestChav]

how about no. Richter is outdated performance style - no idea how to play it in an authentic manner. Listen to the likes of Alain, Koopman, Rogg, even Bowyer - it will be liberating.

Face it, Richter is a dinosaur in the modern era of historical accuracy.

Any of the above (especially his former teacher) is a better role model than ewwy Richter.

[pipeorganloverNJP]

Your brain-level is akin to the dinosaur age's.

[ForestChav]

is the closest you have got to playing this piece going to youtube and loading up the richter version?

As i said about it, nice instrument, shame the organist is inauthentic. The stop changes you eulogise over would not happen simply because there is no time to take your hands off! And organists had enough difficulty needing to pay for a blower let alone a registration assistant. It never happened. Richter would have had to change those himself or not at all.

[pipeorganloverNJP]

I'm not eulogizing- You're maligning. Just because Richter maintained an intelligible pace does not mean he was inauthentic. And there, you admit yourself that the instrument is nice. It is much bigger than this one in fact, and so the stops are a lot more complex. And having someone to change the stops for him does not make him an incompetent organist, mind you. Richter went very generous with the stops and that's what gave his works emotions. Most other 'modern' works are apathetic and dry.

[ForestChav]

You aren't really getting my point. The fact is that in Bach's day, the conditions the piece was written under, means that it was only possible to change the stops if you physically had chance to lift your hand off the keys and pull it yourself. You wouldn't have had anyone able to do it so the only change you could make is a manual change. Richter has a IVP Riepp masterpiece to play on with a variety of tone colours (not a modern US) and surely should be able to do this without an assistant.

[ForestChav]

The modern organists eg Koopman, Alain, Rogg, Bowyer are playing on either copies of Baroque instruments or period instruments with the same constraints the piece was written under - no-one to pull the stops, which is why they don't! Richter (and Herrick) play with either assistants or using registration aids so they can change stops when they like, introducing modern technology into Bach - like using an electric guitar. It's been theorised this piece was originally for pedal harpsichord.

[ForestChav]

Regarding the speed, surely that is how Richter and Karosi see the piece. Alain plays it relatively slowly by modern measures, Isoir plays it under 12 minutes. It doesn't really matter - at the quicker speed, theres a sort of perpetual motion thing going on within the semiquavers.

The only good thing about the Richter recording is the organ he's using.

[pipeorganloverNJP]

So your point is that the organ Richter's using is old, and not that Richter's playing is bad, right? And I've heard it was meant for the harpsichord, but that's immaterial. Bach himself had a stop-pulling assistant, FYI.

[advisorC101]

Absolutely.

[ForestChav]

But the whole *point* is that Bach wouldn't have been able to make stop changes without HIMSELF having a free hand to do so. There's no place in this fugue where you can do anything but a manual change.

[ForestChav]

He could barely afford blowers outside of services (hence practising on pedal-harpsichord) let alone a registrant also.

[Terrdemarzielle]

What are you talking about everyone knows Bach had the ability to change stops by looking at them

[ForestChav]

Did he have the spare hand to pull them though?

[Terrdemarzielle]

Assuming the 'spare hand' is some poor goon assigned to pull it for him, then yes. Otherwise no.

[perricida]

WOW that was truly amazing

[serjitup]

wow, you are gifted

[rp1703]

More likely hard(est) working. This does not come over night.

[bobjones123]

I don't think I'll ever get over how amazing watching you play this song is. :)

[milkyleah]

Calling this a "song" is like calling Michelangelo's works at Sistine Chapel nice drawings.

[pianopera]

The chord at 4:22 always gives me the chills...you play the piece with complete abandonment. Bravo!

[pianopera]

...One little question, why is this video in the "Pets and Animals" Category? Do you bark, nose or bite when you're not playing the organ?

[mrtslam]

Now, this is the artistic expression of Bach that I am expecting. When are you going to play the Toccata and Fugue? I am eagerly waiting!!!

[vizipok01]

Right now, I have other projects that seem more appealing to me, but since it is one of the most popular pieces by Bach, I might be able to record it in the near future...

[crimpkin]

Balint, my three year old son has found his new favorite you-tube video. You are fun to watch, and we love the Passacaglia! Great job. Well played-- wish we could come to Boston and hear you in person. Please come visit us at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri!

[bobjones123]

I love this song so much and you play it extreamly well. Great job!

[YevgeniyAlexey]

Really great and avid performance. Congratulations. Nice to see young peoples dedication to Bach.

Just one minor comment:

In my opinion, the trill in the eigth last bar

on the d flat mayor chord is inappropriate.

The fermata on this chord and the following break could be used to lead the previous

build-up of tension to an ultimate culmination.

[vizipok01]

I use the trill to emphasize the dissonance of the Neapolitan chord. It is accepted in the performance tradition to add trills on major cadenzas.

[ForestChav]

Yeah, but Hans Fagius does the same thing and it doesn't work. Ab-G-Ab sounds fine on it...

At least you didn't ruin the suspensions just after the trill in both hands - Kevin Bowyer does (it's around 4' in that) by whacking trills on every note in the top line.

Otherwise, this is easily as good as anything on record. 7+5 is 12 mins which puts it as fast paced as Isoir (who can't play the fugue at that speed, there are timing faults) and Bowyer.

Record it at Weingarten or Ottobeuren please!

[smitschagen]

who cares for perfection, it is the soul that speaks and makes the difference, it brings the usual tears to my eyes, well done!

[onionpizza]

Excellent job! I'm sure there will be plenty of experts who will find plenty of reasons to criticize your work but hey, I've been a devoted fan of Bach for 30 years and I think you did a fantastic job. Well done!!