Guillou plays Bach Cantata 29. with his transription

[marienbad]

Where does he play this piece? St.Eustache de Paris?

[otirudam]

Sometimes i wonder if J. S. Bach had any hint while he was living that he was going to become one of the most acclaimed and loved composers in the whole world. I think he never got any idea that he was going to be one of the greatest composers ever. He might of thought he would be a popular composer for all those that belonged to the same church he attended. And i am sure it never passed through his mind that many people from other religions or beleifs and atheists would praise his works too!!!

[Drummelskrudd]

That is Count Dracula grinding his organ in his castle!

Very well played!

[Marihuas777]

I need the sheet music for this!!!

[Zylstra555]

@Marihuas777 google "free scores" for for free-scores dot com

It is a bit of a difficult site to navigate as they also sell a lot of music. Taking the time to figure it out will prove worthwhile.

[funaroalchimia]

Grandissimo Guillou !!!

[Aligator57]

excelentee

[anonymusum]

this is a tempo nightmare - far away from a great performance. and when changing the keyboards it´s always like a little break destroying the musical flow

[Sathrandur]

@anonymusum

It was a great performance but the audio quality on the clip wasn't very good. If you were there in person you would realise that the music needs a chance to breathe in such a large acoustic - for very obvious reasons. Where in the building the sound was captured can make a substantial difference also. As for the tempo, yes, it comes down to personal preference - I would agree a bit quick.

[notredameswarrior1]

its amazing hes just sitting there when his hands and feet are going like 100 miles an hour....good organist

[dented42]

This is very lovely, it is unfortunate that this recording is unable to capture the full spectrum that this organ and performer have to offer.

[SuperElBorba]

@dented42 - Just be glad you can't hear all of the mistakes!!

[Caezar460]

Perfect...as usual. However, I think I like it better when Paul Jacobs plays this.

[rpk67u]

Immense Guillou performing my infinite love, Bach. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

[34Bach]

@rpk67u Fuck!!! Only I truly and sincerely love Bach!! And not for a show in contrast to you!! Fuck you, scum!

[SuperElBorba]

@adamslacks - Ahhyousuckmyballs!!! - Is guillou the bungler your buttmommy?- he can take any piece of music and ruin it . . But you're just a buttmuncher who knows nothing about music .. You can worship him all you want but he'll always be remembered as a hack . .

[jaimesguirola2]

wow...... he met bach.......

[maninfur01]

Merci JEAN de m'avoir accueilli à votre tribune lorsque je doutais de la composition et de l'égalisation des mixtures de l'orgue de Roquevaire

Grâce à vous et Jean Robert j'ai pu traversé ce périple harmonique

Chaque tuyau de cet orgue a été harmonisé en pensant à vous et à Jean Robert Caïn qui m'a réellement donné l'énergie de poursuivre ce voyage organistique

Merci à vous deux

[WeedMIC]

I simply d/n concur. But is is of note I've only been playing the organ for 28 years :)

[SuperElBorba]

I heard a 12 year old blind Korean girl perform this, and her Suzuki coached performance was about 1000 times better than this . .

[WeedMIC]

I d/n hear the korean play, but this bloke renders it very accurately. One must always remember that at the time of Bach, most organs were trackers and you simply can't play them soooo fast and when u r playing on it, you do not hear what u r playing, but what you played sever seconds earlier. This is a very good rendition.

[SuperElBorba]

Sorry . . but Yuck . . sloppy and rhythmically unsteady . .

[Guilloufan]

i cannot stand that you're blaming this genius

he's becoming older and older and his knowledge about organs and organ music is bigger then yours

sorry for my english

[SuperElBorba]

Am I wrong?? HE'S SLOPPY AND RHYTHMICALLY UNSTEADY . I was nice in my previous post, but let me expound - Giullou always has been a hack - A perfect example of a technically proficient, but musically vulgar organist. His bizzare interpretations of other composers works are so pedantic and weak that the only reason he has an audience is the lack of knowledge on the part of his listeners. His improvisations sound like cats mating. My opinion - If you don't like it, then too bad . .

[Guilloufan]

nonsense! that you don't like his exhibition of this piece, okay, but don't blame him!

[SuperElBorba]

What are you talking about??? You make no sense???

I shouldn't blame him that he's musically mediocre???

[tiarca]

GUILLOU IS A GENIUS et il n'est aucunement un vulgaire musicien! tout ce qu'il fait resulte d'une connaissance et d'une etude extreme des oeuvres. et il est le seul dans toutes les vidéos de ce site qui soit un digne interprete de cette partition de Bach!!! et ses improvisations sont de toute beautés digne de ses maitres comme Dupres. Mais hélas rare sont les gens qui sont en mesure d'apprécier un si grand maitre

[27bibi27]

Vous avez entièrement raison.

Il est un exemple pour tout organiste qui se respecte.

Et vous avez raison de citer Marcel Dupré, notre Maître à tous

[SuperElBorba]

Yeah - Sorry - I 'm afraid that I don't speak French, but I can tell you that Guillou's horrible musical idiocy requires no translation and transcends the need for words . . It's the world wide language of HORRIBLE ORGAN PERFORMANCE!!

[tiarca]

de toute façon entre GUILLOU et le mauvais gout anglo-saxon je pense que le choix et tres vite fait

GUILLOU FOR EVER AND EVER!!!!!!!!!

and you can use a basic internet's translator

[SuperElBorba]

Why would I need a translator? - I couldn't care less about anything you have to say . .

[SuperElBorba]

Good - I hope you don't like it - If you like his playing then you're as much of a musical nincompoop and bungler as he is!!

[Guilloufan]

maybe you're a little bit envious. when a men has reached the 80 years: of cours your playing isn't as well as that of a young girl! but that won't say he's bad: and to like or to not like his music: please listen his Jubile and Toccata de Prokofiev. Maybe you'll change your mind about his wonderful music!

[SuperElBorba]

I have been playing and studying the organ for 35+ years. I have studied with very prominent musicians, and performed extensively. I started listening to heard Guillou 40 years ago when he was at his prime. My opinion is based on my own observations and attendance at his performances. I do not uniformly dislike everything I have ever heard him play, but I find him to be musically "silly" and unremarkable. Other than for his technical prowness, he is merely a pianist trying to be an organist.

[tiarca]

so your opinion is stupid

un mauvais organiste n'aurais pas une telle tribune dans la ville de paris en l'eglise saint Eustache et on en entendrai pas parler

[SuperElBorba]

Spoken like a true idiot with nothing of any value whatsoever to add . . so I would suggest that you can simply end yourself . . Enjoy your meaningless and shallow life . .

[lipsbach]

Guillou is great! He gets a little too excited around 3:39...who wouldn't? Does he consciously try to look like the actor from the old silent film "Nosferatu"?

[howlhiker]

I greatly prefer Bish's version, but there is no way to go wrong with this sublime music.

[fraublucher2]

I most certainly agree with both statements. I think her rendition is among the most stunning; so very passionate and fiery!

[charliesmilton]

This shows that to be old doesn't mean it's the end!

[Guilloufan]

i haven't heard this piece one time better...

maybe the organ ... ;)

but... diane bish has played this too but i think that's too fast ... :(

[advisorC101]

The organ is fine its just the registration that's a little bit soft.

[Guilloufan]

you're right

[paulbinko]

I've actually heard Virgil play it slower.

[octavebasse8]

No way! For real?

[Organiste06]

I wonder WHY he plays it so slow, compared to the orchestral version ! Acoustic ?

[just2w4tch]

too slow.

[JupiterIV]

I doubt it was due to a lack of time.

Five of Niccolo Paganini's caprices for violin alone, were adapted for piano by

Franz Liszt as Les Grandes Études d'Exécution Transcendante d'Après Paganini."

[JupiterIV]

"Les Grandes Études d'Exécution Transcendante d'Après Paganini."

[erzahler1]

the registration changes are a bit odd at times

[kmdpiano25]

It is just me or is the tempo all over the place????

[hymnistic]

The lower pedal notes are completely delayed because of improper placement of the microphone(s)and the large space. The lower pedal notes have more delay than the upper notes. Consequently, the delay is not consistent because the pedal part moves up and down, thus the impression of tempo distortion.

[pmzephyr22]

You say this is Gillou's transcription? It is barely different from Dupre's. Even so, it's good to see one of the genuine, older French masters in the flesh. Thanks for posting!

[vaniificat]

Library in Holland?

Oh and I've always wondered why people call Liszt "Franz" instead of "Ferenc." Was it a personal choice? Or was it simply popular nomenclature?

[vaniificat]

Apparently I was. But am I not correct in saying that his skills and mannerisms on the piano influenced people to a much greater extent than did his skills and mannerisms on the organ? Most people, I believe, have never even heard of Liszt's compositions for the organ, myself included.

[kmdpiano25]

Liszt definitely had a larger corpus of works for piano, but by no means diminishes his great contribution (and actually decently large) to the organ. For one who has never heard any Liszt organ compositions, I would suggest looking up the Phantasie and Fugue on "Ad Nos"

[puccinislarondine]

... SWITCHED-ON BACH... 1) what difference which instrument it was originally composed for- this piece literally brings me to tears of joy everytime on Wendy Carlos' album. 2) I'm an opera singer- we *never* get to use our music in an opera (recital, yes) so I don't care one way or the other. It's not vain to not use the sheet music- that way you don't have to worry about your page-turner dropping the music! :)

[MEPPO06]

The reason why organists play with music and pianists don't is because organists haven't swallowed all the self-regarding nonsense about being a virtusoso. Unless of course you're Guillou, in which case of course you're full of vain self-regarding nonsense.

[Norbeone]

What does this even mean?

[vaniificat]

Actually, the real reason pianists play without music when performing is because of the convention established by Liszt back in the 1840s. He was the person with the vain, self-regarding nonsense, although admittedly he was indeed a virtuoso. Since Liszt didn't play the organ, he didn't cause a mass following of organists wanting to become more like him and play without music.

[NecronHasan]

Great; wonderful... Très magnifique, maître Guillou!

[Drewnov2003]

Why do pianists perform without music and organists can't?

I gave the first senior recital on the organ without music at my my college. The usual reason for why organists do not perform without music in that there was too much to remember with pulling stops, pedals and manuals. Well that can be memorized too.

[tworincones]

Don't know what hillbilly town is DREWNOV2003 from but most organist that I know CAN and WILL play without sheet music. All senior organ recitals are done with no sheet music. Just because you gave the first recital at your community college with out music does not make you the first ever.

[johnsteven51]

Playing from memory has to be a personal choice. It comes easier for some people than others. I have played recitals from memory and from music. I do so much playing anymore that I don't have time to memorize everything and there is nothing worse than a train wreck in a recital just becuase you are trying to play from memory. In my humble opinion it is better to use music and have a good performance rather than have a performance with problems just because you're trying to play from memory

[chanze92]

i don't see a big deal in whether a musician uses their music or not... some musicians can't perform perfectly unless they have it and if you're listening to how good they are, and they're GOOD, then it shouldn't matter.

[johnsteven51]

Could not agree more.

[octavebasse8]

I think Liberace never using music may have had some influence.

[ykrahs666]

well..it's about time organists aren't using music for their performances, oianists have been doing it since liszt started the custom.

his hands aren't playing precisely together sometimes, but that's a common problem.

about bach sounding better on the organ, i think bach himself would beg to differ with you about that considering this music was first written as the prelude for the partita for solo VIOLIN in E, bwv 1006, then later transcribed down a whole step to D major for this arrangement

[darkshadyfigure]

If Bach truely thought it sounded best on violin there would've been no need for a transcription =).

[gooseholla1]

Yes... bach of course wrote most of his music at times in his life for violins etc... as that is all he had avaliable to him, having of course no duties as organist. Of course it doesn't matter what you play anything on really, this sounds good on organ. I'm sure had his job been to write a weekly organ cantata we would of seen this on organ to start with.

[tworincones]

Bach transcribed a lot of music himself (ie Vivaldi).

[dizzib]

Bach just sounds better on organ, period.

[Orionman8]

He has not a musicpaper to play this music. Amazing.

[Reesman95]

yes, he is a very gifted musician capable of performing without a score

[omniscope99]

It's Guillou; expect to be surprised and amazed. Brilliant

[preview1001]

This is absolutely fantastic; five stars for Jean. Thanks for posting the video. Thanks youtube they made it possible too see a master which is performing a masterpeace from Bach.

[Organiste06]

Excellent! The best.

[cyrilcolv]

Lumpy registration chages, erratic speed. Looks like they dug him up 10 minutes before the recital. Should have retired a long time ago. Enough said.

[Galliantina]

He's a brilliant organist, and does NOT use remarkable registration changes, As it is highly relevant in Baroque. The instrument is not fully suitable for this piece, I am afraid.....

[cliveso]

What do you mean by retire? Stop playing the organ which is Guillou's entire soul?

[orgatrain]

Lets see you try it when your 80 from memory. Pull your head out of your rear.

[octavebasse8]

When your 80, you shouldn't be performing.

[octavegeigen4]

Especially when his improvs sound like fingernails on a chalkboard

[octavebasse8]

Well, I'm glad I've never heard them!

[octavegeigen4]

If you want your ears to bleed one of his improvisations is at the bottom of the related videos section entitled Guillou Improvisation St Eustache

[SuperElBorba]

Ahh yes - The typical ranting idiocy of a Guillou worshiper . . You live in such a shallow hole of music . . It's quite honestly pathetic.

I have nothing whatsoever against mssr. Guillou - I just find his fans to be the most ignorant, pompous, and retarded of all organ fans.

And when you consider that the typical organ "enthusiast" is normally quite odd, THAT's saying something . .

Cheers!

[GJmusique]

very well said.

couldn't agree more. =)

best regards

[VonDuesenberg]

Ne prenez pas votre cas pour une généralité très cher... Mais cependant puisque vous semblez si bon, faite nous part de vos exploits organistiques puis nous en rediscuterons. Mais je pense que sans orgue cela va vous compliquer la tâche. Et j'aimerai également savoir qui sont les célèbres musiciens avec qui vous prétendez avoir travaillé.

[fromkhajuraho]

il a surement du travailler les inventions a 2 voix de Bach avec otto Barblan!

[Bachlives2]

His fans can be ignorant but so can those who Don't like Guillou. Guillou is okay I don't think I would pay money to go a concert of his though

[SuperElBorba]

@Bachlives2

They couldn't pay me enough!! - I would cut off my ears!!

[missionaryorganist]

Fantastic! One of the great performers of our time.

[orgaman]

sublime