E. Power Biggs - Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor

Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BWV 565) performed by the concert organist E. Power Biggs playing the 1958 Flentrop tracker in the Busch-Reisinger Museum at Harvard University

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bach
• biggs
• pipe
• organ
• tracker
• bwv
• 565
• classical

[BigOrganPipes]

check out my other vids. Biggs plays this piece 14 different ways on 14 different organs and i have them all uploaded in my vids. this particular version Biggs happens to be playing it right off the sheet music by the book flawlessly with no improvisational distortions

[BigOrganPipes]

According to the mp3 at Amazon (from the Fantasia soundtrack), it's 9 minutes 25 seconds.

[randyclar747]

too fast. The author of this video is murdering the music by making it too fast and robotic.

[BigOrganPipes]

@randyclar747 Check my other videos. There's a version of this where Biggs plays it for 9 minutes 35 seconds and 14 other versions of Biggs playing the Toccata only at all different speeds & registration.

Only Bach knew how fast to play it and unfortunately he's not here to show us.

[randyclar747]

@BigOrganPipes Watch Fantasia by Walt Disney, this tune is on there, and I beleive you can savor every note rather than being rushed through it. This is rapid. especially in fugue parts.

[BigOrganPipes]

@randyclar747 I know that's the movie that made this piece famous yet I have never heard it. I will try to find it. Thanks.

[Berthagertrude]

@randyclar747

You are a douche.

[ekul1021]

Nobody can ever play the Toccata & Fugue in d better then E.P.B. Whenever I hear other recordings, I just fast forward and just go to the next track. Don't forget, E.P.B. also played the same in the Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as well.

[kenspurling]

@randyclar747 -- Who the hell are you and what do you know?

[dkawewehi]

@randyclar747 The Stokowski transcription was well conceived because Stokowski himself was an accomplished organist. However, for my money, E Power Biggs is one of the great interpreters of Bach's organ works. Bach was also quite the showman, and often used pieces like this one to display his prowess at the keyboard to dazzling effect. I suspect he would've heartily approved of Biggs's performance here.

Fantasia is great, but not a good measuring stick for pieces NOT written for orchestra.

[windstorm1000]

I disagree with some of the below--he plays it sublimely with clarity and emotion--its not muddy. There's archecture here.

[fallbread]

i love it

[Baggs4299]

@BigOrganPipes The movie that really elevated this piece into Gothic horror status was a version of "The Phantom of The Opera" produced in 1962 with Herbert Lom as the Phantom.

This version is an interpretation and as such isn't necessarily "too fast or too mechanical." As already stated, we really don't know what tempi that an Organ virtuoso such as Bach would have used to show off his skills. But I'd bet that he rocked the house.

[imjustpassinthru]

I've never heard anyone play this with such perfection.

[choloamericangangsta]

Richard Harrow brought me here!!