Bach: O Mensch, bewein' dein Suende gross - Bradley Lehman

AUDIO ONLY. Johann Sebastian Bach's chorale prelude "O Mensch, bewein' dein Suende gross" BWV 622, from Orgelbuechlein. It is performed here on a Taylor & Boody organ at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana, in 2005. This is the first full-sized organ to use the Bach temperament from Bradley Lehman's research of 2004. The full-length CD set "A Joy Forever" (3 discs) is available at http://www.larips.com , along with details about the tuning and the instrument. Direct ordering info: http://www.gcmusiccenter.org/php/music.store/index.php

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bach
• chorale
• prelude
• pipe
• organ
• orgel
• mensch
• bewein
• beweine
• lehman
• sunde
• orgelbuchlein
• unequal
• taylor
• boody
• goshen

[organman52]

What's with all the rhythmic distortion? Can't you just PLAY the piece? Why do you have to DO so much with this gorgeous masterpiece? Bach's music doesn't need any of us to 'interpret' it. Stop it already.

[thebpl]

Google "playing from bach's fancy cd1003" to read the program notes of my companion CD to this. I included an essay detailing my interpretive reasons.

Sorry you didn't like this example.

[bozner88]

one of the best choral preludes of Bach! nice ornamentations!

[cembalist]

emotionally focused

[JeepnJae]

@organman52 if you think this performance is in poor taste, then thank you for sparing us your YouTube interpretation of this piece. I suppose it's much easier to criticize others' performances than to present your own for similar criticism.

[felixdevilliers1]

@organman52 there is no rhthmic disorder, only expression.of the deppest sorrows and joys of mankind. An absolutely perfect performance.

[organman52]

@stanleyworkman I hasten to add that easily more than 80% of the students I graduated - undergraduate and graduate - knew very little about musical structure and organization. So, doctorate or not, I have no way of knowing what you do or do not know about this topic. I do, on the other hand, know exactly what I know on the subject - and it is enormous. But you do not have to believe any of that.

[organman52]

@stanleyworkman This is a pointless discussion, one which I have had countless times. Do you believe that Bach - the master who CREATED this piece - had an idea in mind as to how it should sound? Or do you believe - as most do - that he simply notated the pitches and rhythms and then left everything else to the performer. 'Interpretation,' in my view, involves a lack of reverence for the master composer and a lot of ego. Please, let us not continue this. I am a very busy person.

[stanleyworkman]

@organman52 I am a teacher as well, with a doctorate in music, and I can tell you that I fully understand the structure and the context of this piece. You seem to be saying that there is only one way of playing this music, and if you go down the line and listen to all the various great organists, you will notice that there is a different reading from all of them, so obviously, there isn't. I am not saying that we superimpose an interpretation that isn't there.

[organman52]

@stanleyworkman What exactly is there to 'interpret?' I believe that if one understands the structure of the music, one can play or sing music beautifully. I contend that 'interpretation' is a substitute for knowledge. I would know - I taught in a conservatory for over 30 years and know full well that most graduates know very little about musical organization. Therefore, the resort to what you refer to as 'interpretation.'

[stanleyworkman]

@organman52 True, but it isn't. It's a piece designed as a prelude or meditation on the chorale. As having played this many times, I frankly don't find this interpretation that out of the realm of normal/reasonable. From Albert Schweitzer, Marcel Dupre, Peter Hurford, Marie Claire Alain, and Ton Koopman, you are certainly going to find a wide range of interpretation. It's matter of interpretation and style, and personally, I think Lehmann's performance is in the right range of acceptable.

[organman52]

@stanleyworkman I am not saying it should be played metrenomically. But there is a limit to how much freedom is taken before the actual notation becomes unrecognizable. If this were an ensemble piece, such freedom would be impossible.

[stanleyworkman]

@organman52 - I have to disagree with you, organman52. To play this particular type, a very melodically-based chorale preludes, in a strict, rhythmic style would render them meaningless. They were, if you think about it, written down improvisations on the chorale, and, as in this case and others, loosely based on the operatic style of ornamented melody, which was all the rage then. Singers, btw, do not negotiate these ornaments in strict tempo; thus, the basis for tempi flexibility.

[felixdevilliers1]

@thebpl The interpretation is absolutely beautiful. I'm surprised that this ideolgyy about not'interpreting Bach is still around. It is his music that asks for expression - the expression is his, not that of theperformer - the depth of sadness and joy, the Wagnerian chromaticism at the end - all this wants to be heard. I'll never forget the horror of a piano treacher who made me play one of the most beautiful Preludes from the 48 in a completely wooden way.