Bach Violin Fugue on Organ at Harvard's Busch Hall

Frederick Hohman plays Johann Sebastian Bach's "Fiddle" Fugue in D minor, BWV 539, on the Flentrop organ at Busch Hall (formerly Busch Reisinger Museum) at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

This is one instance where J. S. Bach (1685-1750) transcribed a piece for the pipe organ that he originally composed for a different music medium. This fugue is found as the second movement in Bach's Sonata No. 1 for Solo Violin in G minor, BWV 1001. When adapting the fugue for solo organ, Bach transposed the work to the key of D minor, and added many passages which were not in the violin original, which embellish and enhance the work. Therefore, this organ fugue has earned a nickname: "The Fiddle."

There are two points in the performance of the fugue where Frederick Hohman alternates manuals, in an echo fashion.

Prior to the installation of the Flentrop organ in the late 1950s, Harvard's Busch Reisinger Museum was the home to an organ by Aeolian-Skinner that exhibited the design of its tonal director, G. Donald Harrison. Mr. Biggs was heard playing the Aeolian-Skinner organ over the CBS radio network, with a 15-minute broadcast every Sunday morning, during the early 1950s. The Aeolian-Skinner organ at Busch-Reisinger was removed and replaced by the Flentrop organ seen in this video. It was acquired for Harvard University with the help of concert organist E. Power Biggs. Mr. Biggs made several LP recordings for Columbia Records on this Flentrop organ after 1960.

Frederick Hohman's concert schedule may be viewed at www.frederickhohman.net and his recordings may be searched and purchased at www.zarex.com .

The 30-minute Midnight Pipes video program from which this video is excerpted is sold as a VHS Hi-Fi product, item 9023, at www.zarex.com .

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Hohman
• Harvard
• Bach
• Fugue
• Violin
• Organ
• BWV
• 1001
• 539
• Flentrop
• Busch
• Biggs
• Classical

[MonsieurOrgue]

Great performance!

Are they Organmaster shoes being worn there?

Regards from the UK

[midnightpipes]

The shoes are Capezzio. Thanks for asking. Best wishes, Fred H

[shawardara]

beautiful playing

[GuitaristEnigma]

...a magnificent performing refreshing for the soul....Congratulations!

[OrganoAeternam]

Beautiful Organ, Colorful registrations, imaginative interpretation! Loved it! and I'm usually a Koopman fan. I have found yet another Organist who does Bach justice! Thank you so much Mr. Hohman. I wish I could find an Organist of your caliber around me so that I might learn and grow from them. Thanks again!

Kurt

[kwcfan]

Beautiful

[hammyhog]

this guy brings joy to his playing and i like to think thiis shown in all the pieces that he plays.

[Francis1930]

Absolutely outstanding - the clarity of the organ with the acoustics is perfect, I think I last played this piece back in about 1953! I'll have to dust off my organ manuals in practice this one up again! Thank you for inspiring me.

[pianolvr1]

Excellent performance! It is also great to hear this instrument again. Such a distinctive sound. This is the organ that inspired many of us to learn the instrument.

[robertgift]

Wonderful performance and video.

Thank you.

Also, all the information provided is appreciated.

Where is the Aeolian-Skinner organ removed from this hall?

Does this organ have an extra set of pipes which is exchanged with an existing rank?

Thank you.

[kneelherring]

Brilliant!

[ronanmurray]

Superb!