J.S. Bach: Prelude & Fugue in A minor BWV 543 (M.-C. Alain)

Wonderful interpretation by MC Alain. I personnally find Chorzempa's tempo a little slow for this masterpiece. My favourite would be Aarnoud De Groen's interpretation (available here as well :) ).

Marie-Claire Alain,es simplemente maravillosa.

This is a wonderful interpretation with such clarity. I love the contrasting registrations.
My personal favorite recording of the fugue that I have found after extensive searching is Daniel Chorzempa.
His tempo allows one to enjoy all of the lines.
Every note is a pearl.

Listen to the version by John Scott, just for comparison. I'll say no more. Different organ, space, and organist. If they all sounded the same it would be boring, but really, do listen to the John Scott version.

I am sorry, but this interpretation sucks like a newborn. Not totally but at 75%. Bach wrote this on pneumatic valve organ, and playing it like on Casio keyboard makes it sound stupid. I played on church size organ in Europe since I was 7 years old, got my Masters there and shook hands with interesting musicians. You want to know how to play Bach, go to Germany, England or Cambridge in MA US.

Dearest Glaeken and all other experts criticizing this interpretation, please post your recitals of this piece so we can all hear how it should be done.

Please do not let me hear your intrepretation as I think you are a total ASS.

I was inspired to find this performance on You Tube after listening to an 'old' performance by Carl Weinrich recorded on the Marcussen organ in Varfrukyrkan Skanning Sweden in 1967. I find both absolutely wonderful--- perhaps we just need to hear this great prelude and fugue more often.

You can't play Chopin in a Baroque fashion, nor Debussy in a classical. Bach, and Haendel among other Baroque greats, deserve more than the heartless rote performance of their masterworks. This doesn't mean stepping outside the norms of their period, but in the true spirit of Baroque performance standards, the performer should play ad libitum when it is appropriated.

Actually I think its good to see two young men arguing passionately about 250 year old organ music.
As for the performance, I personally prefer Chorzempa's interpretation on youtube.