J. S. Bach - Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 533

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)

Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 533

Written in 1708, probably in Arnstadt.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Johann
• Sebastian
• Bach
• Baroque
• Prelude
• and
• Fugue
• BWV
• 533

[bstct]

The rubato and extra embellishments are intolerable and completely unnecessary. Isn't the music good enough as Bach wrote it? I enjoy Peter Hurford's rendition much better.

Good photos!

[The30YearOldVirgin]

@bstct

Indeed, Huford's version is the one that follows the score in a more faithful manner. I however find it to be a little too slow for my personal taste.

Rübsam has the (de)merit of approaching many of Bach's oeuvres almost as if they were written during the romantic period. Sometimes it works, other times it's a disaster.

I actually like the ornaments he used here, I find them to be a refreshment (not necessarily an improvement) against other performances. I just dislike the organ.

[Go33de44l]

Can i know who's the organist?

Thank you!

[The30YearOldVirgin]

Yes, it 's Wolfgang Friedrich Rübsam, a German-American organist.

I found this performance great, but unfortunately the organ he used doesn't sound very good... the lower notes are terrible, and the compression algorithm used by YouTube to create the flash file worsens it!

I hope to upload a better version eventually!

[reobsiabnibku]

Sorry, but I absolutely hate this rendition. In my opinion it should be played with a much steadier rhythm and fewer ornaments. The rubato used here is just too weird and if I did not know the piece I think I would have a lot of trouble keeping track of the beat.

[peteacher52]

Rubsam is an excellent organist so no doubt being there in person would have been exponentially better than the sound of this recording. I wonder about his use of so many trills and turns, when Bach himself is recorded as being rather unimpressed with the French style of the day - "Scarcely a note is free of it (the decorations)."

[nh11evansd]

This performance is god awful

[dominusnile1]

@bstct I totally agree, he tries to change it too much. Bach stand alone in his greatness...

[WPBogart]

Rubsam bores me to death. I remember his AGO concert in Dallas on a new Fisk. He had to wake half the audience to let them know it was over. Technically the notes are all there but he plays with the warmth of a snow pea and his registratioin on this piece is unbearable. Instead of engaging the listener this is like listener repellant.

[1krazyluis]

@The30YearOldVirgin este organo necesita una afinadita aunque la pieza es exelente

[MarceloBruno2706]

I feel that the manual registration for the prelude is better (and dramatic) with a 16-ft stop together with the full organ without reeds and no ornaments (exception for the naturally written 32nd note passages). Meanwhile the fugue begins fair, then comes with a strange 16' Quintadena together with Gedackt 8' (or something similar), further returning without 16' (a bitter contrast). If someone wants a suggestion for registration, I can answer per e-mail. About ornaments, I play without excess.