This is the second of three Rubsam discs I am reviewing.  The first one
was exceptional and definitely an essential part of my Bach library.  The
second disc has the following program:

Chorales BWV 714, 717, 718, 720, 722, 724, 725
             733, 734, 735, 737, 738, 741
Prelude & Fugue in A minor, BWV 551
Prelude & Fugue in E minor, BWV 533
Prelude in A minor, BWV 569
Fugue in C minor, BWV 575
Fantasia con imitatione in B minor, BWV 563

Naxos 8.553629
Recorded August 1995
The John Brombaugh Organ at Lawrence University Chapel
Wolfgang Rubsam, Organ
TT 79:06

This second disc for review is also an essential component of one's Bach
library of organ recordings.  Most of the chorales on the disc are not
among Bach's most popular ones.  One of the wonderful aspects of this
recording is how Rubsam infuses them with enhanced variety, great detail,
and some changes in rhythm.  The result is quite a revelation for some of
the chorales.  This is most evident in BWV 738 which sounds unlike any
other version I know.

The Prelude/Fugue works are also not in the 'popular' category.  They are
from early in Bach's life and need as much variety from the performer as
possible while maintaining an allegiance to Bach's style.  Rubsam is just
the man for the job.  With stunning registrations and rhythms of
imagination, he maximizes the diversity of the music.

My trip through the disc follows:

Chorales - Rubsam's BWV 714 is not memorable.  The piece can provide a
great feeling of comfort and tenderness such as with Anothony Newman on Vox
or take the majestic route of Kevin Bowyer on Nimbus; Rubsam strattles the
fence.  But he comes back beautifully in BWV 717 with a highly playful and
excellently detailed reading.  I'm not a big fan of BWV 718, but Rubsam's
highly effective hesitations and rhythms make it an arresting and favorite
version.

BWV 720 is an interesting and diverse piece of music having three sections.
In the first section, the music has a stark texture and is highly playful
and jovial.  Then, without warning, the second section starts up with a
much fuller texture and more legato.  The third section has elements
from each of the first two and ends in a surging and swirling fashion.
I listened to eight comparative versions, and each one was excellent.
Folks like Herrick and Jacob employ the strongest legato in the second
section, while Weinberger and Rubsam are more angular.  I honestly can't
choose a 'best' among these performances, although my personal preference
is likely the Weinberger which I find to have the most imaginative
registrations.

Rubsam's BWV 722 is the most interesting I know; he makes it a strong and
sharp fanfare with some imaginative rhythmic patterns.  In BWV 724, he is
more angular, vibrant, and detailed than every other version I own; the
registrations are delectable.

BWV 725, the German version of the Te Deum, is very difficult to perform
well.  Imagine a short/monothematic theme with the cantus firmus always in
the soprano, and the work can easily extend to over ten minutes.  That's
a long time to maintain interest on the part of the listener.  The keys
to success are variety of attractive registrations and getting the most
differentiation out of the new motifs which are constanty generated.
Rubsam, although he takes over eleven minutes, gives the freshest and most
interesting interpretation on record.  Rubsam's pacing is so relaxed and
natural, allowing ample time for the listener to absorb each new motif.  I
listened to many other versions and each of them had snoozing capabilites.
The worst was from Olivier Vernet on Ligia; in addition to conveying an
entirely bloated sound from his French organ, he was mono-volume in
addition to being mono-thematic.

For BWV 733, Andrea Marcon's performance on Hanssler is a stirring and
uplifting version of great muscularity.  Rubsam is not as powerful as
Marcon, but he is exquisitely detailed; both versions are superb.

BWV 734 is a speedy yet comforting piece with the cantus firmus in the
pedal.  Herrick and Rogg go for speed and create some excitement; Bowyer
takes a more leisurely pace with fine projection.  Rubsam is more in the
Bowyer category with fine detail and comfort.  I feel that projection is
the key here, and the above versions possess it unlike Gerhard Weinberger
on CPO whose projection is just a touch above minimal.

Worthy mortals winging their way up toward God is the basic theme of
the text for BWV 735.  Bach's music is a perfect match for the text, and
Olivier Vernet's version best exemplifies the dash to heaven with a beaming
spirit.  Vernet's performance takes about 3 1/2 minutes; Rubsam extends the
music to over 4 minutes.  Although not exactly in the winging category,
Rubsam effectively uses lighter textures and a moderate side-to-side/jagged
rhythm to enhance the variety and interest that the music conveys.  Rubsam
and Vernet compliment one another excellently.

BWV 737 harkens back to the days of Samuel Scheidt with the individual
lines being given a weighty fugue treatment.  With such weight in the
picture, it's crucial that the performance not get bogged down with
excessive solemnity.  Kay Johannsen and Werner Jacob solve that problem
by using strong projection and excellent separation of voices.  Rogg is
less effective in both areas and gives a somewhat flat reading.  For a
joke of a performance, check out Vernet who uses very unattractive
registrations and applies a crooked echo effect; what was he thinking?
As for Wolfgang Rubsam, his enticing registrations, good projection, and
penchant for finding all the nuances in the music results in an excellent
performance.  He's a little slower than Johannsen and Jacob, but he makes
up for it in variety.

BWV 738 is a short chorale dominated by semi-quavers.  For a majestic
reading, it's hard to beat Christopher Herrick; the tender style of
performance is in good hands with Werner Jacob.  Rubsam is as majestic as
Herrick and much more diverse; he again uses jagged and side-ways rhythms
to always keep one's total interest.

BWV 741 is powerful and stern music just perfect for the muscular and
serious approach of Andrea Marcon.  Although a little less strong than
Marcon, Rubsam introduces a greater degree of horizontal expressiveness.
Once again, Rubsam has no superior versions for competition.

Prelude & Fugue in A minor, BWV 551 - Not one of Bach's more popular
entries in the genre from his Arnstadt days, the best performances
highlight the rather wild and macabre themes in the music.  Erich
Piasetzki, on his outstanding Berlin Classics disc, uses wonderful
registrations to enhance the macabre elements.  Weinberger is powerful and
brash, an approach which works beautifully.  Rubsam is at this top level
with interesting registrations, strong detail, and wide emotional breadth.

Prelude & Fugue in E minor, BWV 533 - Another less favored work in the
genre from Bach's Arnstadt period.  Weinberger is again strong and brash,
qualities which fit perfectly with the work.  Rubsam brings the same
approach to this piece that he does to BWV 551.

Prelude in A minor, BWV 569 - Built on a four-note motif subjected to many
short variations, Spitta termed this work "monotonous".  Judging by many
of the recorded performances, Spitta is on target.  However, there are
two recorded versions which make the work most interesting.  One is by
Piasetzki; his registrations are delicious and his reading hypnotic.
Rubsam provides the other great performance.  Slower than Piasetzki, he
gives the work additional variety and urgency as well.

Fugue in C minor, BWV 575 - An interesting piece with a bantering or
mocking tone from the countersubject; the work ends with a determined
Adagio culminating in a grand conclusion.  Oliver Vernet is superb with
imaginative registrations and precise detail; the mocking from the
countersubject is full-throttle.  In versions such as from Kevin Bowyer,
the banter is hardly on display.  Rubsam adds a minute to the reading
from Vernet; this allows all his expressiveness and variety of technique
to shine through.  His bantering is well pronounced but can't compare to
Vernet's.  Overall, Rubsam's is one of the best versions and an outstanding
alternative to Vernet.

Fantasia con imitatione in B minor, BWV 563 - Another early work from
Bach.  Christopher Herrick takes only 3 1/2 minutes to polish it off, and
his Fantasia sounds like a run-through with little emotional involvement.
Bowyer extends the work for another two minutes with exceptional results;
there is great poignancy and lyricism in the music, and Bowyer unearths it
fully.

Rubsam's tempo puts him in the middle between Bowyer and Herrick.  His
consistently great traits of diversity and emotional depth are again at
center-stage.  And again, his version is unlike any other.  It's a thinking
person's performance with frequent hesitations which add bounce and tension
to the second section.

Don's Conclusions: This is not a disc of big Bach hits; the works are
mostly from Bach's early years of professional composition.  Many of them
need outstanding performances of creativity, variety, and excecution to
realize their full potential.  Wolfgang Rubsam is just the right artist
for this endeavor.

Of the eighteen works presented on the recording, Rubsam sets the standard
for seven of them: Chorales BWV 718, 722, 724, 725, 738, and the Fantasia
BWV 563.  As impressive as this record is, every other performance on the
disc is among the best available with the exception of BWV 714 which I
consider an aberration on Rubsam's part or mine.

At the ridiculously low Naxos price, this Rubsam disc is a treasure of
a bargain but would be essential material at four-times the cost.  It's
mainly not prime-time Bach music, but Rubsam makes it more of that quality
than any other artist on record.

Only speaking of the stores in my local area, used Rubsam/Bach discs on
Naxos show up quite frequently.  I guess there are quite a few folks who
decide to shed themselves of Rubsam, probably only wanting the mainstream
performance styles which are so familiar.  Don't take that route - it's
very limiting.

Don Satz
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