Bach-Buxtehude-Bruhns
      The Three B's
   Selected Organ Works

Johann Sebastian Bach:
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659
Prelude & Fugue in E minor, BWV 548
Prelude & Fugue in G major, BWV 541
Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV 582

Dietrich Buxtehude:
Prelude & Fugue in F sharp minor, BuxWV 146
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BuxWV 211

Nicolaus Bruhns:
Preludium in G major
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland

Pro Organo 7054
Recorded September 1994
von Beckerath Organ of St. Michael's Church, New York
Claudia Dumschat, Organ
TT 67:50

The chronological line of music runs like this: Matthais Weckmann and
Heinrich Scheidemann studied with Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck, Buxtehude
likely studied with both Weckmann and Scheidemann, Bruhns studied with
Buxtehude, and Bach walked countless miles to Lubeck to hear the music
of Buxtehude.  The basic point is that none of these composers wrote in
a vacumn; each was aware of what came before in the great Germanic organ
tradition.  Of course, Bach and Buxtehude need no introduction.  Nicolaus
Bruhns, however, enjoys a very slight reputation.  He's usually one of
those composers who has a work or two on a disc which covers a particular
theme, and that's how he is treated on this disc for review.  In style, he
was very similar to Buxtehude and considered to be an expert protegee of
the great composer; I have great affection for the organ works of Bruhns
and he need take no backseat on this disc.

The organist, Claudia Dumschat, is based in Manhattan and secured her
Bachelor, Masters, and Doctorate in Musical Arts from the Manhattan
School of Music.  Her teachers have included Frederick Swann, John Walker,
and Dennis Keene.  Dumschat currently performs in the U.S.  and Europe
as well as serving as Musical Director for two Manhattan Churches and
founding/directing the 100th Street Chorale.  At the time of the recording,
I'd say that she was a young woman in her 20's.

Young though she may be, Ms. Dumschat is a wonderful Baroque performing
artist.  She misses none of the beauty of any of the eight works she
performs, and her emotional depth and breadth are very impressive.  When
strength and power are called for, Dumschat fully delivers in resounding
fashion.  Another great attribute is her command of swirling rhythms which
is so important for organ works; Dumschat conveys a mesmorizing quality
reminiscent of Lionel Rogg.

The sound of the von Beckerath Organ is exceptional; it's rich, well
delineates the individual lines, and is flat-out gorgeous.  At the same
time, it is a powerful instrument which Dumschat takes full advantage of
with outstanding results.

My sole reservation is that Dumschat has an occasional penchant for
rounding off phrases in the the more powerful works; I would have preferred
a little more 'bite' at times.  But you can't have everything.  If Dumschat
had the 'bite' down pat, this disc would be the find of the century.  As it
is, I consider the recording an essential element in the library of baroque
organ enthusiasts.

Some details are below:

Bach's Chorale BWV 659 - This piece is one of the eighteen Leipzig
Chorales.  I should note that the cd program incorrectly lists this as
BWV 654; that is certainly one sloppy error which evaded the proof-readers.
Ms. Dumschat has some fantastic competition including Peter Hurford on
Decca and Bine Katirne Bryndorf on Hanssler.  The text involves a new
awakening, and although Bach's music is quite serious, there is an
essential life-affirming quality which Hurford and Bryndorf fully capture.
I particularly like Bryndorf's strong bass underpinning and inexorable
march to resolution.  Dumschat is just as rewarding with a reading which
also possesses intense sadness and urgency; the contrasts are very
effective.  Her performance is about the most gorgeous I've heard on
record.

Bach's Prelude & Fugue in E minor, BWV 548 - My standard for the E
minor comes from Christopher Herrick on Hyperion; his blend of power
and lyricism is mighty impressive, and he is surprisingly bold in the
Prelude.  Herrick's Fugue starts with an attractively eerie introduction
and continues along the powerful and mysterious side.  In effect, Herrick
provides the usual advantages he conveys and also eschews his tendency to
play with too heavy a legato.  Dumschat is not as bold in her Prelude as
Herrick, but her upper voices are more encompassing and macabre.  In the
Fugue, she has a little penchant to round off phrases.  Overall, I still
favor Herrick, but Dumschat is a close rival.

Bach's Prelude & Fugue in G major, BWV 541 - Another impressive performance
from Dumschat.  She explodes with vitality in the Prelude, and displays
much strength in the Fugue.  However, I remain partial to Lionel Rogg for
BWV 541; his detail in the Fugue is significantly more pronounced than with
Dumschat.  She again sometimes rounds off phrases which has the effect of
lessening the Fugue's bite.

Bach's Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 - This work needs much
muscle which Dumschat fully delivers.  However, E.  Power Biggs remains
my favored version for its greater determination and momentum that is
conveyed by a more pronounced bass line.  I should point out that
Dumschat's reading, excepting for the Biggs, is as fine as any other
version I've heard.

Buxtehude's Prelude & Fugue in F sharp minor, BuxWV 146 - Essentially
a Toccata, this five section work is loaded with diversity.  The first
section is 'free', starts with a swirling flourish, and ends in a
ceremonial tribute.  Rene Saorgin on Harmonia Mundi is sharper than
Dumschat, but her ceremonial passages are fuller and more uplifting.

The next two sections are fugues, and I find it very interesting how
Saorgin and Dumschat interpret each fugue and convey variety between them.
There is an inherent difference between them in that the second fugue is
the faster; beyond that, the performer calls the shots.  Saorgin uses
a lighter texture in the second fugue; that's his primary basis for
differentiation.  With Dumschat, the textural differences are not as
pronouned; she provides a much slower first fugue of stature and then
speeds up greatly for the second fugue.

The fourth section allows the performer significant improvisatory freedom.
Saorgin takes the strong route at all times; Dumschat begins with a
mystical and subdued approach which enhances the contrasts within the
section.  The last section is imitative and takes us back to the swirling
rhythms of the first section.

Overall, I prefer Dumschat for this memorable and diverse Buxtehude
creation, because she provides greater contrast and emotional breadth than
Saorgin.  Also, she handles the swirling rhythms in a hypnotic fashion.

Buxtehude's Chorale Prelude BuxWV 211 - Buxtehude's chorale setting uses
the same text as Bach's BWV 659.  The music is exquisitely sad and elegant
with subtle shades of light.  Dumschat's reading is as lovely and intense
as the excellent ones from Rene Saorgin and Luc Beausejour for Analekta
fleurs de lys.  She is slower than these two alternative versions with
a more pronouned chorale melody which increases poignancy.  Also, her
foundation is rock-solid.  I might as well give the edge to Dumschat.

The Two Bruhns Works - Just the other day, I reviewed a Loft Recordings
disc devoted to Bruhns and Hanff; William Porter has the honors on a
historical Swedish organ, and the two works on the Dumschat disc are also
on Porter's.  I concluded that both the works and the two performers are
exceptional; renewed listening does not alter my views.  Porter is more
angular, while Dumschat provides greater momentum; each is a wonderful
advocate for a composer who is too little known.

Don's Conclusion: I have had the pleasure of listening to some terrific
Baroque organ disc in recent weeks, and Dumschat's offering is as good as
any of them.  When the music, the sound, the program, and the performer
are all superb, the result must be an urgent recommendation.

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed a Bach organ disc on Pro Organo
performed by Nicholas White.  This Dumschat recording, also on Pro Organo,
is light-years ahead of the White disc.  Buy it now!  Pro Organo can be
found on a few sales sites such as CDNOW although far less than all issues
are in the inventory; their discs are also available direct from the
company on the internet.  Pro Organo's screens are very friendly, ordering
is a breeze, and shipping time is short.  You can't ask for more.

Don Satz
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