"Organ Landscape - Pomerania"
Martin Rost, organs
Daniel Arnold, cello
Recorded Various Locations, 1999-2003
MDG 319 1214-2 [3cds - 175:08]

Concept - The point of this set is to display a 350 year legacy of
Pomeranian music and organ building.  We are given a feast of organ
music: 36 composers, 73 pieces of music, and 21 historical organs.

Where is Pomerania?  - Off the Baltic Coast, Pomerania consists of parts
of Germany and Poland split by the Oder River.  Its organ history is
quite rich, and the booklet notes do an exceptional job of providing
all the details.

How Good is the Music?  - With little exception, all the music is highly
rewarding or outstanding.  Most of the featured composers are unknowns,
but each well knew his craft and some of them possess an obscurity totally
undeserved.

Name-Dropping - Among the featured composers are Dietrich Buxtehude,
CPE Bach, Heinrich Scheidemann, and Carl Loewe (yes, THAT Carl Loewe).

How Good are the Organs?  - As fine as the music might be, it's the
historical organs that are the stars of the set.  I'm not going to list
them, but the notes give the registrations and history of each of them.
They sound fabulous and represent a historically accurate picture you
won't find on any other recordings.

Our Guide Through the Set - Martin Rost is an exceptional organist fully
steeped in historically informed performance practice.

What's a cello player doing on a set like this?  - Daniel Arnold was
needed to play the cello part for a chorale prelude by Rudolf Ewald
Zingel (1876-1944).  It's a three-minute piece with the cello taking
the primary melody line.  Very attractive music, and Arnold gives it
a haunting treatment.

Don's Conclusions - Let's see what we have here: compelling music,
exceptional performances, fantastic organs, superb booklet notes.  Sounds
like a winner.  The price of the set may be steep, but it's worth every
penny.  This is a specialty item, and organ enthusiasts need to have it.

Don Satz
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