The organ chorales of the Leipzig manuscript, Schübler chorales BWV 645-668 Vincent van Laar

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750):
• 1 Fantasia super Komm, Heiliger Geist ~ canto fermo in Pedal ~ Organo pleno 06:08
• 2 Komm, Heiliger Geist ~ alio modo ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 09:30
• 3 An Wasserflüssen Babylon ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 05:21
• 4 Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 07:21
• 5 Trio super Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 04:14
• 6 O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig ~ 3 Versus 08:23
• 7 Nun danket alle Gott ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal ~ canto fermo in Soprano 04:37
• 8 Von Gott will ich nicht lassen ~ canto fermo in Pedal 04:49
• 9 Nun komm der Heiden Heiland ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 04:32
• 10 Trio super Nun komm der Heiden Heiland ~ a due Bassi e canto fermo 02:39
• 11 Nun komm der Heiden Heiland ~ in Organo pleno ~canto fermo in Pedal 02:59
• 12 Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal ~ canto fermo in Soprano 07:15
• 13 Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal ~ canto fermo in Tenore 07:10
• 14 Trio super Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 05:24
• 15 Jesus Christus, unser Heiland ~ sub Communione ~ pedaliter 03:50
• 16 Jesus Christus, unser Heiland ~ alio modo 03:09
• 17 Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist ~ in Organo pleno ~con Pedale obligato 02:20
• 18 Vor deinen Thron tret ich 04:44
• 19 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal ~ canto fermo in Tenore 04:03
• 20 Wo soll ich fliehen hin or Auf meinen lieben Gott ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 01:58
• 21 Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten 03:36
• 22 Meine Seele erhebt den Herren ~ à 2 Clav. et Pedal 02:31
• 23 Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ 02:54
• 24 Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter 03:39
• Total Runtime 01:53:06

Info for The organ chorales of the Leipzig manuscript, Schübler chorales BWV 645-668

In the oeuvre of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), the chorale – the Lutheran congregational hymn - plays a central role. This is hardly surprising, since for the greater part of his life Bach was a church musician, composing music suitable for liturgical use. At the same time he was very familiar with the chorale from his youth, for it was standard material in the music tuition of his age. Moreover, as a student Bach became acquainted with the music of his predecessors, the North German organists Reincken, Böhm and Buxtehude and the South German Pachelbel, for whom the chorale was a musical point of reference. Without the chorale, Bach‘s oeuvre would have been inconceivable.

This album features 24 chorale preludes for the organ (BWV 645-668). Without exception, they stand in the tradition of the chorale-based music of Bach‘s predecessors. They therefore include pieces with the unornamented chorale tune in the pedal (BWV 651 and 661), others with the melody ornamented (BWV 653, 654, 659 and 662), chorale trios (BWV 655 and 664), and works employing traditional contrapuntal techniques like canon, fugue and imitation (BWV 652 and 665).

Vincent van Laar, organ

Vincent van Laar
studied organ and harpsichord at the conservatories of Utrecht and The Hague with Nico van den Hooven, Harald Vogel, Glen Wilson and Bob van Asperen.

He gained solo diplomas for organ and harpsichord in 1984 and 1988 respectively, and won prizes at organ competitions in Zeerijp (1981), Toulouse (1983) and Alkmaar (1991).

Vincent’s greatest interest and musical passion is for the performance of Baroque solo and continuo music, in particular the works of J.S.Bach and the seventeenth-century North-European school.

Vincent has an international career as a soloist and continuo player, and has played on many recordings for radio and CD, including the complete works of Sweelincks’ pupil Melchior Schildt and Bach cantatas with organo obligato. He also participated in the complete recording of Sweelinck’s keyboard music. The latter was awarded the Netherlands most illustrious prize, the Edison. Recently he recorded the 24 Capricetten by Jacob Wilhelm Lustig.

Along side his solo career,Vincent van Laar is a member of Concerto d’Amsterdam and The Northern Consort. He also regularly plays as a guest with Musica Amphion.

Booklet for The organ chorales of the Leipzig manuscript, Schübler chorales BWV 645-668