Bach: Clavier-Übung III James McVinnie

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Clavier-Übung III:
• 1 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Praeludium pro Organo pleno, BWV 552i 09:05
• 2 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit, BWV 669 03:21
• 3 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Christe, aller Welt Trost, BWV 670 04:24
• 4 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist, BWV 671 05:06
• 5 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit, BWV 672 01:36
• 6 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Christe, aller Welt Trost, BWV 673 01:24
• 7 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist, BWV 674 01:19
• 8 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Her, BWV 675 03:14
• 9 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Her, BWV 676 05:19
• 10 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Her, BWV 677 01:06
• 11 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Dies sind die heilgen zehn Gebot, BWV 678 04:32
• 12 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Dies sind die heilgen zehn Gebot, BWV 679 02:09
• 13 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Wir gläuben all an einen Gott, BWV 680 03:20
• 14 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Wir gläuben all an einen Gott, BWV 681 01:42
• 15 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV 682 06:28
• 16 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV 683 01:38
• 17 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam, BWV 684 04:07
• 18 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam, BWV 685 01:32
• 19 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, BWV 686 06:14
• 20 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, BWV 687 04:37
• 21 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der von uns den Zorn Gottes wandt, BWV 688 03:46
• 22 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV 689 04:59
• 23 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Duetto No 1 in E Minor, BWV 802 02:41
• 24 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Duetto No 2 in F Major, BWV 803 03:36
• 25 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Duetto No 3 in G Major, BWV 804 03:01
• 26 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Duetto No 4 in A Minor, BWV 805 02:47
• 27 Bach: Clavier-Übung III: Fuga a 5 con pedale pro Organo pleno, BWV 552ii 07:15
• Total Runtime 01:40:18

Info for Bach: Clavier-Übung III

James McVinnie brings Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental Clavier-Übung III to life in a recording that captures both its technical brilliance and profound spiritual depth. Bach’s 1739 collection, his first published volume of organ music, is a masterful synthesis of compositional technique, theological meditation, and musical expression. With twenty-seven works, including chorale preludes, duets, and the majestic opening Prelude and closing Fugue, the collection is a rich musical exploration of Lutheran faith, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and the artistry of counterpoint at its most sublime.

From the intricate contrapuntal pairs of the Catechism chorales to the flowing bass lines of Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam, and the transcendent final Fugue in E flat, McVinnie navigates Bach’s towering architecture with clarity, precision, and sensitivity. This recording highlights the cosmopolitan textures, theological symbolism, and emotional resonance that make Clavier-Übung III a pinnacle of the organ repertoire. With insight drawn from decades of study and performance, McVinnie offers a journey into Bach’s musical universe, where faith, intellect, and artistry converge in works of extraordinary beauty and enduring power.

James McVinnie made his PENTATONE debut in January 2025 with the album Dreamcatcher.

James McVinnie (Schnitger-organ Aa-kerk, Groningen)

James McVinnies
Through his boundless approach to music making, his collaborations with a vast array of artists from many different walks of musical life, his innovative programming and captivating musicianship of the highest order, James McVinnie has carved out a unique career as an organist and keyboard player.

McVinnie has had major concerto and solo works written for him by Sam Adams, David Chalmin, artist Martin Creed, Bryce Dessner, Hildur Guðnadóttir, David Lang, Tom Jenkinson/Squarepusher, Nico Muhly, Richard Reed Parry, Tristan Perich, and Gabriella Smith among many others.

He directs the James McVinnie Ensemble, a collective of virtuoso keyboardists dedicated to exploring work often preoccupied with political themes by contemporary and emerging composers. The ensemble’s roots go back to 2017 with a performance at London’s Barbican Centre of Music in Twelve Parts by Philip Glass, the only performance in the piece’s history given by anyone other than the Philip Glass Ensemble.

He is a member of Icelandic collective and record label Bedroom Community, on which he has released three albums: "Cycles" (2013, works by Nico Muhly), "Cycles_1" (2016, a remix album), and "Counterpoint" (2021) which pairs music of J.S. Bach and Philip Glass. "The Grid" (2018) is a studio album of music by Philip Glass using organ samples on Orange Mountain Music. "All Night Chroma," featuring music by Tom Jenkinson/Squarepusher and recorded on the Royal Festival Hall organ in London, was released on Warp Records in 2019.

McVinnie recently completed a year-long residency at London’s Southbank Centre during which he gave three separate solo performances on the Royal Festival Hall’s organ, two as part of the RFH's "Organ at 70" celebrations, for which he performed Buxtehude, Bach, Tristan Perich’s Infinity Gradient, an hour long work written for McVinnie for organ and 100 speakers in 1bit audio; Fantasias centring around Liszt’s Ad nos ad salutarem undam; as well as a James McVinnie Ensemble program of American Minimalism at RFH. His fifth and final residency concert — an all-Bach program for piano and organ in the Queen Elizabeth Hall — was postponed owing to illness and will be rescheduled in 2025-26 season.

"Dreamcatcher," an album of contemporary American music by composers closely associated with McVinnie, who plays both organ and piano, was released on Pentatone in January 2025. The recording features the organ of St. Albans Cathedral, an epoch-making instrument closely associated with legendary organists Peter Hurford and Ralph Downes. The piano segments of the album were recorded at Studio Richter Mahr, co-founded by composer Max Richter and visual artist Yulia Mahr.

Booklet for Bach: Clavier-Übung III