J.S. Bach: Organ Works, Vol. 7 Masaaki Suzuki

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle":
• 1 Bach: 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle": No. 12, Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 662 08:09
• 2 Bach: 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle": No. 13, Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 663 07:27
• 3 Bach: 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle": No. 14, Trio super Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 664 05:06
• 4 Bach: 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle": No. 15, Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV 665 04:43
• 5 Bach: 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle": No. 16, Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV 666 03:06
• 6 Bach: 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle": No. 17, Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist, BWV 667 03:12
• 7 Bach: 18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle": No. 18a, Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein, BWV 668a 05:22
• 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, "Schübler-Choräle":
• 8 Bach: 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, "Schübler-Choräle": No. 1, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 04:02
• 9 Bach: 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, "Schübler-Choräle": No. 2, Wo soll ich fliehen hin. Auf meinen lieben Gott, BWV 646 01:32
• 10 Bach: 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, "Schübler-Choräle": No. 3, Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten, BWV 647 03:30
• 11 Bach: 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, "Schübler-Choräle": No. 4, Meine Seele erhebt den Herren, BWV 648 01:50
• 12 Bach: 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, "Schübler-Choräle": No. 5, Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 649 02:27
• 13 Bach: 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, "Schübler-Choräle": No. 6, Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter, BWV 650 03:29
• Total Runtime 53:55

Info for J.S. Bach: Organ Works, Vol. 7

This seventh instalment of Masaaki Suzuki’s critically acclaimed series of the complete organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach includes eleven pieces from a manuscript known as the Leipzig Chorales. Conceived around 1739, this collection contains no new compositions, but rather ‘reworkings’ of organ chorales dating from the years 1708–17, when Bach was in Weimar. The chorale arrangements are based on established Lutheran melodies that particularly appealed to Bach.

This recording also includes the six Schübler Chorales (named after the collection’s publisher), which take chorales he had already included in his religious cantatas and adapt them for the organ. Together with the Orgel-Büchlein and the third book of the Clavier-Übung, the Leipzig Chorales and the Schübler Chorales represent the pinnacle of Bach’s sacred organ music.

On this recording, Masaaki Suzuki plays the Arp Schnitger organ of the Martinikerk in Groningen, the Netherlands, one of the largest and most famous baroque organs in Northern Europe.

Masaaki Suzuki, (Schnitger-Organ Martinikerk, Groningen, Netherlands)

Masaaki Suzuki
Since founding Bach Collegium Japan in 1990, Masaaki Suzuki has established himself as a leading authority on the works of Bach. He has remained the music director of the BCJ ever since, taking it regularly to major venues and festivals in Europe and the USA. In addition to working with renowned period ensembles, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Philharmonia Baroque, he conducts orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in repertoire ranging from Mendelssohn to Stravinsky. Suzuki’s impressive

discography on the BIS label, featuring Bach’s choral works as well as harpsichord and organ recitals, has brought him many critical plaudits – The Times (UK) has written: ‘it would take an iron bar not to be moved by his crispness, sobriety and spiritual vigour’. With the BCJ he is now extending the ensemble’s repertoire with recordings of Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C minor and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.

Born in Kobe, Masaaki Suzuki graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music and went on to study harpsichord and organ at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam under Ton Koopman and Piet Kee. Founder and professor emeritus of the early music department at the Tokyo University of the Arts, he was on the faculty at the Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music from 2009 until 2013, and remains affiliated as the principal guest conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum.

Booklet for J.S. Bach: Organ Works, Vol. 7