Vlogcanic

Peter Hurford is one of the world’s foremost organ performers and since I have not paid much attention to his recordings (I go for Ton Koopman when I’m in the mood for Bach) I decided to listen to Bach: Toccata because its four tracks are among my favourite Bach organ works:

1. Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565.
2. Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564.
3. Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582.
4. Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 538.

What I liked.

Hurford’s BWV 538 has to be among the best I’ve ever heard. The playing, the tempo, the choice of registrations. It all fits together perfectly and is delightful to hear.

The fugue in BWV 565 is also very good in most aspects.

Overall, his playing is indeed very good. I’ve been missing something all this time.

What I didn’t like.

While the sound quality in this record is not awful, the recording levels are not the best I’ve ever heard. That goes for all the tracks but is particularly bothersome for the BWV 564 fugue, its sound level is so low that is hard to make out to actually hear the details unless you turn it up, which spoils the contrast of the upbeat fugue coming after the adagio.

I wasn’t crazy about the registration choice for the BWV 565 toccata either. I kind of acquired a taste for it after hearing a couple of extra runs, but it still seems a bit wrong for the piece. I guess it also refreshes it, but this was not among the good points for me.

I hated the way Hurford chooses to syncopate his toccatas in general. All three of them (the Dorian less than the others). He does it in a way that breaks the ideas instead of enhancing the counterpoints.

So?

It’s very clear that Hurford can play. He does it beautifully and I’ve been really missing something but this is probably not the best record to get introduced to him as the recording quality seems to go against –and cloud– is performance.

After listening to this record I think I’ll add BWV 538 and BWV 582 to my permanent playlist and keep looking for more of Hurford’s work in the hope I’ll find some stuff that makes his talent more transparent and easier to grasp.