8 Organ chorale preludes on Genevan Psalm melodies

Composed in Bach's style using models of his "Orgelbüchlein", commissioned  by the VOGG, a Dutch church organist association.

These chorale preludes are published as part of VOGG's annual publication in October 2000, which contains some more Bach style copies of other composers. Like my Norwegian "10 Orgelkoraler i Bachstil over norske salmer",  these chorale preludes also are based on Bach's "Orgelbüchlein" models. You can download sample pages in PDF-format of all the preludes and listen to RealAudio files.  If you are interested in getting the full scores of the music, take contact with the VOGG: There is a VOGG website (in Dutch language) here, or send an email to me

Recordings
You can also hear me play these preludes as I recorded them on one of those fine old baroque organs in Holland, the Apollinius Bosch organ, built in 1687 with Great and Positive for the St. Nicolaas church in Vollenhove. Pedals added by J. van Loo in 1860. Do listen to this organ, it's wonderfull. You can play or download RealAudio clips with acceptable sound quality (scroll down on this page) , and if you are interested I might send you a CD with these recordings. Because it is often very expensive to transfer money to another country, you might have some interesting CD to offer in exchange (this applies primarily to people not living in The Netherlands or Norway).  Just get in touch....More info about the organ (pictures, stoplist).

Why compose as Bach??
It goes without saying that it is impossible to compose as "Bach-like" as Bach. The only one who really could do so, died some 250 years ago. Using another person's musical style is not the most original thing one can imagine, and you can say that Bach did not leave us so little organ music, that there is an urgent need for more either. Why then compose in Bach's style? Well, history decided that Bach was born as a German Lutheran, not as a Norwegian or a Dutch Calvinist. This fact was the main reason for me to compose chorale preludes in Bach's style on Norwegian hymns en Dutch Psalms. Both for Norwegian Lutherans as for Dutch Calvinists, most of the hymns Bach used for his preludes are totally unfamiliar. These preludes make it much easier for a congregation to get in touch with Bach's musical language than if the melodies would be unknown.

 I hope these preludes will help people to get more interested in "the real thing": Bach's music.

1. Psalm 6
composed after "O, Mensch, bewein' dein' Sünde groß"
Clip 1   More Info / download clip

2. Psalm 8
composed after "Christ ist erstanden"
Clip 2   More Info / download clip

3. Psalm 31
composed after "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her"
Clip 3   More Info / download clip

4. Psalm 72
composed after "Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf"
Clip 4   More Info / download clip

5. Psalm 105
composed after "Der Tag der ist so freudenreich"
Clip 5   More Info / download clip

6. Psalm 116
composed after "Wer nun den lieben Gott läßt walten"
Clip 6   More Info / download clip

7. Psalm 130
composed after "Ich ruf' zu dir"
Clip 7   More Info / download clip

8. Psalm 140
composed after "Alle Menschen müssen sterben"
Clip 8   More Info / download clip

Clipnumbe r Filename	Kb	Ta	Musical contents of  the clip	Other info
Clip 1 Psalm 6	1450	44	Psalm 6	You hear: Great: Fl4 Positive Oct4, Fl4 Pedal: B16, Holfl8 (manuals played one octave lower)
Clip 2 Psalm 8	800	64	Psalm 8	You hear: Great: Pr 8, Holp8, O4, Oct2, Tr8, Cornet  Positive: Holp8, Pr4, Oct 2, Dulc8, Sesq. Pedal: B16, Holfl8, Oct8, Baz16 Ped. to Great. Ped.to Positive Great to Positive
Clip 3 Psalm 31	573	44	Psalm 31	You hear: Great: Pr 8, Holp8, O4,  Pedal: S16, Holp8, Oct8
Clip 4 Psalm 72	950	44	Psalm 72	You hear: Great: Pr8, Holp8, Fl4, Positive: Dulc8 Pedal: B16, Holfl8, Oct8
Clip 5 Psalm 105	933	64	Psalm 105	You hear: Great: Pr 8, Holp8, O4, Oct2, Tr8, Cornet Positive: Holp8, Pr4, Oct 2, Dulc8 Pedal: B16, Holfl8, Oct8, Baz16 Ped.to Positive
Clip 6 Psalm 116	888	64	Psalm 116	You hear: Great: Pr 8, Holp8, O4, Oct2, Tr8, Mixt, Cymb Positive: Holp8, Pr4, Oct 2, Dulc8 Mixt Pedal: B16, Holfl8, Oct8, Baz16 Ped. to Great. Ped.to Positive, Great to Positive
Clip 7 Psalm 130	991	44	Psalm 130	You hear: Great: Holp8, Fl4, Positive: Holp8, Fl4, Nas3 Pedal: B16, Holfl8
Clip 8 Psalm 140	552	44	Psalm 140	You hear: Positive: Holp8, Fl4 Pedal: B16, Oct8
Copyright on performance & recordings, © Wim Kamp august 2000,  Organ: Bosch 1687 / Van Loo 1860, Vollenhove, The Netherlands
Help with playing the sound clips and using the PDF-files in the Technical info section

 

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