JS Bach: Clavier-Übung III CD review – Bach on a suitably baroque organ

James Johnston’s album trailer.

At the beginning of an ambitious series to match Bach’s great organ works to original instruments of his time, this first instalment strikes lucky with an instrument begun in the same year – 1739 – that Bach published his huge organ collection Clavier-Übung III in Leipzig. It’s in Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, by Berlin builder Joachim Wagner. Its pungent, sometimes rasping sounds have immense impact, though James Johnstone has a tendency to favour stridently loud pedals, and the opening Prelude is unbalanced. But the chorale preludes have variety and poise, and the final Fugue is very powerful – the inexhaustible contrapuntal virtuosity of Bach’s music remains astounding.