Masaaki Suzuki
's
Bach
organ recordings, something of a labor of love after the completion of his magisterial cantata cycle, have been well-received; this one landed on classical best-seller charts in early 2024. It is the second of a pair recorded on a 1737 organ at the Stiftskirche St. Georg in Grauhof, Lower Saxony, Germany. The builder was
Christoph Treutmann
, one of the greats of the age, and if it is not an organ
played, it is certainly one he would have regarded as state-of-the-art. Both this release and its predecessor,
Vol. 4
in
Suzuki
's series, feature intricate chorale settings from the Orgelbüchlein, played on this organ and tied to the liturgical year; this volume features chorales for Easter (and the album was released just in time for that holiday) along with other settings and a few framing preludes and fugues.
on the organ is recognizably the same musician who led the
Bach Collegium Japan
on his famed cantata recordings; he is lofty, precise, and warm. The
Treutmann
organ is ideal for both the repertory and the performer; in many registrations it has an edgy, rather acid sound that clarifies
's complex polyphony beautifully. Also, sample the double setting of "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier," with its contrasting textures. The
BIS
label's well-known engineering expertise is applied profitably to this small German church on a recording that one suspects
would have greatly admired. ~ James Manheim