Bach: Toccatas

Featuring

Léon Berben
Johann Sebastian Bach

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Critical Reception

Léon Berben's solo recordings on historic instruments have received significant critical acclaim and multiple awards, including the Diapason d'or and the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.

Performer Biography

Léon Berben was the harpsichordist for Musica Antiqua Köln (Reinhard Goebel) from 2000 until its dissolution in 2006, performing worldwide and recording many CDs.

Performer Biography

Léon Berben, born in 1970 in the Netherlands, is considered a master organist and harpsichordist, with extensive knowledge of music history and historical performance practice.

Performer Biography

Léon Berben studied organ and harpsichord in Amsterdam and The Hague with notable figures such as Gustav Leonhardt and Ton Koopman.

Composition History

The Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, despite its legendary status, has faced recurring doubts about its authenticity since the 1970s, with suggestions it might have been for solo violin or composed by one of Bach's sons.

Instruments

The organ used for the pedaliter works on this album is the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ in Alkmaar, completed in 1646 and transformed into a North-German style organ between 1722 and 1725.

Compositional Technique

Bach's toccatas, preludes, and fantasies are types of compositions that allowed him to push the limits of keyboard playing outside a strict formal framework.