The organ used for this recording, in the Laurenskerk in Alkmaar, was built in 1646 by the van Hagebeer family and extensively revised by Franz Caspar Schnitger between 1722-25.
Historical Context
During Böhm's time, Hamburg's musical life was dominated by opera and organ music, with the opera am Gänsemarkt being the oldest opera house in German-speaking lands.
Composition History
A document discovered in 2005 shows that a 15-year-old J.S. Bach copied and dedicated two major chorale fantasias by Buxtehude and Reinken to Georg Böhm in 1700.
Composer Biography
Georg Böhm, the composer, was born in Hohenkirchen in 1661, not far from Ohrdruf in Thuringia, where he had connections with several members of the Bach family.
Cultural Impact
Georg Böhm is believed to have been a significant mentor to a young J.S. Bach, introducing him to organ playing, instrument construction, and the music of North German and French masters.
Interpretation
Bernard Foccroulle, the performer, believes the Alkmaar organ's gravity, poetry, and depth are particularly harmonious with Böhm's surviving works.
Critical Reception
Although not famous in his lifetime, Böhm was highly regarded by his colleagues, including J.S. Bach and Mattheson, and a century later, Ernst Ludwig Gerber praised his 'fluently agreeable' melodic style.
You might also enjoy...
Bach: Toccata And Fugue D minor / And Other Organ Works
Bach, J.S.: Organ Music - Bwv 525, 542, 552, 565, 590, 615, 731, 734
Bach to Notre-Dame
Bach, J.S.: Organ Works, Vol. 9
Bach | Buxtehude | Bruhns
Soli Deo Gloria: Organ Music by J. S. Bach, Brahms, Franck, Jones, Marchand, Rossi and Widor (C. B. Fisk Organs)
Famous European Organs: The Large Organ of the Cathedral
The Gates of Vienna
The Organ at Sydney Opera House
L'orgue Dom Bedos de Sainte-Croix de Bordeaux
Ton Koopman at the Zacharias Hildebrandt Organ (1726) In Lengefeld in the Erzgebirge
