Virgil Fox At the Organ Plays Johann Sebastian Bach
Title: Virgil Fox At the Organ Plays Johann Sebastian Bach
Artist(s): Organ - Virgil Fox
Recording Info: Recorded 1963 by Command Classics on 35 mm magnetic film
at The Riverside Church, New York City
Producer - Enoch Light Engineer - Robert Fine
1 Prelude And Fugue In D, S.532 9:33
2 Trio Sonata VI In G, S.530 10:47
3 Fantasy And Fugue In C minor, S.537 9:41
4 All Men Are Mortal, S.643 3:44
5 Toccata In F, S.540 6:16
Play Sample Tracks
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Brilliant Playing, So-So Sound
This album highlights Fox playing at his very best, with a technique fully able to keep-up with his propulsive rhythmic drive. His excitement is SO infectious, he's even able to pull-off a few subtle "accelerandi" that would normally leave us in the dust, but this time they absolutely work! Meanwhile, the wonderful folks at Command gave us a meaty virile organ sound, but unfortunately the louder registrations (which Fox is definitely enjoying in the room), give the recording a very brash quality that doesn't have much high-frequency extension, and the loud reeds often overwhelm the mix. I also feel this is an excellent transfer from HDTT, but their source could've been better. I have a CD set of these same recordings from the "Legacy Series," and the softer sections come-off cleaner there, with less fuzz, and less gating / noise reduction of the sound, which in this version eliminates the short reverb entirely and also messes with the attack in the Trio Sonata. But this particular transfer does have a better sense of a solid center image with more detail, which helps certain songs to sing-through, especially the Toccata in F which I prefer in this version.
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As fine a capture of the sound of an organ as I have in my collection
Virgil Fox is always a mixed bag for me, but hearing him play the huge organ of Riverside Church, where he was organist at the time, is an unalloyed pleasure. He draws on the entire range of sound of which this organ is capable—which is most substantial. All of this is cleanly and clearly captured by Bob Fine's placement of his microphones. It is as fine a capture of the sound of an organ as I have in my collection.
Virgil Fox At the Organ Plays Johann Sebastian Bach
good organ recording, nicely transferred, same old organ music. there needs to be many more organ recordings that are not the usual organ fare.
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Virgil Fox At the Organ Plays Johann Sebastian Bach
good organ recording, nicely transferred, same old organ music. there needs to be many more organ recordings that are not the usual organ fare.
Virgil Fox At the Organ Plays Johann Sebastian Bach
Many of the works on this recording are old favorites and Virgil Fox has alway done a great job - in my non-expert opinion. On that basis this would be a great recording. Where I was a bit disappointed was in the sonic quality. Specifically when there is a lot going on. I am a great fan of the recordings made by Everest using 35mm magnetic film. An approach used by Command Classics in this recording. Mercury Presence also has done some 35mm magnetic film recording that in my view are close to the Everest recordings. Given all that, this recording was just not up to the same level of clarity, depth of sound stage, and detail that I have come to expect from this type of recording.
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