Best Bach Toccatta and Fugue in D Minor


I am looking to find an audiophile recording of Bach's Toccatta and Fugue in D Minor. I have a few copies, but they either lack the LF oomph, or do not captue the range of pipe sounds. I want to be blown away!
jcidulka

Showing 2 responses by rcprince

Avguygeorge, is that Michael MURRAY on the old Telarc D to D? You're right, it is a good recording. I'm sure he's also recorded it on CD for Telarc. Murray is the perfect organist for direct to disc because he never makes a mistake. However, I guess my heart lies with Fox, because Murray's performances ultimately seem boring to me.
There are many better versions, but for low bass oomph and colorful (and I do mean colorful) registrations, the Virgil Fox recording The Fox Touch, Vol. 1 (on direct to disc Crystal Clear vinyl) or on the Bainbridge CD may fill the bill. I always enjoyed Virgil's liberties with the scores and his imagination in registrations; others don't. The recording is of a bright organ in a DEAD space--very little sound of the space in which the organ was located. Virgil did like to use the pedals, though, probably more than most others do. I played this disc for an organ student from Germany, who was alternately laughing or marvelling at the interpretation, depending on the part. On a more staid note, I like Christopher Herrick's interpretations on Hyperion, but there's nothing particularly sonically spectacular about the disc with this piece.