Organ CDs with really deep bass


I'd like to request and share information with other classical-music audiophiles who are interested in classical pipe organ CDs that are exceptionally well recorded and have really deep bass. I have a couple of recommendations for now, and I'd be interested in hearing recommendations from any of you who are into classical pipe organ CDs that permit your state-of-the-art subwoofer to strut its stuff. (Please, no arguments/diatribes here about analog vs. digital, LP vs. CD. Plenty of room for that elsewhere.)

1. Jean Guillou, organist; Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, Stravinsky, 3 Dances from Petrouchka; Dorian CD DOR-90117. D. B. Keele, who used to write speaker and subwoofer reviews for Audio, used this as one of his references for testing subwoofers and called it "one of my favorite bass demos." It has potent levels of really deep bass. As organ buffs know, most medium-to-large pipe organs have at least one (and sometimes more) 32-foot pipe (usually but not always a pedal pipe); this pipe has a fundamental of 16 Hz. This is one of the few recordings I know of that contains this note. An amazing, reference-quality recording. If you'd like to get evicted and are looking for a lease-breaker, this CD played on a good system with a first-class sub should do the trick. (All of the Dorian CDs I have tried of Guillou playing European organs of his design (three of them) have reference-quality sound and seemingly unlimited bottom-end response.)

2. Michael Murray, organist; The Ruffati Organ in Davies Symphony Hall: A Recital of Works by Bach, Messiaen, Dupre, Widor & Franck; Telarc CD CD-80097. Although not as colorful as the Guillou/Dorian CD above, this excellent CD also has prodigious deep bass that will give your sub plenty to do. To my ears, Telarc does a better job of recording Michael Murray (one of the best organists of our day) playing pipe organs than it does of recording orchestras. There are a number of superb Telarc CDs of Murray playing various interesting organs. This is not my favorite overall, but it is outstanding for deep bass.

Now let's hear from you guys. I'm all ears. Thanks.
texasdave
Texas Dave,

Do you know where the The Great Organ at Methuen (Mass.), is located? I live close to Mehtuen and would love to check it out.

Also for anyone interested I believe the organ at Woosley hall in Yale is supposed to be able to play a phantom or resultant note equal to a 64 foot stop
Texasdave recommends 11-23-04 Peter Hurford who has several CDs on Argo/Decca.
Peter Hurford, Romantic Organ Music Vol II (is superior to Vol I). The more common Vol I, is still good.
Peter Hurford, Hindemith Organ Sonatas, Argo 417 159-2 is excellent and worth seeking out.

Like most readers and posters here, I happen to enjoy Guillou, Murray, and Hurford. I have to buy them on web without auditioning first. I even doubt if their sonic benefits can be heard on the systems available in most CD stores. Please can someone who owns all their CDs, rank them in a purchase order for each artist.
The pipe organ sampler CD "King of instruments: A listener's guide to the art and science of recording the organ" contains several artitistically and sonically spectacular performances, e.g. that of Maurice Duruflé's Scherzo op. 2 played by Todd Wilson. The final chord concludes with something that makes any two-way bass reflex loudspeaker wave the white flag of surrender. Try it... but take care.
Organist David Drury has 3 CDs on ABC Classics label. "Music for a Grand Organ" and "Pomp&Circumstance" feature the Sydney Town Hall organ and have occaisonal infra bass. "On a Grand Scale" uses the Melbourne Town Hall organ and frequently reproduces the lower bass pipes (not ultimately as deep as Sydney) and sustained bass is very common. All 3 Cds are worthwhile. Not as exciting as Guillou or Felix but better than Hurford.