"best" version for "Toccata and Fugue D minor?

Agree with Rushton on the Chandos release. Also, Telarc did a CD with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops years ago called The Stokowski Sound which has a good version in pretty decent sound for digital, if you can find it.

Agree with SDCampbell about the desirability of getting the 3-CD Dorian set by Jean Guillou for only $17 from OHS (and anybody who likes pipe organs should check out OHS anyway). Guillou is an eccentric organist, a kind of Glenn Gould of the organ, if you will, and not everyone admires his performances. He's a great improviser, also a composer and transcriber, and something of an organ designer as well. He's a free spirit who definitely has his own ideas about what he plays and plays music "his way," which may not necessarily be the composer's way or the way you'd like to hear it. This said, however, his Dorian recordings have magnificent sound, are on interesting and great-sounding organs, and I love them and wouldn't be without them (have them all). If you can get the 3-CD Dorian set for $17 from OHS, it's a steal and the perfect introduction to Guillou. I'm surprised it's still available, since Dorian has gone under. Get it while you can!

I haven't heard them all,but of the ones I have,I like the E.Power Biggs recording.(The redbook cd would be taken from an analogue tape master but the musical quality of the performance justifies it to me.)

Realize this is now an old thread, but I just wanted to mention the Prelude and Fugue in D Major for the very same purpose and bring to light some great organ recordings. A couple of years ago they released the St. Mary's Cathedral recordings of Fox from 1976 on a DVD/CD combo recorded by none other than Prof. Johnson of reference recordings (available as "The Bach Gamut vol 1" from OHS). It is by far the best recording (Live) of Fox I have heard. Anyway, the P&F in D is absolutely incredible in the bass department. The fugue is too fast and he makes mistakes and cuts parts out, but the prelude is amazing. It beats the Michael Murray recording of the D Minor in recording prowess (and although many like the D Minor, let's face it, the D Major prelude is more spectacular). Also, the same organ (St. Mary's) is recorded fantastically on RR-98. It's a must own organ CD. The Reubke fugue from the 94th Psalm is awesome. This organ, a Rufatti, showcases this organ builders' talent. They produce amazing reeds and mixtures with a brightness that is never harsh - a very hard balance to achieve. While I'm at it, the RR CD of Felix Hell on another CD (RR-101) is also very worth getting. I wish I could play like that now, let alone when I was 14... I hope RR comes out with some more organ CD's. They are truly excellent.