This is a very strange release indeed. We are told little about Mr Tillmanns except that "in his interpretations he follows his great example and teacher Helmut Walcha." Well indeed he does. It is astonishing that in 2004 a Walcha disciple should choose to record Bach, indeed his complete organ works in addition to this disc, in the manner of Walcha, especially as Walcha's hugely important and pioneering Bach recordings are again available, digitally re-mastered. Tillmanns' playing is a throw-back to the 1950s and 1960s; his articulation is basically legato, his registrations rather neo-baroque, (lots of 8' and 2', even in 'plenum' pieces, manual changes etc abound), his accents very equal, and his rallentandi, stellar. The result is, to today's ears, stodgy and un-interesting.

Of the organs, well, they represent a curious choice. The late Flemish Classical Houdtappel organ, 1791-3, is a fine instrument of its type, but not an obvious Bach organ. The Merzenich instrument, built by the Belgian builder Schumacher in 1997, attempts to expand the local Maas/Rhine style of the 18th century. It sounds well enough on the basis of the few pieces performed here. The third organ, built by the same company in 1983 is a house organ in an unspecified location. It has a curious specification, (the only 16' in the pedal is a fractional length reed for instance), and a not terribly distinguished sound. If indeed it was recorded in a house, I suspect some slight electronic acoustical enhancement has taken place.

The booklet is passable, though there is at least one BWV error, this 'In dulci Jubilo' is not 729. The recording is reasonable with some occasional amateurish editing. Not at all recommendable.

Chris Bragg

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