Jorg Halubek – 53°32’46.0 [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

With the major project “Bach Organ Landscapes” and the recording of all of Johann Sebastian Bach’s organ works, the German conductor, harpsichordist and organist Jörg Halubek invites you on a comprehensive journey to historical organ builders who shaped Johann Sebastian Bach. “The further you look back into music history, the more regional developments can be discovered,” says the artist. “These connections between instrument and organ work characterize the so-called organ landscapes”. The third and fourth albums of the ten-part series are about ‘Hamburg’ and ‘Lüneburg & Altenbruch’.

You’ll need your latest smartphone if you want to understand anything about the latest albums by the wacky German organist Jörg Halubek. Of course, the name Halubek is already a bit of an in-joke itself if one considers the journey to Lübeck (!) that Bach made in 1705, on foot, to meet Dietrich Buxtehude, the greatest German composer of his time. Underneath the GPS coordinates of the places and instruments frequented by Bach, we see Jörg Halubek from the back, looking out over the endless sea as in a painting by Caspar David Friedrich.

More seriously, Jörg Halubek is a complete musician. An organist and harpsichordist, he also studied period performance practice with Jesper Christensen and Andrea Marcon at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, before forming his own ensemble, il Gusto Barocco, with whom he has made several recordings. This new volume of his Bach complete works, “Bach Organ Landscapes”, undertaken since 2019 for the Berlin Classics label, takes us this time to Hamburg.

Together with the Toccata in C, BWV 564, the works on this album represent the influence of the North German style on Bach’s music. There are also some works composed before the trip to Lübeck and chorale preludes from his apprenticeship in Lüneburg. This project is based on ten historical organ builders who played a role in the life of Johann Sebastian Bach. – François Hudry

Tracklist:
1. Toccata in C Major, BWV 564: I. Toccata (06:20)
2. Toccata in C Major, BWV 564: II. Adagio (05:04)
3. Toccata in C Major, BWV 564: III. Fugue (04:52)
4. Wir Christenleut haben jetzund Freud, BWV 1090 (02:15)
5. Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 1105 (02:26)
6. Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen, BWV 1093 (02:03)
7. O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV 1095 (02:03)
8. Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf, BWV 1092 (02:44)
9. Capriccio, BWV 993 (07:24)
10. Werde munter, mein Gemüte, BWV 1118 (02:00)
11. Fugue in C Minor, BWV 575 (05:58)
12. Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut, BWV 1114 (04:03)
13. Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, BWV 1101 (03:06)
14. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir, BWV 1099 (02:22)
15. Wir glauben all an einen Gott, BWV 1098 (03:40)
16. Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 549a: I. Prelude (03:07)
17. Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 549a: II. Fugue (04:29)
18. Toccata in D Major, BWV 912a: I. [Allegro] (03:43)
19. Toccata in D Major, BWV 912a: II. Adagio – [Fuga] – “Con discretione” (05:52)
20. Toccata in D Major, BWV 912a: III. Fuga (03:07)
21. Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, BWV 741 (05:05)
22. O Herre Gott, dein göttlich Wort, BWV 1110 (02:17)
23. Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, BWV 1116 (01:52)
24. Gott ist mein Heil, mein Hilf und Trost, BWV 1106 (02:36)
25. Valet will ich Dir geben, BWV 735a (03:51)
26. Fugue in B-Flat Major, BWV 955a (04:42)
27. Alle Menschen müssen sterben, BWV 1117 (02:31)
28. Mach mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt, BWV 957 (02:32)
29. Nun laßt uns den Leib begraben, BWV 1111 (02:56)
30. Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr, BWV 1115 (03:33)
31. Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 531: I. Prelude (02:29)
32. Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 531: II. Fugue (04:43)