At the beginning of this year, I had very interesting conversations with Kees van Houten about Bach interpretation. I attended to a lecture of his and read his book on the Schübler Choräle, which I recommend to every organ student, professional organist and admirer of Bach's music in general. In April, during a rehearsal for the concert in Boxtel which was the subject of the previous post of this blog, he gave me some very good advice concerning the interpretation of Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten and Nun komm der Heiden Heiland. As a result, I played these pieces a little quicker than before, more goal-directed (i.e. without lingering) and with a more detailed expression according to the required Affekt. The difference may be noticed in the following two recordings of Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten. The first was made at home with the digitalized sound of the organ in Arlesheim, the second is a part of the live recording of the concert in Boxtel.
J.S. Bach - Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten, version "Arlesheim"
J.S. Bach - Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten, live recording Boxtel
