Bach: The Silbermann Organ at St. George's Church in Rötha

With this album, Kåre Nordstoga completes his project of recording all of Johann Sebastian Bach's organ works. Since the first recording session in 2009, a series of 14 albums has been produced; to conclude, Nordstoga has compiled a selection from various periods of Bach's creative output. The program leads from the early works of the Lüneburg and Arnstadt years through Italian and French stylistic influences to the great Leipzig organ works.

Among the works to be heard are the Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 533, the "Aria variata alla maniera italiana" BWV 989, the Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 548, and the Fantasia and Fugue in C minor BWV 562. The works demonstrate Bach's engagement with the North German tradition as well as Italian and French stylistic elements.

The music is played on the historic Silbermann organ in the Georgenkirche in Rötha. Gottfried Silbermann built the instrument in 1721; it has remained largely in its original condition to this day. Johann Sebastian Bach was also among the musicians who inspected the organ before he took up his post as Thomaskantor. Felix Mendelssohn played it in the 1840s and, with his term "Silberklang," coined a description of its sound that is still known today.