Critical Acclaim!
“George Ritchie turns in benchmark performances that are consistently at the highest level of musicianship, artistry, attention to contemporary and historical scholarship, intelligence, imagination, sensitivity to text relationships, phrasing, regsitration, and other details, high virtuosity, and exquisite elegance,” writes James Hildreth, The American Organist
“This is Bach as Bach intended his music to be heard,” writes John Holland, The Diapason
“. . .an ideal combination of music, performance, instruments, recording . . ." Arthur Lawrence, The American Organist
". . . a reference-level collection, it should be in any serious library, and should be reached for frequently. . . Everything about this production exhibits the highest quality. When the need is to hear Bach played to perfection, this set should be at hand. Impossible to recommend highly enough!" Paul Aldridge, The American Organist
“You couldn't ask for a more concise showcase of the last 20 years of 'historically informed' American organ building,” writes Jonathan Ambrosino, Choir & Organ
"[Bach would] empathise with Ritchie's incisive yet never finicky articulation, be it . . . lyrically flowing or . . . multi-stop climaxes. . . . Ritchie's linear clarity and effortless execution of the difficult pedal writing is world class. . . . engineering is consistently excellent," reviews Jed Distler in the Gramophone, November
"These performances are ripe with a depth of scholarship, musicality, and knowledge . . .” Haig Mardirosian, The American Organist
Eleven CDs of the complete organ works are played by George Ritchie on nine pipe organs built in the United States. Extensive notes document the organs, the registrations, and George Stauffer writes extensively on the works.
The Complete Organ Works of Bach Include:
18 Preludes and Fugues
4 Toccatas and Fugues
4 Fantasies
2 Partitas
6 Trio Sonatas
6 Fugues
4 Concertos
10 Miscellaneous Works
103 Chorale Preludes including the Great 18 Leipzig Chorales, Schübler Chorales, Clavierübung, Part III, Orgelbüchlein, and free chorales
The organs:
Fritts-Richards organ, Seattle, Washington
Taylor & Boody organs in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Indianapolis, Indiana
John Brombaugh organ, Collegedale, Tennessee
Munetaka Yokota organ, Chico, California
Fritz Noack organ, Houston, Texas
Paul Fritts organ, Tacoma, Washington
Martin Pasi organ, Omaha, Nebraska
C. B. Fisk organ, St. Paul, Minnesota
This 11 CD set includes the individual CD volumes OAR-250 (single CD), OAR-300 (2-CD set), OAR-400 (2-CD set), OAR-470 (2-CD set), OAR-580 (2-CD set), each of which is described on this website and is available separately.
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