advertisement


Organ Music - can someone recommend a CD that will give my system a workout?

G

GruntPuppy

pfm Member
I'm looking for recommendations for a CD of organ music that will give my system a workout. There is, of course, the old standby of Toccata and Fugue, and also (surprisingly) the last track from the Lost Boys soundtrack - "To the shock of Miss Louise" - although that is a fairground organ, complete with automated percussion. I'd like to try something different from these, what should I be looking at? I am no organ afficionado.
 
Personally, I don't think such a thing exists.

I like organ music but recorded is a very pale shadow of the real McCoy.
 
Vinny said:
Personally, I don't think such a thing exists.

I like organ music but recorded is a very pale shadow of the real McCoy.
Click to expand...

Absolutely - but hopefully a well recorded CD will show what my system can (or more importantly, CAN'T) do. Please recommend something, or I may even resort to Skye's Toccata.

I will do it, I warn you. Weaponised music ;)
 
LLLOL I am not really anything even remotely well educated enough, but have a small number of THE organ recordings (CD, including
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565), and none are impressive.

Going back over the years, I recall organ music fans using some VERY select speakers, aimed very precisely at their passion, which I can absolutely understand, although, I'd not want the continual glazier costs.
 
Educated guess - DEEP, low, organ music includes masses of infra sound that HiFi simply cannot reproduce, unless you very specifically aim for a system that can.
 
Indeed, I suspect you're right. I think that what will ultimately get proven is that my system can't "do" organ music - but I want to give it a try at least.
 
On CD it would cost peanuts. Go with Alanbbeb's suggestion. If it doesn't include it, pick another cheapie with toccata and fugue.

There are LOADS of "pop" recordings with mahoosive bass though, not that I can think of any at the moment. They do not contain the infra sound that melts your bowels like the VERY best organ music, but they contain humungous amounts of audible bass.

It isn't a system thing, it will be speaker-limited - hence organ music nuts get set up for what they like. Probably memory playing tricks, but some esoteric horn speakers ring a bell (pardon the pun).

I absolutely love military, including (bag) pipe, and organ music, but LIVE, LIVE and LIVE again. It will choke me up and reduce me to tears at the drop of a single note.
 
Colin L said:
This will take the roof off if you have system to handle it. A recording of huge power and density of sound.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Toccatas-Edward-Power-Biggs/dp/B00008PX99/ref=sr_1_3?crid=P9MLHKKETD3Y&dchild=1&keywords=e+power+biggs&qid=1594793033&sprefix=E+power,aps,162&sr=8-3
Click to expand...
£200 for a CD!? What appears to be the same recording is available on Qobuz for £13 and also on Naxos Music Library should you have access to that (may be available for free through your city library).
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Colin L said:
This will take the roof off if you have system to handle it. A recording of huge power and density of sound.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Toccatas-Edward-Power-Biggs/dp/B00008PX99/ref=sr_1_3?crid=P9MLHKKETD3Y&dchild=1&keywords=e+power+biggs&qid=1594793033&sprefix=E+power,aps,162&sr=8-3
Click to expand...

Its a Sony Single Layer SACD, no CD layer, so will only play on an SACD player. Some of the original Sony SACD releases from nearly 20 years ago are now collectibles, hence silly prices.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
If you want to test the bass response of the system, it's not organ music you want but 'The Apocalypse Now Sessions' by the Rhythm Devils. The track 'Napalm for Breakfast' features a gadget called The Beam. It's so low, you can see the speaker cone move.

Starts at about 2:10:

The LP does seem to go deeper than the CD though. :)
 
It's not really worth buying the CD for one or two tracks but if you have access to decent quality streaming then the second to last track (Hateful Hate) on the 10,000 Maniacs album Blind Man's Zoo has a church organ on it as well as some pretty intense drumming and is a track I like to play to gauge setup and kit changes.

The last track (Jubilee) is string-based and towards the end it really ramps up. In fact I tend to play most of side 2 as as well as being a decent workout they are tracks I really like.
 
Another vote for Koyaanisqatsi, there is some deep information on the Inaugural Performance from the Auckland Town Hall , Saint Saens Organ symphony is great on some recordings, i think Messiaen's Livre du Saint Sacrement has some trouser flapping bass.

You might find more specific info about particular recordings with a well worded search.

It's hard to recreate the full performance but we get close on PMC BB5is with plenty of power and a pair of 1500W subs.
 
I recently acquired some vinyl which is in storage until I move house but there was a Decca Phase 4 record in there;

Chris Waxman - Organized

I'm looking forward to hearing it but can't vouch for it yet... It's possibly awful.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top