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Organ CDs with really deep bass

I'd like to request and share information with other classical-music audiophiles who are interested in classical pipe organ CDs that are exceptionally well recorded and have really deep bass. I have a couple of recommendations for now, and I'd be interested in hearing recommendations from any of you who are into classical pipe organ CDs that permit your state-of-the-art subwoofer to strut its stuff. (Please, no arguments/diatribes here about analog vs. digital, LP vs. CD. Plenty of room for that elsewhere.)

1. Jean Guillou, organist; Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, Stravinsky, 3 Dances from Petrouchka; Dorian CD DOR-90117. D. B. Keele, who used to write speaker and subwoofer reviews for Audio, used this as one of his references for testing subwoofers and called it "one of my favorite bass demos." It has potent levels of really deep bass. As organ buffs know, most medium-to-large pipe organs have at least one (and sometimes more) 32-foot pipe (usually but not always a pedal pipe); this pipe has a fundamental of 16 Hz. This is one of the few recordings I know of that contains this note. An amazing, reference-quality recording. If you'd like to get evicted and are looking for a lease-breaker, this CD played on a good system with a first-class sub should do the trick. (All of the Dorian CDs I have tried of Guillou playing European organs of his design (three of them) have reference-quality sound and seemingly unlimited bottom-end response.)

2. Michael Murray, organist; The Ruffati Organ in Davies Symphony Hall: A Recital of Works by Bach, Messiaen, Dupre, Widor & Franck; Telarc CD CD-80097. Although not as colorful as the Guillou/Dorian CD above, this excellent CD also has prodigious deep bass that will give your sub plenty to do. To my ears, Telarc does a better job of recording Michael Murray (one of the best organists of our day) playing pipe organs than it does of recording orchestras. There are a number of superb Telarc CDs of Murray playing various interesting organs. This is not my favorite overall, but it is outstanding for deep bass.

Now let's hear from you guys. I'm all ears. Thanks.
texasdave
ulfsub
1 posts
 
I love your thread here. I also love the Mussorgsky and the Murray recordings you list. Both have bass that goes deep. The Murray is around 12Hz and the Guillou is 8.8Hz and is on track 2 for the footsteps of Gnomus. Lots of good bass that is well recorded. I made a list of other recordings I love that have below 16Hz bass.

Pomp & Pipes Fredrick Fennell Reference Recording RR-58CD

Michael Murray, Bach Methuen, Telarc CD-80049 Fantastic organ but the deep bass is suppressed some and needs to be boosted about 8db for best balance.

Mormon Tabernacle Organ Longhurst, Philips 412-217-2

Jongen: Symphonie Murray, Telarc CD-80096

Encores a la francais Murray, Telarc CD-80104

Dupre, Rheinberger Murray, Telarc CD-80136

Buxtehude series form NAXOS Love the music and the recordings are good.

Cathedral of St. John Murray, Telarc CD-80169 - The cathedral has a LONG resonant time that muddies up some of the deep bass but it is still good.

I agree on the Joyce Jones Motette CD 11491 stated earlier.

Star of Wonder Reference Recording RR-21CD O Come all ye Faithful. Deep but not really even note to note.

Bach on the Biggest Atlantic City Convention Hall ACCHOS/CD/02 - This was an awesome organ!! 449 ranks, 8Hz. The recording is from 1957 and has hiss but it is really fun. Truncated slightly on the deep bass but DEEP and STRONG!!!

Don’t Forget Richard Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra on various Telarc, I have it on a sampler and time warp CD-80106 8.5Hz opening pipe!!
french_fries
815 posts
 
Jean Guillou, Vol.#4 Bach Organ set (of 5 cd's) on Dorian. 1st selection, 1st 5 minutes or so. very deep and very clear bass notes. i took this cd to a dealer to test out a $50,000 pair of very well regarded speakers. i did NOT turn the volume up all that high either. long story short, the speakers distorted several times. you need a great amplifier and a very competent pair of speakers to play this cd properly. just to reiterate, you don't have to crank up the system to enjoy this cd, but you will want to "hear" the actual notes being played.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
There's a great recording of a Gerhard Weinberger concert consisting of short Liszt and Bach pieces that's called "Concert at Passenau". It was recorded on the Passenau organ in Germany (at the time the largest organ in the world). I bought a CD on a visit to Passenau Cathedral, but I believe it's also available on SACD and - played at volume - it will cause seasickness.

Marty
ken_andrew
22 posts
 
Chicago Concert, organist Kalevi Kiviniemi, Motette CD 12361.  Try tracks 1(lengthy bass),6 (deeper bass) and 12(hum ? until 1 min). You have to increase volume but the deep bass is audible.  IMO -On other tracks, treble sometimes marred by excessive reverberation.
ken_andrew
22 posts
 
The complete organ works, Edward Cuthbert Bairstow, organist Jackson, York Minster organ  Mirabilis, MRCD 902. Tracks 1 and 7 step down the pedal notes eventually resulting in several seconds of profound bass.  Do not increase the volume after 1 min on track 1 or your speakers will be damaged just after 3 min.  As the booklet warns, Bairstow liked the quiet bits, quiet and the loud bits, loud.
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