Ricercare a 6 BWV 1079
Fuge G-Moll BWV 578
Toccata und Fuge D-Moll BWV 565
Choral Erbarm' dich mein, o Herre Gott BWV 721
Fantasie D-Moll BWV 542
Fuge G-Moll BWV 542
In dir ist Freude BWV 617
Choral Herzlich tut mich verlangen BWV 727
Piece d'orgue BWV 572
Passacaille und fuge C-Moll BWV 582

This recording took place in January of 2019, only three months before the tragic fire that swept through the 800 year old Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. And as if organist Olivier Latry experienced a subliminal premonition, most of the pieces, but especially the Choral Erbarm' dich mein, o Herre Gott are given a sombre, almost stately treatment that, quite simply, reinforces their staunch Lutheran character. But not everything is fire and brimstone (no pun intended). The two Fugues and the Piece d'orgue BWV 572 are airy and nimble, and Latry always uses a combination of stops that enhance both the leading voice and its counterpoint. (Notice the use of chimes in the In dir ist Freude). As Latry points out in the booklet notes, the seven seconds of reverberation time in this building have to be taken into account when performing intricate counterpoint. The Passacaille und fuge C-Moll BWV 582 at almost 15 minutes in length, marches forward with stoic, imperturbable intensity, and ends with so much life affirming power that Notre-Dame Cathedral must have shaken down to its foundation. And because the five manual Cavaille-Coll pipe organ that resides in Notre-Dame is a monster of an instrument, Olivier Latry unleashes its full bestial character during the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 (purists can stop reading now). This account of the ubiquitous D minor would have made the perfect soundtrack to the original black-and-white film version of the Phantom of the Opera. Anyone sitting in the church during this performance could not be blamed for thinking that the organist must have gone mad!

Miraculously the organ itself was not damaged by fire or water, but surely the intense heat and smoke buildup during the fire must have caused some indiscernible damage that will need to be addressed, which may lead to slight alterations of this magnificent instrument. Therefore if you want to acquire a recording of it before the fire (historical in some sense), you can't do any better than this. Recommended!