The program presented in this recording was performed on the grand organ by Dominique Thomas at the Temple de Wissembourg. It includes three preludes and seven chorales, preludes, and partitas. In the Pre- lude in C Major, one of Böhm’s masterpieces, the composer proves to be a worthy heir to Buxtehude. Eloquence becomes vehement and massive, through properly astonishing chord blocks, followed by a swirling fugue, with a theme incessantly hammered, dispensing invigorating energy. Here, concise writing (in four voices) triumphs, concentrating density and expressiveness capable of captivating the listener. Born in 1661 in Hohenkirchen, Thuringia, Georg Böhm belongs to the generation following Reinken and Buxtehude, along with his contemporaries Pachelbel and Bruhns. He precedes the era of Johann Sebastian Bach, on whom he would have a significant influence, facilitated by his association with several members of the illustrious Cantor’s family.
