In 1964, Columbia Records released a two-LP set of E. Power Biggs playing the twelve surviving instruments of 17th-century master organ builder Arp Schnitger. The collection consists mostly of music of Bach, but Biggs also included seven little chorale preludes by then-contemporary composer Ernst Pepping. He wanted to demonstrate that 300-year-old instruments were splendidly capable of playing modern music. Listen to these seven little gems played on seven of the world's finest organs, and see how you think he did.
The Vivaldi l'Estro Armonico series continues with Concerto No. 5, then we go to Renaissance England for some music from the Stuart Masque.
A Bach motet and Beethoven's first symphony played on period instruments come next, then we'll hear the two suites from Bizet's Carmen and finish with a quintet by 20th-century Spanish composer Joaquin Turina.
