The Czech keyboard player Jaroslav Tùma has recorded extensively and is known for both his performances – notably of J.S. Bach’s music – and his talent as an improviser. This recent recording of the Orgel-Büchlein is certainly a credit to his excellent playing. The Orgel-Büchlein, composed by Bach while he resided in Weimar, consists of 45 chorale preludes which are models of polyphonic writing. Some of them are very short, but this does not make the organist’s task easier as he must endeavour to find the right kind of treatment and appropriate registration to hit the mark at once and perform these miniatures expressively. Tùma’s registrations are wonderful in both their variety and suitability to the music. He is greatly helped by the organ he has aptly chosen, the beautiful new instrument erected – in an original 1769 baroque case by Johann Philipp Seuffert – in St. Peter church at Bruchsal (near Karlsruhe, Germany) by the talented Czech organ-builder Vladimir ?lach (II manuals, ped., 30 stops, 2004).

Although not a very large instrument, it can be both delicate and powerful, with a bright but never overbearing plenum and very nice soft stops (flutes and gamba), while the 7-stop pedal provides a robust bass-line (with – interestingly – an almost French-like Trompete which does marvels). All the registrations – some of which are quite subtle – are given in the accompanying booklet. It may be a little tiresome to listen to the 45 chorale preludes successively but this is a remarkable version of this famous collection. PIERRE DUBOIS