Karl Richter - J.S. Bach: Orgelwerke (1985)

"Astounding" doesn't even come close to describing these '60s recordings of Bach's organ works played by Karl Richter on the Jaegerborg-Kirche organ in Copenhagen. Richter's technique is more than astounding; it is stunning in its virtuosity. While there are a handful of organists that equal Richter, there are none who surpass him. From his incredibly independent hands to his unbelievably dexterous pedals, Richter is a marvel.
More than that, Richter's interpretations are more astounding; they are staggering in their profundity. From the furious raging of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor to the sublime exaltation of Wachet auf, ruft unds die Stimme to the ecstatic terror of the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, Richter is a miracle. Deutsche Grammophone's recordings are likewise more than astounding; it is spectacular in its reality. Every combination of stops and registers, every gradation of tone from a whispered melody for thefour-foot flute to a thunderous pedal tone on the lowset A is realized in stupendous sound, placing the listener in the central pew of an almost empty Jaegerborg-Kirche. Anyone who loves great organ recordings will love these recordings.