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Fanfare Magazine: 44:4 (03-04/2021) 
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Between 2004 and 2009, Friedhelm Flamme recorded a 15-volume series (with some volumes containing two CDs), gradually released from 2005 to 2016, of the music of the lesser figures of the North German organ school. Several of the later volumes came my way for (enthusiastic) reviews in these pages. With that series Flamme established himself as one of the world’s premier interpreters of pre-Bach German Baroque organ repertoire. Now, he begins to turn his attention to the crowning figure, Dietrich (or Dieterich or Diderich or Didrik) Buxtehude. My understanding is that a series of three two-CD sets is planned here.
 

First, some discographic background. While I’ve doubtless likely missed an entry or two (and I ask readers to notify me of any omissions), here are the 21 complete cycles of Buxtehude’s organ works that I have been able to track down. They range from five to seven CDs apiece, depending on tempos, inclusion or exclusion of keyboard works suitable for either clavier or organ, and inclusion in more recent sets of a couple of recently discovered works in manuscript or musicologically edited manuscript fragments. The Linder cycle (which I’m not sure was completed) appeared only on LP. The Alain and Chapuis sets have had only selected works issued on CD; the complete Chapuis, Stella, and Vernet sets are available as downloads. Alain rerecorded some pieces for Erato in 1986, which should not be confused with the earlier complete set. In addition to the 20 cycles listed in the table below, from 1999–2006 Naxos issued a broken consort cycle with organists Volker Ellenberger (Volume 1), Wolfgang Rübsam (Volume 3), Craig Cramer (Volume 4), and Julia Brown (Volumes 2 and 5–7). As with its complete Reger series, I suspect that Naxos started with a one-off release and only later decided to create a complete set.

I have been able to audition items from all of these cycles except for Linder, Alain, and Ablitzer. By general consensus, that of Harald Vogel (which added three newly found brief pieces and a DVD to the 2019 reissue of his set) holds pride of place for a combination of massive scholarship, skillful execution, and superb recorded sound. It is very pricey, however, and many fine alternatives are cheaper; Ulrik Spang-Hanssen is an absolute steal, with some European dealers such as JPC selling the six-CD set for dirt cheap (U.S. sites typically charge two to four times as much for it as an import set). For some people, the use of a historic German Baroque organ or organs, particularly one(s) with mean-tone rather than equal temperament tuning, will be a major desideratum. (Arguments persist as to whether Buxtehude only had mean-tone instruments available to him or not, and whether he switched his allegiance to a system of well-tempered tuning sometime in the 1680s.) For me, a historic organ is well-nigh essential, but a particular tuning system is not. As for tempos, Davidsson, Kraft, and Vogel are to varying degrees on the slower side, whereas the French organists are all lively and, except for Leurent and LeBrun, fit their cycles onto five CDs. Vernet is predictably extremely brisk, perhaps too much so; so is Chapuis, and especially Koopman, who is positively manic. I prefer something in the middle, but towards the brisker end of the spectrum.
 

Of the cycles listed above, the ones I would immediately set aside are the Naxos broken consort and those of Herrick (unstylish, and I don’t care for some of his instruments and recorded sound), Koopman (perverse, and a surprising disappointment in light of his superlative Bach cycle), Kraft (badly outdated), and Rübsam (same objections as with Herrick, and to a greater degree). Among cycles I would relegate to second-tier status as being good but not exceptional are Chapuis and Vernet (who play the music in a French rather than German Baroque style), Saorgin (a once venerable choice, but again now rather dated), Stella (too Italianate instead of German in interpretation), and Stender (I simply don’t care for his interpretive approach and choices of instruments or registrations and stops, a purely subjective reaction). In addition to Vogel, that still leaves several other fine choices: Bønnerup, Spang-Hanssen, Schauerte-Maubouet, Foccroulle, Bryndorf, Leurent and LeBrun, and Davidsson. If price is no object, in addition to Vogel I find the renditions by Schauerte-Maubouet (who was just Schauerte when she made her recordings) particularly attractive.

Where does Flamme promise to fit into the spectrum? He employs a historic North German Baroque organ (the Christoph Trautmann organ of the abbey church of St. George in Grauhof-Goslar), but one with well-tempered tuning. Interpretively he tilts toward the Saorgin and Vogel end of the spectrum in favoring slightly more deliberate tempos and a weightier though suitably varied palette of registrations and stops. In every work in this set, I found his playing engrossing and compelling; he keeps things moving, articulates cleanly, and has a sure sense of phrasing, rhythm, dynamics, and mood. The SACD recorded sound packs all the punch one would hope for, and CPO provides its usual exemplary booklet. When completed, this cycle will be one of the preferred choices in the Buxtehude organ sweepstakes; strongly recommended.

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