Oxford Bach Books for Organ: Manuals Only, Book 1

Anne Marsden Thomas is one of the most influential organ teachers of today, and has wide experience as a concert and church organist. She has written or edited over twenty books for organists. In 2015 she was awarded the MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours, and, in 2017, was the first woman to receive the Royal College of Organists highest decoration, the RCO Medal.

Modern editions, with their grouping by genre, or by MS and printed collection, present a bewildering variety of choice to both teacher and player, and offer little guidance on how best to structure study of this central repertoire. The Oxford Back Books for Organ are therefore entirely welcome, and in its selection of repertoire the series represents the insight borne of the editorâs enormous teaching experience . . . The editorâs performance notes are a model of good sense and pragmatic scholarship, performing miracles of compression in covering aspects of touch, registration and ornamentation in very limited space . . . This is an impressive collection in both concept and realisation, and even those who think they know their way around the BWV catalogue will find much in it to stimulate and reward, whether as teachers or performers.

• Liebster Immanuel, BWV 485 ; O Jesulein suss, o Jesulein mild, BWV 493 ; Jesu, meines Herzens Freud, BWV 473 ; Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt, BWV 708 and 708a ; Allein Gott in der Hoh sei Ehr, BWV 711 ; Prelude in C minor, BWV 934 ; Ich halte treulich still, BWV 466 ; Prelude in D minor, BWV 935 ; Dir, dir, Jehovah, will ich singen, BWV 452 ; Bourree I, from Overture in the French Style, BWV 831 ; Herr Christ, der einig Gottes Sohn, BWV 698 ; Prelude in D major, BWV 936 ; Nun ruhen alle Walder, BWV 756 ; Lob sei dem allmachtigen Gott, BWV 704 ; Nun freut euch, lieben Christen gmein, BWV 755 ; Prelude in C major, BWV 943 ; Fughetta in G major, BWV 902 ; Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 726 ; Allein Gott in der Hoh sei Ehr, BWV 677 ; Nun freut euch, lieben Christen gmein, BWV 734 ; Adagio (2nd movement of Concerto in A minor), after Vivaldi, BWV 593 ; Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV 683 ; Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten, BWV 691 ; Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten, BWV 691a ; Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott, BWV 721 ; Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten, BWV 690 ; Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 696 ; Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 699 ; Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV 737 ; Jesus, meine Zuversicht, BWV 728 ; Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV 722 ; Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV 697 ; Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, BWV 701 ; Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen, BWV 1093 ; Allegro (1st movement of Concerto in F major), after Vivaldi, BWV 978 ; Fugue in C major, BWV 952 ; Fugue in G minor (arr. Johann Georg Schubler)