Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf (BWV 617)

This is one of my favorite chorale preludes of the Orgelbüchlein. I still remember the first time I heard this piece as a youth (probably 11 or 12 years old). Of course I did not grasp the subtlety of the music then. I only knew, at a very basic level, this was music at it's purest. And at it's most confusing, because of the contradicting layers of emotions in it.

Without getting into technical details, believe me, it is devilishly difficult to play. Well, at least to me. All the praticing I've done the last five years, have lead me to today, where I am finally able to play this piece. Still not without mistakes, forgive me for those, but I am thrilled to be able to play it.

Actually, listening again to it, I think I've played it too fast. It deserves a more relaxed, somewhat more slow tempo.

The recording was done with the Hauptwerk software and the sampleset, made by Sonus Paradisi, of the Schittger organ in the St. Martini-kerk, Groningen (http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organs/netherlands/groningen-st-martini.html).