Johann Sebastian Bach - Spiral Galaxy of Bach (Mari Ohki)

Information

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

• Toccata & Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565
• Chorale Preludes, BWV 714-765: No. 19, Liebster Jesu, wir sind heir, BWV 731
• Toccata & Fugue in E Major, BWV 566
• Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578
• Organ Concerto in A Minor, BWV 593 (After Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in A Minor, Op. 3 No. 8, RV 522)
• 6 Choräle von verschiedener Art, BWV 645-650: No. 1, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645
• Passacaglia in C Minor, BWV 582
• Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Chorale: Jesus bleibet meine Freude (arr. Tsuguo Hirono)

Mari Ohki, organ

Date: 2025

Label: MClassics

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This release showcases Japanese organist Mari Ohki performing J.S. Bach on the renowned Kuhn pipe organ of Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall, a venue admired worldwide for its superb acoustics. Ohki, the hall’s organist since 2018, brings deep understanding of the instrument’s expressive range, from commanding fortissimo to refined, ethereal pianissimo. The recording captures the organ’s grandeur and nuance with exceptional clarity thanks to high-resolution DSD 11.2MHz technology. The album highlights both the majestic sound of the Muza Kawasaki organ and Ohki’s refined artistry, offering listeners an immersive and realistic Bach experience.

Mari Ohki, born in Shizuoka, studied organ with Yuichiro Shiina and harpsichord with Masaaki Suzuki at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, graduating with Distinction as the top student of her year. She continued her training in Germany and earned multiple awards, including prizes in Mainz, Lübeck, Tokyo, and the Buxtehude and Prague Spring competitions. Supported by a DAAD scholarship, she pursued postgraduate studies with Arvid Gast and later Martin Sander. Ohki has performed widely across Japan and Germany and has enriched her artistry through masterclasses with leading organists such as Harald Vogel, Michael Radulescu, Ludger Lohmann and Lorenzo Ghielmi.