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Organ works
The organ was always called "the king of instruments". It's because of the size and possibilities of this instrument. Bach got acquainted with organ music when he was very young and was working on it during whole his life, regardless of his duties and position he occupied. Bach's compositions for organ are his first compositions in which as a young composer he achieved the maturity. His best organ compositions come from the period of his stay in Weimar.
It was then that he managed to master this instrument to the borders of the organ virtuosity.
Since the time of the legendary duel with Lois Marchand in Dresden in 1717 he was often spoken of by the German. He took the first lessons of playing organ from his brother Johann Christoph in Ohrdruf. This brother, typically for those times, was collecting the compositions of famous organists and putting them down into large volumes.
Johann Sebastian Bach met some of these organists personally during his stay in Lüneburg or in Arnstsdt and Mülhausen. Most of his organ compositions was created before the year 1717. Up till now they constitute the stable positions of the repertoire of all the organists. They also serve as a didactic material forming various compendia presenting the musical possibilities of the organ and Baroque. They form the bridge between the old and the new and reflect the image of the world from the theological point of view. It is also believed that Bach was an expert of new and old instruments. His obituary says that he was the most skilful pianist and organist of his times.
That man (Bach) was told to be fluent in playing the organ, especially for using pedals in a perfect way.
John Hawkins - historian of 18-th century music
Once Bach was asked, "What should you do to be an outstanding organist?" The master answered: - You don't need a lot. You only have to learn 3 things: to play, to play and to play.
"His feet had wings, making the organ resound with such fullness, and so penetrate the ears of those present like a thunderbolt, that Friedrich, the legitimate hereditary Prince of Kassel, admired him with such astonishment that he drew a ring with a precious stone from his finger and gave it to Bach as soon as the sound had died away."
(description of Bach concert in Kassel)
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