AUGUST GOTTFRIED RITTER (1811-1885): Complete Organ Music - Sonatas No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 11, No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19, No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 23 and No. 4 in A, Op. 31, Toccata in D Minor, 3 Preludes on Chorale Melodies, Op. 8, 2 Pieces, 2 Chorale Preludes, Fugues in B Minor, in C Minor and in B "after Handel", 3 Chorale Preludes, Chorale "Auf, auf, mein Herz, mit Freuden", Variations on "Heil dir im Siegerkranz!", Op. 1.

Description: Ritter was regarded as the foremost German improviser on the organ during his long career as cathedral organist in Magdeburg. His four sonatas date from the mid 1840s to 1856 and are all in single movement, multi-section form and are distinguished by a wide palette of registrations and a turbulent romantic spirit which ranges from stormy fast passages to slow ones of such finely-spun delicacy that time seems to stand still. We offered a disc of just the sonatas 15 years ago (07B045) but here, we get a 72-minute second disc containing an abundance of the shorter works which are a part of every organist's repertoire. 2 CDs. Massimo Gabba (organ of Santuario Maria Ausiliatrice, Aprica, Italy).