Dykstra, Elaine S.

Dr. Elaine S. Dykstra is a church organist in Austin, Texas, where she often performs with choral, chamber, early music and orchestral groups. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance awarded by The University of Texas at Austin.

Deducing the Original Sounds of Bach's Organ Works

2007 0-7734-5254-0
Johann Sebastian Bach likely made considerable use of the imitative nature of organ sounds when selecting registrations at the organ. A study of Bach’s written evaluations of various organs and the specifications of organs with which he was familiar enables a general assessment of his expectations regarding organ construction and capabilities. The few registration examples attributable to Bach are considered in the light of documented registration practices of some of his contemporaries and in the context of other relevant constraints and influences of the time. We explore the possibilities for using this accumulated knowledge from Bach’s day to aid in the application of the imitative quality of organ sounds to the modern interpretation of Bach’s organ works.