Editing Helmut Walcha (section)

== Selected works ==

=== Recordings ===

==== Works by others ====
Walcha's ''opus magnum'' is the recording of the entire organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach, which he recorded both in mono (1947–52) and stereo (1956–71) for [[Archiv Produktion]] (a subsidiary of [[Deutsche Grammophon]]). The original mono cycle was Archiv's first release and included an improvisation by Walcha at the [[Organ of St. Peter and Paul in Cappel]], built by [[Arp Schnitger]] in [[1680]]; Walcha also used the Stellwagen Organ in St Jacob Church in [[Lübeck]] (built in 1636–37 by [[Friederich Stellwagen]] by extending the previous ca. 1480 organ, one of Stellwagen's most appreciated works). The stereo cycle was the first stereo recording made by Deutsche Grammophon and was reissued including Walcha's recording of ''The Art of Fugue'', comprehensive of Walcha's own completion of the last fugue.

* Bach: Organ Works. Performed by Helmut Walcha. 12-CD set. Archiv Produktion (Deutsche Grammophon), Catalog No. 463712 ("Walcha's Bach holds a similar place in the annals of recording to Fischer-Dieskau's Schubert, Toscanini's Verdi, and Gieseking's Debussy." -- <ref>[http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=2629 Review by Jed Distler]{{Dead link|date=January 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>)
* Bach: Great Organ Works. Performed by Helmut Walcha. 2-CD set. Deutsche Grammophon, Double Catalog No. 453064 (one disc with Walcha playing the organ of St. Laurenskerk in Alkmaar and the other with him playing the organ of Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune in Strasbourg).
* Orgelmeister vor Bach • The Early German organ School • Les Maitres de l'Orgue avant Bach. 4-LP set. Archiv Produktion (DGG), 1977, Catalog No. 2723 055. Helmut Walcha at the Arp Schnitger organ in Cappel. Works of [[Georg Böhm]], [[Nicolaus Bruhns]], [[Dietrich Buxtehude]], [[Vincent Lübeck]], [[Johann Pachelbel]], [[Samuel Scheidt]], [[Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck]], and [[Franz Tunder]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helmut Walcha discography ; Youngrok LEE's Music page|url=https://lee.classite.com/music/Walcha/discography-walcha.htm|access-date=2021-12-31|website=lee.classite.com}}</ref>

Helmut Walcha has also recorded most of Bach's harpsichord works (the English and French Suites, the Goldberg Variations, Partitas, the Italian Concerto, 15 Inventions and 15 Sinfonias, the Well-Tempered Clavier) for EMI. These recordings are still available from EMI-Toshiba (Japan) as well as from Warner. The Well-Tempered Clavier and the Goldberg Variations are also available in Europe in a 5-CD set. He also recorded The Well-Tempered Clavier for Deutsche Grammophon, using a Ruckers cembalo for the first book and a Hemsch for the second book. This recording is only available in the Far East (Korea, Japan).

Walcha's selection from the organ works of Dietrich Buxtehude was later reissued in a single CD release:

* Dietrich Buxtehude: Orgelwerke • Organ Works. CD. Archiv Produktion, 1989, Catalog No. 427 133–2. Includes [[List of compositions by Dieterich Buxtehude|BuxWV]] 157, 159, 140 to 142, 145, 146, 149, 159 to 161 (the latter being Buxtehude's most famous work [[Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV 161|Passacaglia in D minor]]).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helmut Walcha discography ; Youngrok LEE's Music page|url=https://lee.classite.com/music/Walcha/discography-walcha.htm#Buxtehude|access-date=2021-12-31|website=lee.classite.com}}</ref>

All Walcha's recordings, including other recordings of Bach works for Archiv, Deutsche Grammophon and [[Philips Records]] (harpsichord works, etc.), were reissued in 2021 by Deutsche Grammophon to mark the 30th anniversary of Walcha's death.<ref>{{Cite web|title=HELMUT WALCHA Complete Recordings on Archiv Produktion|url=https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/helmut-walcha-complete-recordings-on-archiv-produktion-12355|access-date=2021-12-31|website=www.deutschegrammophon.com|language=en}}</ref>
* Helmut Walcha: The Complete Recordings on Archiv Produktion. 32-CD set. Deutsche Grammophon, 2021, Catalog No. 483 9949.
**CD 1–13: J. S. Bach: Complete Works for Organ. The Stereo Cycle (1956–1971).
**CD 14–23: J. S. Bach: Complete Works for Organ. The Mono Cycle (1947–1952).
**CD 24–27: J. S. Bach: [[The Well-Tempered Clavier]], Bks. I & II (BWV 846–893).
**CD 28–29: J. S. Bach: [[Six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1014–1019|Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord]] (BWV 1014–1019). Helmut Walcha, harpsichord / [[Henryk Szeryng]], violin.
**CD 30–32: Organ Masters Before Bach. Reprint of the aforementioned 4-LP set "The Early German Organ School".

==== Works by Walcha ====
Walcha's original chorales and organ works have been recorded twice. Firstly, a selection performed by Renate Meierjürgen; and then, the full 88 chorale preludes, by [[Wolfgang Rübsam]] and Delbert Disselhorst.

* Helmut Walcha: Choralvorspiele. Renate Meierjürgen an der Orgel der Dreikönigskirche, Frankfurt. Motette Ursina, 1980 (CD digital remastering 2011), Catalog No. M 1039 (LP) & MOT 10391 (CD).<ref>{{Citation|title=Helmut Walcha, Renete Meierjürgen – Choralvorspiele (Vinyl)|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18065725-Helmut-Walcha-Renete-Meierjürgen-Choralvorspiele|language=it|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Helmut Walcha, Renete Meierjürgen – Choralvorspiele (CDr)|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18059416-Helmut-Walcha-Renete-Meierjürgen-Choralvorspiele|language=it|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref>
* Helmut Walcha: Chorale Preludes, vol. 1. Wolfgang Rübsam at the John Brombaug Organ Opus 35, First Presbyterian Church, Springfield, Illinois. 2-CD set. Naxos (series ''The Organ Encyclopedia''), 2012, Catalog No. 8.572910.<ref>{{Citation|title=Helmut Walcha, Wolfgang Rübsam – Chorale Preludes・1 = コラール前奏曲集 第1集 (2012, CD)|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18066196-Helmut-Walcha-Wolfgang-Rübsam-Chorale-Preludes1-コラール前奏曲集-第1集|language=it|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref>
* Helmut Walcha: Chorale Preludes, vol. 2. Wolfgang Rübsam at the John Brombaug Organ Opus 35, First Presbyterian Church, Springfield, Illinois. 2-CD set. Naxos (series ''The Organ Encyclopedia''), 2012, Catalog No. 8.572911.<ref>{{Citation|title=Helmut Walcha, Wolfgang Rübsam – Choral Preludes・2 = コラール前奏曲集 第2集 (2012, CD)|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18080821-Helmut-Walcha-Wolfgang-Rübsam-Choral-Preludes2-コラール前奏曲集-第2集|language=it|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref>
* Helmut Walcha: Chorale Preludes, vol. 3. Delbert Disselhorst at the John Brombaug Organ Opus 35, First Presbyterian Church, Springfield, Illinois. 2-CD set. Naxos (series ''The Organ Encyclopedia''), 2013, Catalog No. 8.572912.<ref>{{Citation|title=Helmut Walcha, Delbert Disselhorst – Choral Preludes・3 = コラール前奏曲集 第3集 (2013, CD)|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18101338-Helmut-Walcha-Delbert-Disselhorst-Choral-Preludes3-コラール前奏曲集-第3集|language=it|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref>
* Helmut Walcha: Chorale Preludes, vol. 4. Delbert Disselhorst at the John Brombaug Organ Opus 35, First Presbyterian Church, Springfield, Illinois. 2-CD set. Naxos (series ''The Organ Encyclopedia''), 2013, Catalog No. 8.572913.<ref>{{Citation|title=Helmut Walcha, Delbert Disselhorst – Choral Preludes・4 = コラール前奏曲集 第4集 (2013, CD)|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18101731-Helmut-Walcha-Delbert-Disselhorst-Choral-Preludes4-コラール前奏曲集-第4集|language=it|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref>

Finally, Walcha's completion of "Contrapunctus 18 (Fuga a 4 Soggetti)", i.e. the last fugue of Bach's ''The Art of Fugue'', was recorded by Walcha himself for his stereo cycle of Bach's complete organ works, and again by his former pupil [[George Ritchie (organist)|George Ritchie]]:

* J. S. Bach: The Organ Works. CD 6, track 11: The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 18 in D minor. Archiv Produktion, 2000, Catalog No. 463712. Performed by Helmut Walcha at the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ of the [[Grote or Sint-Laurenskerk (Alkmaar)|Grote or Sint-Laurenskerk]], [[Alkmaar]], [[Netherlands|The Netherlands]].
* J. S. Bach: The Art of Fugue. CD 2: Contrapunctus 18 (Fuga a 4 Soggetti). In: ''[[Desert Fugue]]'', by Will Fraser – George Ritchie. 2 CD + 1 DVD. Raven CD – Fugue State Films, 2010, Catalog No. FSF-0001. Performed by George Ritchie at the Richard, Fowkes & Co. organ, [[Pinnacle Presbyterian Church]], [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]], [[Arizona]].

=== Scores for transcriptions and original works ===
Walcha's editions of [[George Frideric Handel|Händel]]'s [[organ concerto]]s opp. [[Organ concertos, Op. 4 (Handel)|4]] & [[Organ concertos, Op. 7 (Handel)|7]], as well as his organ transcriptions of Bach's "Ricercare a 6 voci" from the ''Musical Offering'' and the complete transcription for organ of the ''Art of Fugue'' (including the final fugue completed by Walcha), have been published by [[Schott Music]] and [[Edition Peters]]. Bach's "Ricercare a 6 voci" edition also includes an analysis.

* G. F. Händel: Orgelkonzerte op. 4, Nos. 1–6. B. Schott's Söhne, Mainz, 1940.
* G. F. Händel: Orgelkonzerte op. 7, Nos. 1–6. B. Schott's Söhne, Mainz, 1943.
* J. S. Bach: „Ricercare à 6 voci“ aus dem „Musikalischen Opfer“. Übertragung für Orgel (mit ausführlicher Analyse). Edition Peters, Frankfurt a. M., 1964, Catalog No. EP4835.
* J. S. Bach: „Die Kunst der Fuge“. BWV 1080. Übertragung für Orgel mit Weiterführung und Beendigung der Schlussfuge. Edition Peters, Frankfurt a. M., 1967, Catalog No. EP8000.

The latter editor also published the scores of Walcha's 88 original chorale preludes, in four volumes:

* Helmut Walcha: Choralvorspiele, Bd. 1. Edition Peters, Frankfurt a. M., 1954, Catalog No. EP4850. 25 chorale preludes for organ; prelude no. 11, ''Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort'' (Maintain us, Lord, in Thy word), uses the same Lutheran melody used by Bach in [[cantata]]s [[Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, BWV 6|BWV 6]] and [[Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort, BWV 126|BWV 126]] ([[1725]]).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helmut Walcha (Organ, Harpsichord, Composer) - Short Biography|url=https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Walcha-Helmut.htm|access-date=2021-12-31|website=www.bach-cantatas.com}}</ref>
* Helmut Walcha: Choralvorspiele, Bd. 2. Edition Peters, Frankfurt a. M., 1963, Catalog No. EP4871. 20 chorale preludes for organ.
* Helmut Walcha: Choralvorspiele, Bd. 3. Edition Peters, Frankfurt a. M., 1966, Catalog No. EP5999. 24 chorale preludes for organ.
* Helmut Walcha: Choralvorspiele, Bd. 4. Edition Peters, Frankfurt a. M., 1978, Catalog No. EP8413. 19 chorale preludes for organ + a postludium.