Vierne Symphonies

Burno Mathieu is a pupil of Marie-Claire Alain, and a splendid organist in his own right. Moreover, he chooses the ‘historic’ organ at Nancy, which still has mechanical traction, and provides a very characterful baroque palette of its own, richly displayed in the Cantiléne No.3. But the pedals are very telling, too, and the finale of No. 6 is powerfully spectacular; yet overall, inner detail is remarkably clear. The only small disappointment is the Scherzo of No. 6, where the diabolic rhythmic figure is not as ironically piquant as with Van Oosten.

Louis Vierne - La Musique de Chambre Intégrale - The Chamber Music Complete Recording (1993) {2CD Set Timpani 2C2019}
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© 1993 Timpani | 2C2019
Classical / Chamber Music / Early 20th Century / Post-Romantic

Born blind, Vierne partially regained sight at age six. Obvious talent was rewarded with piano and solfège studies, to which were added harmony, violin, and a general course when he entered the Institution National des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris in 1880. There he was befriended by César Franck who, from 1886, gave him private tuition in harmony while including Vierne in his organ class at the Paris Conservatoire. The lessons of the master were not lost on him – Franck possessed perhaps the richest harmonic palette in Western music and Vierne effortlessly absorbed many of its features. Vierne entered the Conservatoire as a full-time student in 1890. Franck died in November, succeeded by Charles-Marie Widor as professor of organ.

Marcel Dupre - Organ Works, Volume 3 - Ben van Oosten (2002) {MDG 316 0953-2}
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© 2002 MDG | MDG 316 0953-2
Classical / 20th Century / Organ

Ben van Oosten is a gifted organist; of that there is no doubt. He understands the art of registration deeply, and is especially adept with the Cavaille-Coll tradition. This recording was the basis for my own study of Le Chemin de la Croix, and I profited considerably from it.

Marcel Dupre - Organ Works, Volume 2 - Ben van Oosten (2001) {MDG 316 0952-2}
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© 2001 MDG | MDG 316 0952-2
Classical / 20th Century / Organ

Marcel Dupré was the foremost French organ virtuoso of his time, an heir to the great tradition of Romantic French organ playing and composing. Dupré was famed for his ability to improvise; he also composed substantial works and was a widely traveled recitalist and an influential teacher.

Marcel Dupre - Organ Works, Volume 1 - Ben van Oosten (1999) {MDG 316 0951-2}
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© 1999 MDG | MDG 316 0951-2
Classical / 20th Century / Organ

Marcel Dupré was the foremost French organ virtuoso of his time, an heir to the great tradition of Romantic French organ playing and composing. Dupré was famed for his ability to improvise; he also composed substantial works and was a widely traveled recitalist and an influential teacher.

"Charles Tournemire is, with Johann Sebastian Bach, my favourite composer," muses Vincent Boucher, titular organist at Montreal's iconic Saint Joseph's Oratory. We reached Boucher via email to talk about his new album, Mariae Virginis, the fourth volume of his ongoing project to record the complete organ works of Tournemire. It's due out April 14 on ATMA Classique.