Carillon Music

On this CD:

1. Polyrhythmic Etude, for carillon
Composed by Wim Franken
Performed by Jacques Maassen

2. Work(s) Memorial Chimes for carillon
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Jacques Maassen

3. Work(s) Dirge for carillon
Composed by Samuel Barber
Performed by Jacques Maassen

4. Nocturne No. 2 in D major
Composed by Jacques A. Maasen
Performed by Jacques Maassen

5. Sonata No. 1 Toccata
Composed by Henk Badings
Performed by Jacques Maassen

6. Etude No. 2, Arpeggio
Composed by Henk Badings
Performed by Jacques Maassen

7. Sweelinck Fantasy for carillon
Composed by Albert de Klerk
Performed by Jacques Maassen

8. Der Rebbe Tantst, for carillon
Composed by Wim Franken
Performed by Jacques Maassen

9. Variations on "Sakura," for carillon
Composed by Jacques A. Maasen
Performed by Jacques Maassen

10. Andaluza (Playera) (No.5 of "Spanish Dances (12)"), various guitar & other non-piano arrangements
Composed by Enrique Granados
Performed by Jacques Maassen

11. Gymnopedie for piano No.2, for piano
Composed by Erik Satie
Performed by Jacques Maassen

12. La Nativité du Seigneur, 9 meditations for organ, I/14 Les Bergers
Composed by Olivier Messiaen
Performed by Jacques Maassen

13. L' Arlésienne, incidental music for voices & orchestra for the play by Alphonse Daudet Entr'acte (Adagietto) and Carillon
Composed by Georges Bizet
Performed by Jacques Maassen

14. Master's Harpsichord
Composed by Daan Manneke
Performed by Jacques Maassen

Tracks:

Amazing Grace
Fanfare: Jubilant
Trot & Canter Medley: The Keel Row/Dundee
Marches Medley: The Back O'Bennachie/The Drunken Piper/72nd's Farewell To Aberdeen/Corriechoillie...
Cornet Carillon
Scottland The Brave
Slow Air & Jigs Medley: Leaving Rhu Vaternish/Nameless/The Duck/Eleanor's/Drummer's Salute
Russian Imperial Anthem
Slow March & Walk Medley: Garb Of Old Gaul/Men Of Harlech
March, Strathspey, Reels And March Medley: Achany Glen/Craig-A-Bodaich/Dalnahasaig/Mac Farlane's...
Slow Air: Going Home
Evening Hymn: Abide With Me
Reville: Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Quick Marches Medley: Third Dragoon Guards/Highland Laddie

Album Details

Tracks Include: Amazing Grace, Paloma Blanca, Moonliner Rock March, Turn on the Sun, the Highland Cradle, Brazil, Going to Pitlochry and More.

Customer Reviews:

Great music.......2007-04-05

The pipes, like a few other things, are something you either love or hate. If you are not a Scot, they may sound like someone is scalding cats. If you are Scot, or even partly so, they will make your blood boil. This album certanily does that. It has a mix of traditional and more upbeat music. The traditional "Amazing Grace" is fantastic and the last selection is an upbeat Caribbean rendition that is great.

Not just pipes.......2007-02-12

I purchased this CD looking for bagpipe tracks to listen to. The recording of Amazing Grace is flawless, and inspiring. However - much of this CD is the entire band playing more modern music (of course this album was recorded in the 70's). The pipe playing is excellent, but this is not really a bagpipe CD.

Finally Found It!!.......2005-08-03

I have been searching for a CD of this recording for ages! In 1971, when it was originally released, I was 10 years old and couldn't appreciate the album that my brother played endlessly. As I got older I started to miss it. I found a cassette copy several years ago, but am afraid to use it anymore for fear of it breaking. My brother told me he had found a copy of the CD at his local Borders, and since I don't have one in my neighborhood I checked good old Amazon!! I have just ordered and I am looking forward to receiving it. I'm not a music critic, but after hearing many pipe and drum recordings, this has got to be the best I've ever heard.

A thousand horse cavalry charge!.......2005-06-11

I judge bagpipes by Scotland the Brave. This is magnificant; like a thousand horse cavalry charge. The only problem is that, at 45 seconds, it is too short.

It would have been far better if it had been played once on pipes alone and then again with the brass dropped in behind the pipes. A thousand highlanders screaming across the battlefield, followed by the thousand horse cavalry charge. Just thinking about it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand and my blood pressure go through the roof.

This album is magnificent, but it could have been awesome.

Updated Amazing Grace.......2003-05-09

Having reviewed the original "Amazing Grace" recording by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards from 1971 it seems that Amazon.com now offers a series of recordings that the bands released in the late 70 and 1980s under the same title. The first half of this CD contains tracks from a 1976 release of the bands entitled "The Lengendary Amazing Grace" In addition to a fine updated version of the now famous tune four years after its original world wide hit, this part of the CD contains some interesting selections for band and pipes. "Una Palma Blanca" is a true example of how the RSDG bands went to great lengths to explore the full combined sound. The regimental band supports the pipes with a variety of modern sounds including an electronic bass guitar which many military bands in fact use for concert purposes today providing as it does a useful Continuo bass line for a military band. "Theme in Glory" and "Turn on the Sun" are additional examples of just how good the RSDG bands had mastered the concept of combing their resources. These are truly exciting pieces to listen too. The regimental band shows its stuff with "Rockout" an arrangement of classic old rock music themes. The pipes and drums provide three medleys and are simply surperb. One can hear that a distinctive change had taken place in the ensemble sound of the pipe band since 1971. The RSDG drummers have incorporated the use of their tenor drums to creat an amazing drummers' accompaniment to the pipes. This innovation would become standard in the piping world, but it owes its origins largely to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards pipes and drums. Listen to how magificent the pipe band sounds when they first enter to the 6/8 medley starting with "Macneils of Ugdale". You won't find a better sound even today. The Retreat medley starting with "Lochanside" is also amazing. Its worth getting the CD just for those tracks as well as the others. Perhaps the most haunting combined tune is an arrangment of Handel's "Largo" with the solo pipes doubling for the voice parts. Truly beautiful and moving.

The second part of the CD contains recordings of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards from the later 1970s. The listener will note that there is a subtle, but different recorded sound to the bands. They don't come across quite as clear as in the first 12 tracks on the CD. Again, there is the same rich selection of music with imaginative arrangements and unusual sounds. The regimental band gets highlighted more in these remaining tracks and the same versatility is still there. The "Slave Chorus" from Verdi's "Nabucco Opera" gets an interesting modern treatment. "Moonliner Rock March" is another great arrangement of rock tunes that gets the special Royal Scots Dragoon Guards touch. The pipes and drums are back with several combined medley's as well as two solo displays. The drummers show their stuff in "Drummer's Salute" displaying their modern percussion techniques that are still inspiring today for the pipe band world. All in all a worthy continuation of the "Amazing Grace" tradition that was started in 1971 and carred on since then. It's good to see that some of the many recordings the bands made through the years are now on CD. Enjoy the unique sound of the bands of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who did a lot to popularize Scottish and military band music in general around the world. Truly a legend of "Amazing Grace"

Average customer rating:

Baroque music like you've never heard it...

Stunning, simply stunning

Fabulous recording by gifted musicians

Vibrant and inventive

Sergio & Odair Assad play Rameau, Scarlatti etc,

Sergio & Odair Assad Play Rameau, Scarlatti, Couperin, Bach

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Couperin, François | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Rameau | Rameau, Jean Philippe | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Domenico Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Domenico | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | International | Styles | Music
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Sérgio & Odair Assad Play Piazzolla

A Brazilian Songbook

Music for Two Guitars

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Sergio and Odair Assad

L.A. Guitar Quartet: Evening In Granada

ASIN: B000005J1N
Release Date: 1993-05-18

Tracks:

Sonata In C Major, L.305, K.251
Pieces de Clavecin: Allemande
Pieces de Clavecin: Gigues 1 & 2
Pieces de Clavecin: Rigaudon
Pieces de Clavecin: Musette en Rondeau
Pieces de Clavecin: Le Rappel des Oiseaux
Pieces de Clavecin: Le Lardon
Pieces de Clavecin: La Follette
Pieces de Clavecin: Les tendres plaintes
Pieces de Clavecin: Les Cyclopes
Le Bavolet Flottant
Le Carillon de Cythere
The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1: Prelude And Fugue No.3 in C Major
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In E Major L.21 - K.162
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In F Major L.118 - K.466
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In E Major L.430 - K.531
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In A Minor L. 241 - K.54
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In D Minor L.413 - K.9 In D Minor ('Pastorale')
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In G Major L.288 - K.432
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In D Major L.465 - K.96
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In D Major L.107 - K.140
Nine Sonatas: Sonata In D Minor L.422 - K.141 (Toccata)

Customer Reviews:

Baroque music like you've never heard it..........2007-05-01

"The guitar is not the piano and not the harpsichord. It's right in the middle. The harpsichord is too rigid. You can do more on the piano. But this is really music for the harpsichord, so what the combination of two guitars gives to the music is the range of the piano and the sound of the harpsichord. These sonatas have been played by many guitarists, but they're difficult to transcribe for one guitar. With two guitars, anything is possible."
- Sergio Assad (in the liner notes for Ramaeu, Scarlatti, Couperin, Bach)

I could not agree more with Sergio's assessment of the guitar duo in relation to baroque keyboard music, and I've never enjoyed the genre more than I do listening to this album. The harpsichord and guitar are not as different as one might initially think; the two both use plucked strings, unlike the piano, which uses hammered strings. But the guitar has a much more expressive quality to it than the harpsichord, with a greater range of timbral possibilities. It's only drawback is the difficulty of arranging contrapuntal keyboard music, which generally features multiple simultaneous melodies, for the guitar. Adding a second guitar fixes this problem.
With any other guitarists, the performances might sound disjointed and lose the uniformity that a solo performer brings to the music; but the Assad brothers might as well be one person. They know each other's playing well enough that every dynamic and rhythmic nuance of the music is perfectly synchronized, with an expressiveness generally lacking from other performances. The only downside: after hearing this album, the harpsichord will never sound good enough again.

Stunning, simply stunning.......2007-04-22

I heard the "Cyclops" section of Rameau's inventive suite on XM classics, and I absolutely had to have this CD. I like Rameau and Scarlatti anyway, but I was unprepared for how the Assad duo could sound like one guitar, like a harpsichord but better. This music was originally for keyboard, but it sounds incredible on guitar.

The delicacy of the Assad technique is unequalled by any other guitarists I've heard. How they make this music, I'll never know. But it's one of my favorite cd's and so restful and refreshing. There is a lot of music on this cd and it's all wonderful.

Fabulous recording by gifted musicians.......2006-12-02

Let me start by saying that I am not a musician or even a particularly well-trained listener, but I do have a sizable collection of baroque music and guitar music in general. I know what I like, and I absolutely love this recording. The music is beautiful, just beautiful; and the musicianship is, near as I can tell, flawless and expressive. Scarlatti and Bach, sure they are wonderful, but I have become a fan of Ramaeu since buying this CD.

My suggestion: Click on the links to sample the sort of music on this CD. The sound quality will not be very good, of course, but if these songs sound anything close to the sort of music that you like, then buy the CD. Oh, and get the best sound system you can afford. This recording merits being played on the best. Enjoy!

Vibrant and inventive.......2005-10-07

This is a wonderful recording of classical guitar. One of the interesting (and perhaps ironic) bits is that all of the compositions on this CD were originally done for harpsichord, such as Bach's well known compositions for the Well-Tempered Clavier. The composers here - Domenico Scarlatti, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Francios Couperin, and Johann Sebastian Bach - are all masters of the keyboard composition, here adapated by the Assad brothers, Sergio and Odair.

From their official biography, 'As children, the Assads' mandolinist father guided their discovery of Brazilian music. Their uncanny ability to play guitar together soon evidenced itself, and seven years of study with the classical guitarist and lutenist Monina Tavora (a disciple and former pupil of Andrés Segovia) followed. The Assads' American career began in 1969, under the "Youth for Understanding" aegis. A major prize at the "Rostrom of Young Interpreters" in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, launched their European career. They also achieved victory in the 1973 Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra competition for young soloists. They have performed in recital and with orchestra throughout France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Poland, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Australia, Great Britain, the Far East, Argentina, and their native Brazil.'

Their sensitivity to string instrument is well founded, and when they turned their attention to compositions for the keyboard, they found that with two guitars, there was a richness that is missing from the more simple 'monochromatic' performance of the keyboard.

As Sarah Cahill states in her introduction to this CD, there is a reason why these pieces sound natural being played on the guitar - harpsichord strings are plucked in similar ways to guitar strings, unlike piano strings which are struck by hammers. Scarlatti wrote for the Queen of Spain, among others. Couperin served in the French court, composing music for lute in addition to harpsichord. Rameau, an organist and composer, also comes from the French school, and J.S. Bach needs no introduction as the pinnacle of composing power in Germany of the eighteenth century.

Sergio and Odair Assad have spent a good deal of time developing a Baroque manner to playing these pieces on their guitars, as to be more faithful to the types of compositions. This CD is a true pleasure to behold, the textures and energy of the music being very vibrant and inventive in many ways.

Sergio & Odair Assad play Rameau, Scarlatti etc,.......2005-07-28

This is probably the best classical guitar CD recording I have ever heard.These two brothers are just amazing.

Average customer rating:

How can you call these "Hymns"
wonderful collection of magnificent music
Flawed but enjoyable
Hymns through the Centuries
A must own for classic church music lovers

Hymns Through the Centuries
J. Reilly Lewis , Cathedral Choral Society , William Gardiner , Johannes Cruger , Melchior Teschner , William Henry Monk , Virgil Thomson , George Elvey , Thomas Hastings , and John [composer] Goss
Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Hymns Triumphant 1 & 2
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Hymns Through the Centuries 2
Abide With Me
Praise to the Lord - Hymns From St. Paul's Cathedral

ASIN: B00003XB8M
Release Date: 2000-02-22

Tracks:

When In Our Music God Is Glorified
Ye Watchers And Ye Holy Ones
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Where Cross The Crowded Ways Of Life
O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded
All Glory, Laud And Honor
Abide With Me; Fast Falls The Eventide
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Rock Of Ages, Cleft For Me
Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven
Come, Risen Lord
Carillon Hymn: St. Peter
Eternal Father, Strong To Save
Amazing Grace! How Sweet The Sound
Holy, Holy Holy! Lord God Almighty
Nearer, My God, To Thee
Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind
In Christ There Is No East Or West
Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Word Of God, Come Down On Earth
The Church's One Foundation
God Of Our Fathers
Father, In Thy Gracious Keeping
Peal Bells

Customer Reviews:

How can you call these "Hymns".......2006-08-05

Not to harp on anyone here, but it's obvious that none of you grew up in a church or environment that had a good choir. I know, a Hymn is a genre of music, but a recording of a hymn isn't one if it doesn't contain HARMONY. If they're a "choir," then why don't the tenors sing a different note than the sopranos, altos, and basses? The organist is quite good, I'll admit, but you're wasting your time if you're looking for a good recording of these beautiful songs that were COMPOSED with harmony, not unison. If they want to sing in unison like this, they need to be stripped of their "choir" status and simply be called a "group."

wonderful collection of magnificent music.......2006-01-18

Most everything on this CD is very well done. The recording environment might have been less than perfect, but that shouldn't dimish one's enjoyment very much. Most of the arrangements are very traditional, with the notable exception of Amazing Grace, which though it isn't terrible, it isn't very good either. Some songs had verses removed, which is understandable, though it was poorly done in Eternal Father, Strong to Save -- they did verse 1 ("Eternal Father"), then they skipped(!!!) verse 2 ("O Christ, the Lord") and went on to the final verses ("Holy Spirit" and "O Trinity") -- which is skipping Someone important! However, outside of that, it was excellent.

If you like sacred music, or hymns, then you'll thoroughly enjoy this CD. If you're a Christian, you should enjoy this as well, no matter your taste in music (and you might just learn to like hymns as well!). It is a well-chosen set of some of the most magnificent, God-honoring music of all time, done is a mostly very traditional manner, and it was done well.

Flawed but enjoyable.......2005-04-15

The huge size and reverberating acoustics of Washington National Cathedral make it difficult to hear any kind of live choral performance clearly, even if you're sitting in the front rows in the nave. The Cathedral Choral Society is handicapped by having to record in this acoustically mushy space, and it shows in this CD, often creating an uneven balance between the organ and the chorus as noted by other reviewers. The repertoire is well-chosen, but the quality of the arrangements is uneven. Too often, the chorus seems to be singing in unison right out of the Hymnal, like any parish church choir at an ordinary Sunday service. Certain pieces do suggest the heights which the Society is capable of attaining. But the group never achieves the splendor that the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys displays every Sunday morning. Just when the Society seems to be getting there, the conductor pulls them back. And the shrill folk arrangement of "Amazing Grace" will have you covering your ears as the sopranos shriek clumsily, confusing volume with fervor.

Hymns through the Centuries.......2002-03-18

This is not a review. I just have a question. Does "Hymns through the Centuries" contain the hymn "It is Well with my Soul?" Thanks.

A must own for classic church music lovers.......2002-02-16

I purchased this CD just based on the titles and am very glad I did. There are only two downsides to the album. First is the fact that there isn't a companion CD with 26 more hymns! Second is picky, but I do agree with another rater that the organ could have been a little louder related to the singing. Hope you enjoy listening!

Average customer rating:

Highlights from Carmen and much more of Bizet

Greatest Hits: Bizet

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Rossini: Greatest Hits
Mendelssohn: Greatest Hits
Rimsky-Korsakov: Greatest Hits
Grieg: Greatest Hits
Debussy's Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002A9G
Release Date: 1995-06-13

Tracks:

Carmen: Prelude: The Toreadors. Allegro giocoso
Carmen: Prelude: Andante moderato
Carmen: Habanera (Act I)
Carmen: Seguidilla (Act I)
Carmen: Entr'acte (Act I - Act II): Les Dragons d'Alcala
Carmen: Bohemian Dance (Act II)
Carmen: Song Of The Toreador (Act II)
Carmen: Flower Song
Carmen: Entr'acte (Act II - Act III): Intermezzo
Carmen: March Of The Smugglers (Act III)
Carmen: Nocturne: Micaela's Aria (Act III)
Carmen: March Of The Toreadors & Chorus (Act IV)
Carmen: Duet & Final Chorus (Act IV) 'C'est toi? 'C'est moi' - 'Masi moi, Carmen, je t'aime encore'
The Pearl Fishers: Je crois entendre encore (I Hear As In A Dream)
The Pearl Fishers: Ouvre ton coeur (Open Your Heart)
L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1: Prelude
L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1: Minuetto
L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1: Adagietto
L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1: Carillon

Customer Reviews:

Highlights from Carmen and much more of Bizet.......2001-08-05

It is hard to believe that when Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen" opened in 1875 audiences received it indifferently. Bizet was innovative in that he replaced artificial plots and acting in operas with more realistic representations of the human condition (comparable to what Gustave Flaubert did in literature with "Madame Bovary"). Bizet's masterpiece is represented by the first thirteen tracks on this album, so you might wonder why not just go pick up the entire opera and leave it at that? Because Bizet actually did go on and write some other works, the best of which are included in this collection. This CD also includes a couple of songs from "The Pearl Fishers," sung by Richard Tucker and Beverly Sills, and the "L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1. If this CD included the Farandole from "L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2," it would be prefect. But one of the impressive things about this Greatest Hits collection is that all those tracks from "Carmen" come from several different productions. So you have Bernstein, Stokowski and Ormandy conducting, and Jose Carreras, Rise Stevens and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing.

Average customer rating:

My favorite classical music album
Good as an introduction to the organ (and Virgil Fox)
Excellent Music choice.
Riverside Organ Is Stretched to Its Limits in This One - - -
Outstanding organ program

Virgil Fox Encores

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Art Of Virgil Fox
Art of Virgil Fox, Vol. 2
Heavy Organ At Carnegie Hall 1973
Bach: Great Organ Works
The Wanamaker Legacy

ASIN: B000003FAY
Release Date: 1993-03-09

Tracks:

Fugue In G Minor 'Little'
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Concerto No. 4 In F: I. Allegro
Ye Sweet Retreat
Thou Art The Rock
Trumpet Voluntary
Trio Sonata No.6 In G
Concerto No. 10 For Strings: Aria
Now Thank We All Our God
Canon In B Minor
Suite No. 3 In D: Air On The G String
No. 5 In F Minor, Op. 42, No. 1: Toccata

Customer Reviews:

My favorite classical music album.......2006-09-30

I first listened to this entire set of music on cassette in 1983 and prior to that I heard parts of it on a CBC radio program called "Gilmour's Albums" in 1979. It remains my most favorite classical music album. The range of sounds coming from the organ and the interpretation of each piece is wonderful. Having this music still available after nearly 50 years, and on CD no less, is a tribute to Fox and his outstanding talent.

Good as an introduction to the organ (and Virgil Fox).......2006-01-24

I hate to beat a dead horse (with 7 reviews) and to slightly contradict some of the previous opinions, but I can't agree that this CD is one of Fox's greatest. It serves as a fine introduction to those who want to hear the rich tonal palette of an organ and indeed, few are finer than Fox in the jaunty Schumann "Canon" and the oh-so-sweet "Ye Sweet Retreat." However, repeated listenings show the Little Fugue and Handel to be a bit sloppy, and the overall nature of the CD somewhat one-dimensional, with the faster pieces very fast and ending very loud, the slower pieces very slow and ending very softly.

This is not to denegrate Fox, who especially for an organist, had an unbelievable control and understanding of dynamic shading - it's more that the program itself suffers from a lack of variety. Perhaps this CD, being an RCA release, served an important purpose in getting organ music, and more importantly classical music in general, to the broader public.

But for more serious artistry, turn to recordings like Digital Fox (1978) and these unjustly underpublised re-releases of Fox playing major organs:
1) Virgil Fox at Hammond Castle -- available at organarts.com with samples and background info. Contains incredible, I mean incredible, interpretations of Franck's Grande Piece Symphonique and Reubke's Sonata on the 94th Psalm, to name only a few
2) Virgil Fox Command Performances 1963-1965 -- available on Amazon and organarts.com. Fox plays the organs of Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center (with an extremely intense reading of Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor), Boston Symphony Hall, and the Riverside Church. GET THESE ASAP - THEY ARE SUPERB!

Excellent Music choice........2003-12-13

Virgil Fox is without a doubt one of the most advanced organists in the new phase of Organs. As an Organist myself, there are many new changes with Organbuilding and how older Organists try to adjust and try to get used to. From the Sound of the Organ it is indeed a rather powerful Organ with what sounds like a Possible 32ft Reed!!! I do not know where this recording was held at, but You need to listen to some of the Samples that there is. There are a wide variety of moods with this organ all the way up to a very scary but demanding Full Organ! Buying this cd is a MUST. If not then at least listen to the samples. You will not consider it a waste of time.

Riverside Organ Is Stretched to Its Limits in This One - - -.......2002-12-14

If you like flamboyant, this CD will blow your skirt right up there! The dynamic range of the music in this CD will test your stereo system to the limits. Every part of the organ is used, from the shyest Kleine Erzähler to what must be a Double Bombarde.

The songs showcase the organ and are played flawlessly, even if somewhat ambitiously interpreted. If you're tired of hearing the Little Fugue in G Minor played like a funeral dirge on a worn-out calliope, then you'll appreciate what Fox does with it on the big Aeolian-Skinner. Absolutely incredible! On the other hand, I personally would have enjoyed C.M. Widor's Toccata from the 5th taken a little slower. Perhaps Virgil was running late for supper or had to go to the bathroom when performing this one, 'cause it could stand a little Largo to let the notes pop out. Nevertheless, it shows what "Nimble-Fingers" can do.

Technically, the CD is flawless, except for some low-level noise heard during the quieter interludes when the volume is up. Ideally, there should be no noise here at all but what do you want for coming from 40-year-old tape masters??? That one flaw is vastly overshadowed by the excellent stereo separation and extreme dynamic range, with absolutely no rumble or flutter to be heard.

The CD includes a couple of the better-known pieces, and the lesser-known ones are equally interesting. Can't go wrong with this CD, but don't expect to get much out of it in your car CD player due to the wide dynamic range and the inherent noise in the car (unless of course you're driving a Mercedes)!!

Outstanding organ program.......2001-02-06

This is the first album of organ music I ever bought back in the days of vinyl. I have always loved it, I practically wore it out. Mr. Fox was the teacher of a friend of mine and I got to hear him once. His program here is varied and the sound is excellent. He did a lot for the advancement of organ music in the USA, we owe him a huge debt. Warmly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Also disappointed
too fast
On the fence
Magisterial
Masterful performance of great works

Great Toccatas

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Michael Murray At The Cathedral Of St. John The Divine: Works By Franck, Widor, Dupré, Bach and Others
Bach: Great Organ Works
Widor: Complete Organ Works, Vol. 3
Organ Spectacular
Organ of the Mormon Tabernacle

ASIN: B000005ECA
Release Date: 1994-05-03

Tracks:

Toccata BWV 565: Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Toccata De La Symphonie No. 5 In F Major, Op. 42
Toccata For Organ In G Major
Toccata For Organ In B Minor
Suite Gothique: I. Introduction - Choral
Suite Gothique: II. Menuet Gothique
Suite Gothique: III. Priere A Notre-Dame
Suite Gothique: IV. Toccata
Sonate No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 42: Final
Pieces De Fantaisie: Carillon De Westminster (3rd Suite Op. 54)
Pieces De Fantaisie: Toccata (2nd Suite Op. 53) In B Flat Minor
Toccata Sur L'Antienne: 'Cantemus Domino'
Litanies

Customer Reviews:

Also disappointed.......2007-06-18

Let me add my voice to those who are disappointed with the pieces. Ms. Alain is, as has been pointed out before, technically brilliant, but the feeling I got was "let's get this over with", not "I can't wait to play this!". There are a couple of what I call "mad scientist" pieces that are good introductions to those new to organ music, and this CD is great for that purpose. But the Bach and the Widor are way too rushed; these fantastic pieces are much to...well...fantastic, to be rushed. Every hemisemidemiquaver, every pedal tone, every flourish needs to be played, with the reverence that you give music of this stature. Here, while Ms. Alain obviously knows the music, she doesn't convince that she loves it. Three stars is sufficient, sadly...

too fast.......2006-07-01

I bought this CD for the Widor and Bach. Both are played too fast. In each case, either the artist was trying to finish as quickly as possible or the technician accelerated the recording to get another peice included. In either case, there was no music, only speed. I was very dissapointed, because those are truely outstanding pieces when played at a reasonable pace. I am still looking for an excellent recording of the Widor piece.

On the fence.......2005-09-06

I received this disc from a French visitor and have listened to it several times. I still have the uncomfortable feeling that Ms. Alain is playing these pieces for the umpteenth time, and while they are technically brilliant, they seem a bit soul-less to me. I have an old vinyl recording by E. Power Biggs (who seems to have been at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Romantic school of organ music), and those recordings of French organ music, many of which are on the CD in question, had real feeling behind them. Still, there is no denying the power of this music.

Magisterial.......2003-03-02

To properly appreciate this record one should (of course) hear it live, preferably in a church with excellent acoustics. It must be admitted, though, that this CD is the next best thing.
The depth and sonority of sound is difficult to match and it goes without saying that the artistry in both interpretation and handling the sheer difficulty of the pieces is unmatched.

The Romantic Era organ was the Golden Age for keyboard music - whether organ or piano. Yes, Bach will always be first in the pantheon of Pipe Gods (I count his Prelude in B Minor as the first Romantic Organ work). But the evolution of the physical instrument brought forth somthing new -the French organ with all the magnificent sonorities. With composers writing for that instrument, organ music reached an apotheosis before being dragged down by various "modern" works that must be explained to listeners in case they thought the sounds from the stage were noise or a malfunctioning keyboard.

This is a great CD that all lovers of organ music should own. The Toccatas heard here are some of the best and one is constantly aware of the great men who wrote them.

Masterful performance of great works.......2000-07-25

Alain performs some of the best toccatas written for organ in her typical, near-perfect style. This CD is far better in musical and recording quality than comparable compilations of popular organ music. You will also enjoy her CD, "Les Bis Pour Orgue" or "Organ Encores".

Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 "Organ" / Encores a la Francaise / Ormandy, Murray, Philadelphia Orchestra (Stereo Hybrid SACD)

Average customer rating:

Ormandy & Philadelphia do Saint-Saens: A Classic of the recorded literature

Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 "Organ" / Encores a la Francaise / Ormandy, Murray, Philadelphia Orchestra (Stereo Hybrid SACD)
Saint-Saens , Michael Murray , Eugene Ormandy , and Philadelphia Orchestra
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Tallis & Greensleeves / Barber Adagio / Pachelbel Canon / Tchaikovsky Serenade (Stereo Hybrid SACD)
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Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture etc. / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops (Multichannel Hybrid SACD)
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, A Night on Bald Mountain, and Other Russian Showpieces [Hybrid SACD]
Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete Ballet); Fireworks [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0002IQHE8
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Tracks:

Adagio; Allegro Moderato Poco Adagio
Allegro Moderato, Presto; Maestoso Allegro; Molto Adagio
Chacone in G Minor
Carillon, Op. 27, No. 4
Scherzo
Piece Heroique
Toccata, Symphony No. 5
Sinfonia, Cantata 29
Final, Symphony No. 1, Opus 14
Musette, Opus 51
Fanfare

Customer Reviews:

Ormandy & Philadelphia do Saint-Saens: A Classic of the recorded literature.......2007-05-21

If memory serves, Eugene Ormandy did the Saint-Saens Third Symphony several times in various recordings. Given the brilliant orchestration, plus the use of the great French pipe organ, this piece just has to be a show piece. It demonstrated vinyl LP stereo, then it demonstrated the early failed vinyl quad, then it demonstrated CD stereo, and now it arrives on SACD. This master tape was made in the transition years before superaudio surround sound actually arrived, yet it represented a sterling technical step forward, thanks to the 50 Hz soundstream system that allowed an increase in resolution and something closer to what fanatics have long called, tube-like warmth.

Now this soundstream master is successfully transferred into DSD superaudio, albeit limited to two stereo channels. Which just serves to demonstrate how very much can be accomplished in two channels, given the higher resolution that DSD procedures allow. Yes, the dynamic range and detail and sense of tonal presence are all remarkable and lovely. And if this doesn't approximate the holy grail of tube-like warmth, then I do not think we are ever going to get there via digital methods.

Such technical capacities would mean little if this disc were not also showing off the rich sheen of the famed Philadelphia strings, christened with woodwinds in platinum, and golden glowing brass. The organ is particularly effective, yet integrated always into the larger orchestral fabric. Needless to say, there are never any problems of musical technique with the members of the Philadelphia. They excel, as a matter of course. Yet we must not take their excellence for granted, even though they are so generous with their talents that being cup bearer to the gods must come to seem for a while like the most ordinary of musical occupations.

The Saint-Saens was recorded complete with organ, played by virtuoso Michael Murray, at the Saint Francis de Sales church in Philadelphia, so it has special claims to care and to adopting a clean, non-gimmicky approach. Nearby streets were actually closed to traffic during the sessions, and special voicing of the organ and the church as an acoustic recording venue were carried out.

All of this effort paid off handsomely, now that we can hear what the original master captured.

There is nothing eccentric in this performance. It is entirely mainstream in its tempos and accents. Ormandy was often under-rated, like Fritz Reiner ... competent, yes, but ... Hearing him again after all these years reveals the rock solid tempo management he could take for granted, as well as his ability to get out of the way of the music and let the composer ring through without mannerism or fuss. This is all to the good, since with a facile composer like Saint-Saens, it is easy to try to hitch things up a bit by plastering on somebody's version of Frenchification, gone usually all glitzy. The end results of such pushing and pulling is not only to maul and distort the music, but in the end to make the music seem even shallower and less substantial than ever.

Ormandy does not let his players play down to the composer, nor does Michael Murray condescend, despite the composer's use of the organ for color and weight, as well as for display.

The remainder of the SACD is a second complete French music organ recital, played solo by Michael Murray on the great organ installed in Boston's Symphony Hall. It is difficult to imagine an organist who could play this recital repertoire better, nor a better instrument upon which the music could be played. The famed acoustics of Symphony Hall add their hallowed luster.

Murray as an organist is a masterful twin to Ormandy as band leader. Fuss, muss, and fiddle are foregone in favor of the organist adopting a direct, astute, and very rewarding transparency as a channel of musical communication. The tonal occupations of each different recital piece come through, clearly, and if we have to hear something after the symphony so grandly concludes, it is hard to gripe about this recital being it.

Among the full-channel superaudio competition, I am favorably disposed to the Nezet-Seguin/Montreal Metro outing. It has its own special values. The recent recording by Eschenbach with Philadelphia is also getting loud raves, so that one is probably in the high running, too.

Yet if you grew up with Ormandy - or if you didn't, and have been wondering just what the talk was all about during his long-standing tenure as music director - this disc is a blessedly welcome blast from the past. Bravo to Telarc for re-releasing it in superaudio, and not just consigning it to the past.

Why just have one Saint-Saens' Third? Plus you can use the organ recital portion to help voice and balance your chosen subwoofer into the home system you have been dying to test. Sounds like a win-win-win, thanks to soundstream, and thanks to solid musical values.

Janácek: Mládi; Rikadla; Concertino; etc.

Average customer rating:

Spectacular!

Janácek: Mládi; Rikadla; Concertino; etc.

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000AXP
Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

Mladi - Youth - Jugend - Jeunesse for wind sextet
Mladi - Youth - Jugend - Jeunesse for wind sextet
Mladi - Youth - Jugend - Jeunesse for wind sextet
Mladi - Youth - Jugend - Jeunesse for wind sextet
Concertino for piano and chamber ensemble
Concertino for piano left hand and chamber ensemble
Concertino for piano and chamber ensemble
Concertino for piano left hand and chamber ensemble
Capriccio for piano left hand chamber ensemble
Capriccio for piano left hand chamber ensemble
Capriccio for piano left hand chamber ensemble
Capriccio for piano left hand chamber ensemble
Pochod modracku - March Of The Blue Boys
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chmaber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Rikadla - Nursery Rhymes For Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensemble

Amazon.com

When he turned 70, Janácek decided to give himself a little musical birthday present. The result was his wind sextet Mladi (Youth), a typically fresh and vital product of the composer's miraculous old age. He then produced the Concertino and Capriccio, both miniature piano concertos eccentrically scored for soloist and chamber ensemble. Rikadla (Nursery Rhymes) sets a series of nonsense poems for voices and a few instruments. All of this music is passionate and directly communicative, and it's excellently performed and recorded. Janácek was one of music's true originals, and anyone looking for an entertaining change of pace will enjoy this disc. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Spectacular!.......2007-05-20

Very seldom has a composer been able to write "humorous" instrumental music without lapsing into being corny. Janacek is the exception, the master of musical wit and novelty. Mladi and the two quasi-concertos for piano on this CD are jolly and outlandish, and yet full of musical subtilty and invention. Already nearly a century old, they are still fresh and full of surprises. The performance by the Netherlands Wind Ensemble is impeccable. Is every Dutch child born with a silver tuning fork in her/his mouth?

Average customer rating:

An Artistic Achievement of the First Order
This is music that will stick to your ribs
The definitive recording
Celestial, spiritual, emotionally earth-shattering
Simply Fantastic

Duruflé: Organ Music (Complete)

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Louis Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies
Duruflé: Complete Choral Works
Vierne: Messe solennelle; Widor: Messe à deux choeurs et deux orgues; Dupré: Quatre motets

ASIN: B0000006W7
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Prde, Adagio et Choral variur le th du
Prde sur l'Introde l'iphanie
Fugue sur le th du Carillon des heures de la Cathale de Soisso
Scherzo, Op. 2
Prde et Fugue sur le nom d'Alain, Op. 7
Suite, Op 5: Prde, Sicilienne, and Toccata

Customer Reviews:

An Artistic Achievement of the First Order.......2007-07-21

Many times when we discuss or review music there are expressions of delight and almost always these refer to the composer or the piece at hand. Sometimes there is praise for the artist but usually for technical ability. Then other times, like in this album, everything "works". This recording is unique - everyone, and I mean composer, performer, recording engineer, researcher, publicist - seems to have been possessed by the spirit of artistic genius.

Durufle published only a trifle of his organ compositions or should I say, allowed to be published. He was particular to the point of absurdity at times, convinced that this or that particular piece did not live up to his personal and exacting standards. He subscribed to that ardent, muscular Catholicism as almost all his predecessors - Widor, Vierne, Dubois, Guilmant, and especially his contemporary, Messiaen. Together they provided us with liturgical works for the 20th century. This faith colored his compositions and indeed his liturgical works are what he is known for unlike the others noted for their virtuoso organ pieces. Even non-believers must consider his Requiem nothing short of sheer beauty and the fact that it is so little known is the "unpardonable sin".

These few gems are perfect as is the sound, that "breathiness" that only the Caville-Coll organs possess. Needless to say, the symphonic organ is well suited to his compositions and some, such as the brassy Toccata, seem to challenge the limits of performance, style and technique. Here we find arresting, beautiful - even mystical sounds combined with an awesome technique and on-point interpretation and execution. I find it almost impossible to find any fault with the entire disk. My Grade: A+

This is music that will stick to your ribs.......2004-12-11

I first heard the op. 6 Toccata - a real show piece - in a MIDI rendition by Serge Winitski, and that impelled my to buy this disk. I have now been listening to all of these incredible pieces at work for several weeks running. The subtleties still seem inexhaustible. The instrument, performance, and recording are beautifully balanced. I have finally had to break away intentionally - like getting up early at a feast - to make sure I can return many times to this beautiful place.

The definitive recording.......2003-05-24

Other than the recording in 1967 (now available on CD) of Durufle's "Prelude and Fugue on the name Alain" as performed by his wife, Mdme. Durfule-Chevalier, there has never been a good performance of the complete works of Durufle. That has changed with Todd Wilson's disc. For such a small instrument, Wilson selects registrations that allow the rich harmonics to be heard with clarity. The overtones alone on a section of the "Veni Creator" will make your speakers rumble. There was a great deal of research done to make this CD possible, including an understanding of the kind of instrument that Durufle himself wanted to have his music performed on. Durufle's music moves, is electifying, is mystical (based on Gregorian Chant), and horrifying. He was such a master and so meticulous that this CD contains ALL of his published organ works. This is a CD best enjoyed late at night with the lights down and the headphones on so you can hear the mechanics of the instrument and hear the overtones correctly.

Celestial, spiritual, emotionally earth-shattering.......2001-02-12

Maurice Durufle's organ music is in my opinion the best ever written for the instrument. It cannot be compared with any other organ music and transcends its French heritage to find a unique cross-cultural beauty. Durufle has managed to take advantage of the full capability of the organ and write six of the most spiritually and emotionally moving pieces of music you will ever hear.

That being said, everything else about this recording is just as wonderful as the compositions. The recording itself and the microphones placements are by far the best I've ever heard on a CD of organ music. The Schudi organ at St. Thomas Acquinas Church in Dallas Texas has got to be the best organ in the world for Durufle. I prefer it even over recordings of Durufle I've heard played on Cavaille-Coll organs.

Todd Wilson's playing leaves absolutely nothing to be desired. Todd is a wonderful man who once, out of sheer kindness, thanked me for coming to one of his recitals (that featured Durufle and the Reubke Sonata). He is more than up to the task that these very technically difficult works present and transcends the challenge of playing the right notes. His tempos are energetic and his playing is deeply, if not obviously, emotional. The registrations here are impeccable and bold-they range from the solo 8' flute at the very beginning of the CD to the full organ at the final chord of the magnificent Toccata.

This recording simply has to be heard to be believed. It's a stunning achievement for everyone involved in its making, from the engineers to the performer. It is a treasure for the whole organ community that everyone should experience.

Simply Fantastic.......2000-01-19

Todd Wilson performs masterfully at the keyboards of the SCHUDI organ at St. Thomas Aquinas, Dallas, Texas. His flawless presentation of the complete works of Maurice Durufle shows the versatility of the instrument on which he plays and brings to life the music of the French master. This recording opens the world of organ music to the amateur, and will send chills up the spine of the afficianado.

Average customer rating:

Masterly Dupre and Widor - mannered Franck
Best ever recording of the St. Sulpice organ

Dupré, Franck, Widor: Organ Works

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Franck: Complete Masterworks for Organ
Jongen: Symphonie Concertante For Organ & Orchestra/Franck: Fantasie In A/Pastorale
Louis Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies
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The Willis Organ at Salisbury Cathedral

ASIN: B00005B7K9
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

Magnificat VI
Carillon, Op.27, No.4
Choral Et Fugue, Op.57
Tres Lent Et Sans Rigueur, Op.18,No.3: Antiphon III
Cortege Et Litanie, Op.19, No.2
Final, Op.27, No.7
Grande Piece Symphonique, Op.17: Andantino Serioso; Allegro Non Troppo E Maestoso - Andante-Allegro-Andante - Allegro Non Troppo E Maestoso - Beaucoup Plus Largement
Finale

Customer Reviews:

Masterly Dupre and Widor - mannered Franck.......2004-05-07

I recommend this recording very highly. The sound of the organ and playing is magnificent especially in the Dupre and Widor selections. The Franck "Grand Piece Symphonique" however, is another story. After all the scholarship and attention to original playing editions in the past 30+ years, it amazes me that Murray still hangs on to the mannered, in my opinion, highly unmusical, Lemmens' 'legato' style in his interpretation of the Franck work. Buy this for the Dupre and Widor selections, they are amazing!

Best ever recording of the St. Sulpice organ.......2002-12-13

American organist Michael Murray (Marcel Dupré's last American pupil and Dupré's biographer) together with the recording engineers at Telarc have scored a winning combination with this new recording of Cavaille-Coll's *opus magnum* instrument. The three composers represented all have a link to the organ of St. Sulpice. The Dupre works are engaging, with a tight sense of construction and a dash of post-romantic harmonies, quintessentially French. My first impression of the Widor Finale from Sym. No. 6 was that Murray plays it too slow; however upon repeated listenings I find his tempo just right; the piece unfolds at the proper pace, and no details are lost (this was after all Widor's own organ). As it is, truly majestic and truly exciting. The varied sections of the Franck show a great mastery of form and emotional intensity that Murray carries off with aplomb. The recorded sound is AWESOME, from the singing foundation stops, powerful ensembles, lovely solo registers, to shimmering celestes, brilliant reeds and mixtures, and the teeth-rattling intensity of the pedal Contre-bombarde. The recording captures the ideal balance of instrument and acoustics. An absolute "must have" for organ enthusiasts!

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