From Bach mastery to the spellbinding brilliance of Twentieth-century French music, we pull out all of the stops on this record of the all-time high 10 organ epics.
Johann Sebastian Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Undoubtedly essentially the most well-known organ work in existence – the highly effective opening flourish and stormy, minor temper of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue instantly conjures gothic cathedrals and haunted homes.
Its path to a spot in music historical past is cloaked in appreciable thriller, the one surviving manuscript being a replica made by an organist who was a up to date of the nice composer. Over the nineteenth century, its reputation grew. However it was an orchestral transpiration by Leopold Stokowski within the 1940 Disney movie Fantasia, which gave it the everlasting profile it now enjoys.
The dramatic toccata – from the Italian ‘toccare’ which implies ‘to touch’ – permits its organist to showcase their virtuosity, and the totally different sounds of the instrument. A fugue follows, the place a semi-quaver theme is heard repeatedly in several registers, because the notes chase one another across the instrument’s keyboards and pedals.
Learn extra: 10 of Bach’s all-time greatest items of music
J. S. Bach, Toccata and Fuga D minor BWV 565 – Jean-Baptiste Dupont
Johann Sebastian Bach – Nice Fantasia and Fugue in G minor
Bach might paint any temper on the organ – however that is him at his grandest and mightiest, with a contact of showmanship. Like lots of his epics for the instrument, Bach writes in a two-movement construction. The fantasia opens with highly effective minor chords, sufficient to blow the socks off any listener.
After the opening motion, a mighty fugue follows. Bach takes a protracted theme and weaves it into a posh contrapuntal fugue. It’s thought that this might have originated as an improvisation Bach did in Hamburg, whereas making use of for an organist job there in 1720, which the composer later wrote out.
Organist Anna Lapwood performs an epic Bach Fantasia on the Royal Albert Corridor | Traditional FM
César Franck – Chorale in A minor
César Franck, born in 1822 in what’s now Belgium, was one of many best organists who ever lived. He composed extensively for the instrument and laid the foundations for the nice French composer-organists to come back.
In the event you’re after one thing that *sounds* like a towering cathedral, Franck’s chorales are for you. They’re absolute masterpieces of the organ repertoire and have all of the richness, drama and distinction you could possibly hope for.
And for those who might solely choose one, the A minor chorale is simply spectacular.
Learn extra: Hear the epic sound of a 33,112-pipe organ in Atlantic Metropolis
César Franck : 3° Choral – Olivier Latry, organ of Notre-Dame de Paris
Jehan Alain – Litanies
In the event you like your organ music loud, crunchy and good, French organist and composer Jehan Alain will make you very joyful. His 1937 work Litanies begins with a brief plainsong phrase earlier than an explosion of harmonic punch color, drawing on the complete energy of the instrument.
Right here’s Roger Sayer on the magnificent organ of Temple Church London to present your eardrums a pleasant battering.
Nadia Boulanger – Trois Pièces
Earlier than she taught an exhaustive record of the Twentieth century’s most interesting musicians and composers, the legendary French composer and educator was a talented pianist and organist.
Boulanger’s music for organ showcases her compositional mastery, with some surprising twists and turns as she explored the boundaries of the craft. This suite of three items, which she termed improvisations, begins with a ‘Prélude’, which holds just a few dramatic harmonic surprises. ‘Petit canon’ explores the traditional type of a kind of musical echo, and an atmospheric ‘Improvisation’ closes the set.
Nadia Boulanger – Trois Pièces (Trois Improvisations) for Organ (1911) [Score-Video]
Charles-Marie Widor – Toccata
For 63 years, Charles-Marie Widor held some of the prestigious jobs in music, as organist of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. It was there the place he composed his well-known Organ Symphonies, the fifth of which incorporates this most well-known Toccata.
‘Widor’s Toccata’, as it’s generally recognized, options staccato arpeggios and syncopated chords with a thundering tune within the pedals. The 1879 piece, which appears like a blast of sunshine and sonic pleasure, formed a method of French organ music for the years to come back. It’s now the go-to organ recessional for weddings or any grand, joyous church festivity, and at all times delivers a smile.
WIDOR TOCCATA (SYMPHONY NO. 5) – RIPON CATHEDRAL PIPE ORGAN – JONATHAN SCOTT
Florence Value – Adoration
This stunning melody by pioneering American composer Florence Value was initially written in 1951. The piece was unearthed once more in 2009 and has since discovered large enchantment in preparations for violin and strings.
The piece includes a hymn-like tune, delivered to life with its personal easy majesty. Although it’s now championed by violin virtuosos Randall Goosby and Daniel Hope, we’re right here to rejoice it in its authentic kind as an beautiful work for organ.
Learn extra: 10 of Florence Value’s all-time greatest items of music
Adoration (for Organ) – Florence Beatrice Value
Camille Saint-Saëns – Symphony No. 3 ‘Organ’, Finale
This much-loved symphonic work was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society, with the premiere given in London in Could 1886, that includes the composer on the podium.
The wonderful work incorporates a few of Saint-Saëns’ most interesting Romantic writing. The organ takes a largely accompanying function within the first motion and sits silent throughout the complete second motion. However then all is unleashed within the finale, as a full C main chord within the organ brings in an excellent motion of music. It’s at all times the stuff of goosebumps.
Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 “Organ” – Finale (Auckland Symphony Orchestra) 1080p
Oliver Messiaen – La Nativité du Seigneur
Messiaen was some of the ingenious and distinctive composers of the Twentieth century. Composing predominantly for organ, he makes use of sonic splendour, imaginative concord and, at occasions, the imitation of birdsong on devices to inform grand tales in his works.
Impressed by the Christmas story, La Nativité du Seigneur is split into 9 ‘meditations’ to symbolize phases and tales across the start of Jesus.
It’s primarily a nativity play for organ, however with the complete heft and color of Twentieth-century French music. You gained’t get singable melodies, however you can be moved by the sheer energy and intimacy of the instrument, as Messiaen depicts scenes of shepherds, angels, clever males – and on the finish, in fact, the start of Christ.
Messiaen – La Nativité du Seigneur | York Minster (with rating and my markings!)
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar
One of many nice sci-fi movies of our time has an unbelievable, evocative rating with the organ at its coronary heart.
Hans Zimmer has spoken about why he selected the organ for this work. Confronted with depicting the complexity and energy of area journey, the composer stated that for hundreds of years, the pipe organ was essentially the most advanced machine ever invented. “Think about the shape of it as well,” he added. “Those pipes are like the afterburners of spaceships”.
And due to his unbelievable rating, the organ has lift-off on the massive display.
Learn extra: Church organ enjoying Hans Zimmer’s epic ‘Interstellar’ theme makes our world really feel tiny
Pianist in St Pancras wows with efficiency of the principle theme of Interstellar by Hans Zimmer
“Well bless their hearts.”
