Motette and Psallite CDsThese two distinguished labels from Germany include many CDs played by lots of players on organs throughout Europe, especially France and Germany, as well as almost any other place where there is an organ. |
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| Voice and Organ: Two ideally suited instruments! Jan Buchwald, Baritone is accompanied by Regine Schütz in a program of lieder from Liszt, Strauss and Wolf. | |
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| The Predigerkirche ("Preacher's Church") in Erfurt, Germany was built in the 13th century as a monastery for monks of the Dominican order. On this recording, the ancient building is filled with the sound of current titular organist Matthias Dreißig playing works of J.S. Bach, Pachelbel, Mendelssohn and Karg-Elert on the 1977 Schuke organ. | |
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| In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jean Langlais, Motette has compiled over 4 hours of recordings of Langlais and his music onto this reasonably priced 4 CD Set! This set features recordings of Langlais himself playing his own works and works of others, including improvisations on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at St. Clotilde. Also includes performances by Naji Hakim, Marie-Louise Langlais, the Vocal Ensemble of Cologne Cathedral, and more, from locations throughout Europe, including at St. Clotilde, Cologne Cathedral, Sacré Cœur, and Marienstatt! Click above for a complete listing of works and performers! | |
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| The Röver-Organ at the Evangelical Baptist Church in Moscow Organist Alexei Parshin plays works of Brahms, Bruckner, and Liszt's arrangements of Chopin and J. S. Bach on the romantic 1898 organ built by Ernst Röver (Hausneindorf, Northern Germany) at the Evangelical Baptist Church in Moscow, Russia. | |
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| An English organist improvises on themes of a Portugese and a French composer, all from a church in Germany! Organist Wayne Marshall is joined by members of the Munich Symphony Orchestra, directed by Johannes Skudlik, at the Stadtpfarrkirche Marië Himmelfahrt, Landsberg am Lech, Germany. Organ and orchestra perform large works of Portugese composer Antonio Ferreira dos Santos and Francis Poulenc. Marshall also improvises on themes of both composers. | |
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| Organist Esther Sialm plays works of Josef Rheinberger on the largest organ in Switzerland: the Goll organ at Kloster Engelberg. This is considered Sialm's legacy performance; she succumbed to cancer just eleven weeks after making this recording. | |
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| Organist Erwin Horn plays the massive 103-rank, 4 manual organ at the monastery church in St. Florian, known as the "Bruckner Organ". Horn plays works of Anton Bruckner (who is buried beneath the instrument) and his contemporaries, including his student, Hans Rott, his teacher, Otto Kitzler, and his admirer, Gustav Mahler. Click above to see the works performed on Bruckner's beloved instrument! | |
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| Cheerful organ music from the Baroque and Rococco Organist Michael Eckerle performs 17th and 18th century works on the only surviving organ built by Joseph Martin: at the Church of St. Urban and Vitus in Neuhausen (near Stuttgart), Germany. | |
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| Organist Pier Damiano Peretti plays organ works of Bruna, Arauxo, Froberger and others from Spain's Golden Age. Peretti plays the organ at the St. Johannis Church in Hannover, Germany, which was completed in 2001 by the firm of Patrick Collon. The one manual instrument is based on the organ at the Iglesia Colegial in Lerma, Spain, and is tuned to meantone temperament (A=415). | |
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| J. S. Bach's Goldberg Variations are performed by Winfried Bönig, who teaches organ at the Musikhochschule in Cologne and holds a doctorate from Augsburg University. Bach's "Aria with Variations for Two-Manual Harpsichord" (as the variations were originally dubbed) make a formidable showing on the historically designed 19-rank Hendrik Ahrend organ (2003) at the Ursulinenkirche in Cologne, Germany. Total playing time: 64:15 This Super Audio CD will play on all SACD and CD players. | |
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| Pierre Cochereau's improvisations on folk tunes come to life once again on the great organ at the Église Saint-Eloi in Dunkerque (Dunkirk), France. Organist François Lombard, who has studied under André Isoir, Michel Chapuis and Gaston Litaize, breathes life into Cochereau's works by playing his own transcriptions and a transcription by David Briggs. | |
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| Portrait of a Renaissance Organ Jean Claude Zehnder performs Renaissance-era works of Northern Italy and (what is now) Southern Germany on the 1519/1589 Bizzari-Antegnati at the Chiesa di Campagna, in Ponte in Valtellina, Italy. Enjoy historically appropriate works played on an instrument which has endured almost 500 years unscathed by modernizations and evolutions in taste. The instrument retains the majority of its pipes and, thanks to a 1993 restoration, an excellent sound. | |
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| World-renowned French organist Pierre Cocheareau plays works of two late 19th / early 20th century Swiss composers on the famous grandes orgues at Notre Dame in Paris. Also on the disc, Gérard Delatena interviews Cochereau about the recording. Click above for a listing of repertoire included | |
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| Litaize plays Litaize Gaston Litaize plays his own works on the 1979 Winfried Albiez (Lindau / Lake Constance) organ located in the gallery of the Church of St. Mary in Kempen, Germany. | |
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| In this premiere recording of the 2002 Klais organ at the Concert Hall in Dortmund, Germany, Bernhard Buttmann honors the legacy of Gerard Bunk, former organist at the Reinoldkirche in the same city, by performing works of Bunk and his contemporaries, Marco Enrico Bossi, Sigfrid Karg-Elert, and Max Reger. | |
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| Organist, Choir Director and Church Music Director Dietrich Wagler performs works of J.S. Bach on the two Gottfried Silbermann organs (whose work Bach highly regarded) at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Freiberg, Germany. | |
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| Organist Jan van de Laar performs works by Johann Sebastian Bach and five of Bach's students, including his two eldest sons, Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel. Van de Laar plays the 1798 Holzhey organ at the Abbey Church in Neresheim, Germany. | |
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| Bach organ restored! Organist Jean Claude Zehnder plays works from throughout Bach's life to demonstrate the newly restored Hildebrandt organ (which Bach had a hand in building) at the Wenzelkirche in Naumburg, Germany. Hear the largest and one of the most important "Bach" organs as it may have sounded in Bach's lifetime. | |
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| Organ and bells of Maria-Laach Elisabeth Roloff plays the 1998 Klais Choir organ and the 1910 Stahlhut Main organ at Maria-Laach, a Benedictine Abbey on the Laach Lake in northwestern Germany. In addition to the works by J.S. Bach, Cor Kee, Boëllmann, Howells and Reger played by Roloff, enjoy a 4½ minute peal of the magnificent bells of the abbey. | |
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| A proposed new peal of bells at the Cathedral of St. Nikolai in Greifswald, Germany is the inspiration for this recording by Cathedral Organist Frank Dittmer. The "Prayer and Professor Bell", a c' bell cast in they year 1440 which is audible beyond the city limits, is to be joined by six more bells at pitches e flat', a flat', b flat', c", e flat", and f". The works on this recording are based on some of these pitches. Includes an improvisation on the "Prayer and Professor Bell" as well. | |
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| A 1755 Silbermann sings again! Hansjürgen Scholze plays the restored Gottfried Silbermann organ (originally completed in 1755) at the Cathedral in Dresden, Germany, where he has been Cathedral Organist since 1972. Despite having its pitch changed significantly (from a= 415 or below to a=440), and modernization in the wind system, a restoration completed in 2002 allows this organ to perform as it did during Silbermann's lifetime. | |
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| Talented young German organist Gunther Rost collaborates with Czech composer Petr Eben in recording Eben's works on the Motette label. On five volumes Rost plays organs in Germany and Switzerland. Click above to view the albums and to order! Petr Eben Das Orgelwerk Vol. 1 Petr Eben Das Orgelwerk Vol. 2 Petr Eben: Das Orgelwerk Vol. 3 Petr Eben Das Orgelwerk Vol. 4 Petr Eben Das Orgelwerk Vol. 5 | |
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| In this series on the Motette label, Beatrice-Maria and Gerhard Weinberger play in very large south German abbeys and churches where the famous large organs by Gabler, Riepp and Holzhay were built to exploit the rising gallant style. Over 8 total hours of music! Click above to view and order all seven volumes! | |
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| In seven volumes, all ten of Widor's Symphonies have been recorded on organs built or restored by the Cavaillé-Coll firm. Organists Suzanne Chaisemartin, Marie-Andrée Morisset-Balier, Daniel Roth and Odile Pierre perform on organs throughout France, including Rouen, Toulouse, Paris and Orléans. BONUS! Several discs also include works by Widor's student, Louis Vierne; One disc includes a track by Félix-Alexandre Guilmant, Widor's successor as organ teacher at the Conservatoire de Paris. Click the link to view and purchase each of the seven volumes! Charles-Marie Widor Vol. 1: Symphonie Nr. 1 op. 13/1 Charles-Marie Widor Vol. 2: Symphonie Nr. 2 op. 13/2 Charles Marie Widor Vol. 3: Symphonie Nr. 3 and Nr. 7 Charles Marie Widor Vol. 4: Symphonie Nr. 4 and Nr. 6 Charles-Marie Widor Vol. 6: Symphonie Nr. 8 op. 42/4 Charles-Marie Widor Vol. 7: Symphonie Nr. 9 | |
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| Organ and Bells of Erfurt On a hillside in the small town of Erfurt, (west of Leipzig), Germany, stand two (roughly) fourteenth century churches: The Severikirche (the older of the two buildings), and the Cathedral, where Martin Luther was ordained in 1507. Each of the churches features a number of bells, including the Gloriosa bell (cast 1497) and silver bells of the Cathedral, and the Osanna bell in the Severikirche. It is on the themes of these bells that Cathedral organist Silvius von Kessel improvises. von Kessel improvises on the Cathedral's 1992 Hauptorgel and the 1963 Chororgel, (both built by Alexander Schuke), and the 1930 Klais organ at the Severikirche. | |
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| Organist Reinhard Jaud plays works of Renaissance composer Christian Erbach on the interesting, historic and extremely well-preserved 1555 Ebert organ at the Hofkirche in Innsbruck, Austria. Jaud is joined by the Choralschola of the Muri-Gries Parish Convent (Bozen, Italy) on the Magnificat der 2. Vesper an Pfingsten, which alternates between organ and Gregorian Chant. | |
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| The 1782 Stumm organ at the Abbey Church in Amorbach, Germany was restored to its former glory in 1982 by the Klais and Steinmeyer firms, in time for its 200th Birthday. | |
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| Mulet & Ravel are played on a organ built in 1925 by the firm of Späth from Ennentach, Germany, with four manuals and 61 original registers now restored. In the resonant church, the ten colorful works comprising Mulet’s “Byzantine Studies” (of which Tu es Petra - Thou Art the Rock - is the most well known) glow in hues drawn exquisitely by Leonardy. Impressionism continues with P. O. Ferroud’s transcriptions for organs of three works from Ravel’s “Mother Goose Suite.” | |
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| Zaragoza Cathedral contains an organ case built in 1474 and now housing the Grinzing restoration completed in 2003 of the 1859 organ built by Pedro and Miguel Roqués with many of the earlier pipes. Klemens Schnorr plays works selected to show both the early Spanish and 18th- &19th-century French-German influences in the fascinating organ. BELAUSTEGI: Ofertorio in F BARRERA: Elevación; Adoración-Plegaria LASECA: Sonata de quinto tono LEYBACH: Entrée, Offeroire, Élévation, Communion CROFT: Voluntary XI CASAMORATA: Missa completa per organo (5 mvt.) BACH: Allein Gott BWV 711 KERLL: Capriccio sopra il Cucu; Battaglia HANDEL: Overture to the Occasional Oratorio in D (4 mvt.) | |
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| Jean-Jacques Grunenwald was Dupré’s assistant organist at St-Sulpice in Paris from 1936 and titular organist 1973-82, following Dupré’s death in 1971. Very well educated, Grunenwald held a diploma in architecture from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and also received first prize in Dupré’s organ class at the Paris Conservatory in 1935 at the age of 24. He made the very first recordings of the complete organ works of Bach as well as DeGrigny and Franck. The works on this CD were recorded in 1981 in stereo at St. Sulpice. Françoise Renet plays the Grunenwald work. | |
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| This special release includes two discs for the price of one: one conventional CD and the same program on a second disc produced in DVD-Audio. Roland Muhr plays the restored organ at the former Cistercian monastery church in Fürstenfeld near Munich. Finished in 1736, the organ of 27 stops comprising 43 ranks on two manuals and 18-note pedal was restored by the Sandtner firm and fills the huge and resonant Bavarian abbey church with its original sounds as so amply demonstrated with this happy program of marches by Guilmant, Boellmann, Smart, Purcell, Nowowiejski, Grieg, Fumagalli, Gherardeschi, Hartmann, Mendelssohn, Handel, Balbastre, and Lasceux, many transcribed by Muhr. Click the headline for the marches and to order. | |
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| Samuel John Swartz (1947-1994) recorded the fine 1928 E. M. Skinner 4-64 at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles in 1986 for a famous LP from Motette. The Skinner and the late Dr. Swartz can be heard on either a superior DVD-Audio disc (must be played on a DVD-Audio compatible player) or on a conventional CD. Click the headline for works by Dudley Buck, Horace Miller, Sowerby, Farnam, Lemare, Ives, Paine, and Robert Russell Bennett. | |
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| Marie-Louise Jaquet-Langlais played the splendid but rarely recorded 1880 Cavaillé-Coll 4m at Orléans Cathedral in 1982 for engineers using state-of-the-art equipment for LP releases. Now, the full fidelity of the sound (including the awesome effect of the original “Thunder Pedal” (“Orage”) on the organ) can be heard as never before on either a superior DVD-Audio disc (must be played on a DVD-Audio compatible player) or on a conventional CD. | |
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| A bouquet of Baroque flowers from Italy and Germany is played by Roland Muhr on the historic Bavarian organ in the former Cistercian monastery in Fürstenfeld near Munich. Built by Johann Fux, the 27-stop organ was finished in 1736 and is now restored. FRESCOBALDI: from Fiori Musicali — Toccata avanti la Messa della Madonna; Kyrie; Canzona dopo l’Epistola; Ricercare dopo il Credo; Toccata avanti il Ricercare; Ricercare; Toccata per l’Elevatione J. C. F. FISCHER: from Musikalischer Blumenstrauss — Prelude 1 (Doric); Prelude 8 (Hypomixolydian) JOHANNES SPETH: from Musikalische Blumen-Felder — Ten Toccatas | |
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| Playing the Stumm organ in the former Abbey of Sayn, the fine and expressive Ludger Lohmann plays Sonatas 2, 4, and 6, Preludes & Fugues in d and G, and the recently discovered Allegro, Andante, and Andante with variations. Click for more description | |
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| Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the founding of the distinguished label, Motette, the firm produces a brand new set of six CDs which survey the organs of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll of Paris. The set includes a book of more than 200 pages describing the organs. Click on headline for a list of organs and organists heard on this set. | |
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| St. Thomas, Leipzig Organ works from the last quarter of the 19th century are recorded on the restored 1889-1908 Sauer 3-100+ in the Thomaskirche, Leipzig, with Ulrich Böhme as the organist. | |
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| Joachim Walter plays transcriptions written by Hermann Jimmerthal (1809-1866), organist at the giant 1854 Schulze organ in St. Mary’s, Lübeck, that demonstrate fascinating and unexpected, kaleidoscopic, registration practices. Works he transcribed include Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Mozart's Jupiter Symphony, etc. Since the organ at St. Mary's was destroyed during World War II, this CD is recorded on the 1871 Ladegast 4m at the Cathedral in Schwerin, one of the world’s largest at the time it was built and similar in its stoplist. | |
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| Largest Organ in the World, 1883 The Walcker organ in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Riga, Latvia renders this program of German Romantic repertoire played by Fr. Dominikus Trautner with thrills galore! A Mendelssohn sonata, Merkel's Variations on a theme by Beethoven, Rheinberger Sonata 5, and Reger's Introduction & Passacaglia in f and Canzone in E-flat. Click picture for repertoire | |
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| KARG-ELERT: Var. in E; Choral Symphony on Jesu, meine Freude LISZT: Choral Nun danket alle Gott RHEINBERGER: Sonata 11; Adagio molto from Vision, Op. 156 The 1882 Walcker at Riga, when installed at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Riga, Latvia, was the world’s largest church organ with 124 stops on 4m. Most recently renovated by Flentrop, the organ is basically unaltered. Franz Liszt wrote the version of Nun danket heard on this disc for the inaugration of this important organ, impresively played by Fr. Dominikus Trautner. | |
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| Valedictorian of German Romanticism, Max Reger’s ultimate statements for the organ are explored by fine artists in this series of five CDs which feature very interesting organs of the period by Walcker, Sauer, Ladegast, Steinmeyer, and others. | |
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| Included here are the well-known pieces Mozart was commissioned to compose for mechanical clockwork organs as well as other pieces that seem to be composed for the generic keyboard. Ursula Emile-Ossenkop plays Prelude & Fugue in C; Allegro in g; Fugue in g; Fantasy in f K. 608; Fantasy (Toccata) in C; Adagio in b; Fantasy in d; Intrada & Fugue in D | |
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| Jörg Strodthoff plays a program of 19th-century arrangements of Bach by Straube, Reger, and Gottschalg on the 1898 Furtwängler & Hammer organ in Auenkirche, Berlin-Wilmersdorf. Click picture for repertoire | |
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| Heidi Emmert plays Bach, Reger, Rheinberger, and Rudger on the famous 1863 Walcker/1947 Aeolian-Skinner 4-115 at Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Massachusetts. | |
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| REGER: Prelude & Fughetta in E-minor, op. 80; Toccata & Fugue in D-minor, op. 129; 3 Chorales, Op. 135a: Ach bleib deiner Gnade; Jesus, meine Zuversicht; Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten RHINEBERGER: Pastoral-Sonate in G, op. 88 MENDELSSOHN: Sonata II BACH: Toccata & Fugue in d The Sauer Organ at the Berlin Cathedral, in 1905 the largest organ in Europe with 113 ranks, the recently restored organ provides the means to explore ‘’almost forgotten tone colors,’’ in the words of cathedral organist Michael Pohl, whose fine performances demonstrate it. | |
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| 8-Volumes Several organists play the masterful and tuneful compositions of Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901), mostly on period organs by Sauer, Walcker, and Link. | |
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| The Great Organ (1673 Richborn/1984 Schuke) and the Small Organ (1637 Stellwagen/1978 Hillebrand) at St. Jakobi, Lübeck, where Manfred Kluge (1928-1971) held his last post, offer an opportunity to hear Kluge’s works on the instruments which he knew well, at the very location where he originally composed and performed these pieces, including an arrangement for organ of Stravinsky's Symphonies for Wind Instruments. Organist Joachim Walter has a particular interest in Lübeck’s musical history, which he explores in recitals, publications, and exhibits. Click picture for repertoire | |
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| Robert Fuchs (1847-1927), praised by Brahms and a respected composition teacher at the Vienna Conservatory, took the tradition of Brahms and made thoughtful variations of these previously articulated musical statements. Peter Planyavsky plays the 1991 Rieger organ in the Stephansdom in Vienna. | |
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| Stefan Schmidt improvises on the great symphonic 3-59 Göckel organ in St. Peter’s, Düsseldorf on Gregorian Chant tunes for Advent and Christmas as sung by the Schola Ars Cantandi directed by Peter Petermann. | |
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| Requiem (Missa Pro Defunctis) and Funeral Rites (Ordo Exsequiarum): Responsories are sung by the choir of the Robert Schumann Hochschule, Dûsseldorf, directed by Karlheinrich Hodes, performing at Klosterkirche Knechtsteden. The accompanying booklet gives the text in Latin, German, French and English. | |
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| DREU: Tiento partido de mano derecha a tres A. SOLER: Sonatas Nos. 45, 54, 56 J. SOLER: Coral No. 3 TALTABULL: Nadala GURIDI: Variaciones sobre un tema vasco BUXTEHUDE: Ein feste Burg; Herr Christ, der cinig Gottes Sohn BACH: Prelude & Fugue in C Torrent at Barcelona Cathedral demonstrates the organ completed in 1994 by Gabriel Blancafort to recreate the original organ of 1540. The resulting large, four-manual instrument presents the fascinating circumstance of a brand-new organ in essentially ancient Spanish style containing these divisions: Batalla, Ecos, Cadireta, Orgue major, and Expressiu. Wonderful playing, of course, from this leader and champion of the Spanish school. | |
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| The masterpiece by an unknown builder in Ataun is ideal for organist Esteban Elizondo’s selection of battle pieces that demonstrate its many reeds. | |
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| Hubert Meister plays Trio Sonatas Nos. 1-6 BWV 525-520, on the Gottfried Silbermann organs in Grosshartmannsdorf and Forcheim. | |
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| Michael Pohl plays the completely restored-as-built 1905 Sauer 4-136 in the Berlin Cathedral, the largest Wilhelm Sauer organ ever built and representing the ultimate development of the orchestral organ in the high Romantic period. Works: 2 Preludes & Fugues in D; Passacaglia in c; Chorales Wachet auf, Schmücke dich, Nun danket, and Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit Click ikon for further description | |
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| On the restored Trost organ in Waltershausen, which Harald Vogel has called "the ideal Bach organ," Christina Garcia Banegas plays the Great 18 chorales by J. S. Bach, BWV 651- 668. | |
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| The distinguished organist and teacher Felix Freidrich, leader of the Thüringian Organ Academy since 1991, organist of the Trost organ in Altenburg, and an officer of the Gottfried Silbermann Society, plays two Silbermanns: the 2-26 built at Mylau in 1731 and the 2-37 built at Reichenbach in 1725. Click ikon for repertoire | |
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| Daniel Roth plays organ works of Franck on the Cavaillé-Coll organs of Saint-Sulpice, Paris (1862); Santa Maria del Coro in San Sebastián, Spain (1863); and Saint-Etienne Cathedral in Saint-Brieuc, Bretagne, France (1848). | |
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| VIERNE: Messe Solennelle for 4-part mixed choir and two organs MULET: Tu Es Petra; TOURNEMIRE: Prelude et Fresque HAKIM: The Embrace of Fire | |
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| Répons pour le Temps de Pâques; Andante; Te Deum; 12 Chorale Preludes and DUPRÉ: 3 Preludes & Fugues in B-flat, f, g, Op. 7, on the rebuilt Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Madeleine, Paris, where the composer was organist 1962-68. | |
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| Prelude & Fugue on BACH; Ad nos . . .; Weinen, Klagen . . . Daniel Roth, titulaire, brings such expressive energy to these works that one wonders at his reputation as a somewhat cool player. The sound of the prime Cavaillé-Coll is far more than one could even hope for. | |
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| This live performance of Cochereau at his best was recorded in excellent stereo sound at a concert in the magnificent cathedral at Cologne, Germany, on May 30, 1972, by the West German Radio. DUPRÉ: Prelude & Fugue in F-minor MESSIAEN: Apparation de l’église éternelle COCHEREAU: Improvised Symphony on Veni Creator | |
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| François Lombard has painstakingly transcribed three of Pierre Cocherau's famous improvisations for this recording: 15 Versets on Ave maris stella; Introduction, Choral & Variations on O Filli et Filiae; Sortie sur Adeste Fidelis. Lombard plays the 1870 Cavaillé-Coll at the Church of St. Peter in Calais, France. Sheet music of these transcriptions is listed under Cochereau in the Sheet Music department on this website. | |
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| FRANCE GAVE US the first international organ recitalist with a trans-Atlantic career, champion of organ reform and early music, musicologist, and prodigious composer whose organ works are played on these CDs in several venues by various organists. | |
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| Susan Chaisemartin, disciple of Dupré and organist of St. Augustin in Paris, plays the Cavaillé-Coll at Rouen in the beloved 15 pieces founded on antiphons as well as Sept Pièces, op. 27. | |
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| Daniel Roth at St.-Sulpice, Paris This CD offers a cross-section of Dupré’s substantial canon of organ works: Preludes & Fugues in B, a, g, A-flat; two Chorales; two Inventions; Variations on a Noël; Le Monde dans l’attente du Sauveur from Symphonie-Passion, and several more. Click to see entire list. | |
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| Daniel Roth improvises at Sacré-Coeur, the giant basilica in Paris which contains a 4m Cavaillé-Coll. Roth improvises: Fanfares, Chaconne on a theme of Brahms, Récit de Cornet, and pieces based on chants Pange lingua, Victimae paschali, Ubi caritas, and several more. | |
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| Bernhard Leonardy plays the complete organ works of Duruflé on the 1989 Van den Heuvel 5m organ of 147 ranks at Saint Eustache in Paris. Click picture for list of works | |
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| The 1899 Cavaillé-Coll 3-62 at the Moscow Conservatory was exhibited at the 1900 World’s Fair by Widor, Vierne, Gigout, and Guilmant. A program of Russian and French music is played by Alexei Parshin who teaches organ at the conservatory. Click picture for repertoire | |
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| As heard on the Pipedreams radio program in September, 1999, Widor's own arrangement for organ and orchestra of two movements from Organ Symphony No. 6. Also, one movement from Organ Symphony No. 2 into "Symphonie pour orgue et orchestre opus 42" in g. Also on the CD, American Frank Stewart Adams's 1920 arrangement of the first movement from Widor's Organ Symphony No. 5. Exciting performance by Ulrich Meldau and the Zurich Symphony. Also two solo works. | |
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| Blanc Improvises 18 Versets on August 14 and 15, 1992, at St-Sernin, a fine CD released following his great hit of Genesis. The versets are short and are intended to demonstrate the panopoly of colors and effects available from the organ, resulting in the very last sound document of the beloved Cavaille-Coll before its disassembly for restoration. | |
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| This premier improviser explores the tonal resources of the landmark 1845 Cavaillé-Coll at the Cathedral of Saint-Denis, Paris, the first of the great symphonic organs. Improvs: Six Chansons de France; Prologue, Theme, and 12 Variations; Prelude & Fugue on A-R-I-S-T-I-D-E | |
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| Symphony in G-minor for organ and orchestra, op. 25 SOLO WORKS: Deux Esquisses Iste confessor Fileuse Symphonie-Passion Ulrich Meldau, organist; Zurich Symphony, Daniel Schweizer, cond. | |
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| Finish organist Kalevi Kiviniemi is famous for his virtuoso technique and his amazing command of the organ. Here he arranges and transcribes music composed for orchestra, voice, and other instruments, and plays it on a 4m German organ built in 1986 to play romantic and orchestral repertoire. | |
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| LISZT: Sonata in B-minor for piano, transcribed to organ BRAHMS: Variations and Fugue on a theme of Handel, Op. 24, transcribed for organ | |
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| Kalevi Kiviniemi plays a colorful program befitting the tonal palette of this major instrument (4-110), recently enjoying restorative repairs by the Bradford Organ Co., reversing earlier changes. SIBELIUS: Finlandia BONNET: 2nd Legende, Caprice Heroique DUPRÉ: Magnificat, Antiphon, Crucifixion PIERNE: Prelude WIDOR: Andante Sostenuto SAINT-SAËNS: Prelude op. 99 AULIS SALLINEN: Chaconne KIVINIEMI: Improvisation KOKKONEN: Lux aeterna KANKANEN: The Moonlight | |
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| Great sound and playing of Bach, Roberts, Rheinberger, Tournemire, Dupré, and Joyce Jones' own improvisation on The Red Dragonfly | |
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| On the famous organ built in 1739 by Heinrich Gottfried Trost in Altenburg, Germany, Felix Friedrich plays fine works of this pupil of J. S. Bach with Mathias Schmutzler, trumpet and hunting horn. Chorale Preludes Gott der Vater wohn uns bei; In allen meinen Taten; Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, O Herr; Wachet auf; Fantasia in C Wachet auf; Choral Wachet auf; Fantasia sopra Wachet auf; Chorale for Horn & Organ Es ist gewi lich an der Zeit KREBS FOR ORGAN ALONE: Prelude in C; Fantasia à giusto italiano in F; Fantasia in F; Prelude & Fugue in D-minor | |
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| Paul Wisskirchen plays the 114-rank Klais at Altenberg Cathedral in Peeters’ organ concerto with the orchestra directed by Volker Hempfling. Andreas Meisner performs the solo works at Mechelen (Belgium) Cathedral where Peeters was organist for more than 60 years. Concerto for Organ and Orchestra, op. 52 Toccata, Fugue and Hymn Aria 2 Chorale Preludes | |
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| Concerto for Organ & Orch. Symphonia Gregoriana, Moto ostinato Eben Organ Concerto, composed in 1953, received its first ‘’Western’’ performance in 1990 with the composer in attendance at the Altenberg Cathedral. This CD commemorates the event, with Paul Wi_kirchen, cathedral organist at the 114-rank Klais, and the Halle Handel Festival Orchestra, Volker Hempfling, cond. Andreas Meisner plays the solo work, Moto ostinato. Eben’s telling remarks are recorded on the CD and translated to English in the booklet. | |
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| CASELLA: Concerto Romano POULENC: Concerto in g | |
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| Organ & Brass from Frankfurt features the great Finnish organist Kalevi Kiviniemi playing a 75-rank organ with the Astra Brass Septett in original works and interesting arrangements of Franck, Dupré, Renaissance dances, Clarke, Josquin, Gabrieli, and Saint-Saëns that are finely wrought and performed. Click for further description. | |
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| Ulrich Meldau plays three major works for organ and orchestra with the 4-m 1988 Kleuker-Steinmeyer organ in the Town Hall, Zurich, and the Zurich Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Schweizer. Concerto in a, op. 100; Konzertstück in c, op.130; Fantasia Sinfonica, op. 147 | |
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| The 1624 Scherer Organ at St. Stephan’s in Tangermünde in north Germany was restored in 1994 by Alexander Schuke of Potsdam. With one-half of the original pipes remaining, including samples from all but four original stops, it is said to be the only large organ of the early Baroque to be returned to its original state. Thus, it joins the recently restored Schnitgers in Hamburg and Uithuizen as among the more important restorations of Baroque Europe. Christoph Lehmann plays very well a program of appropriate works for this early baroque organ. Click ikon for repertoire | |
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| Heinrich Hamm plays a program of works by south German composers of the time of the organ’s creation, including Speth, Muffat, Nauss, Maichelbeck, Marpurg, Oldy, Knecht, and P. E. Bach. | |
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| Weckmann Complete Hans Davidsson plays with great style on the famous Arp Schnitger organ at Norden in the Ludgerikirche. Exhaustive notes in the 94-page booklet. 2-CD set | |
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| The World’s Oldest Organ 1430 Modern technological examinations of the ancient organ in the Protestant church of St. Andreas in Ostönnen (Westphalia) date it ca. 1430. The organ was carefully restored in 2002-03 by a consortium. Organist Brett Leighton is joined by Doron David Sherwin on the cornetto, a difficult and little known early wind instrument, in a program of early music. Click picture for repertoire | |
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| Bernard Buttman designed the 120-rank (±, with 3 stops at 32' pitch) Klais organ upon which he plays these works in the Audimax concert hall at the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. | |
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| Fantasies are played by Friedhelm Flamme on the 1903 Sauer organ at the Lutherkirche of Bad Harzburg, Germany. The organ, which had been rebuilt twice with baroque tonal changes, was restored in 2001 by Sauer expert Christian Schefller who added a third manual in Sauer’s romantic style. | |
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| This CD unveils such a treasury of Romantic German organ music that it is hard to believe it lay completely forgotten for more than a century. Of this work, he writes, “This fourth and last part of my practical school for organ, op. 58, is intended only for the more advanced . . . There is scarcely any need to mention that the idea is taken from Seb. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier; here, however, the preludes and the fugues are more related to form a while, so that the preludes are not complete in themselves.” The 24 pieces in each key are played on 2 CDs by Reinhard Kluth on the 3-66 organ reconstructed in 1999 in the “Bach temperament” of John Barnes at the Stadtkirche in Celle. | |
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| Peter Planyavsky improvises on the organs of the Cathedrals in Brixen and Bremen, Germany. The famous improvisation in Brixen on the was recorded in 1981; the 19-minute improvisation in Bremen on a theme from the Brahms German Requiem was recorded by Radio Bremen in 1983 and has been broadcast but not released as a recording. Playavsky, born in 1947, is Professor of Organ and Improvisation and chairman of the Church Music Department at the University for Music and Drama in Vienna. Click for descriptions of the improvs. on this CD. | |
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