Vierne Organ Symphony No.1 (1899)

[Alan Howe]

Just recently I heard the last movement toccata from this magnificent work for the first time and realised that this was probably the successor to the famous movement from Widor's 5th Organ symphony. I managed to track down Daniel Chorzempa's recording from 1987 which is spectacular.

The problem I find with Vierne is the increasingly chromatic nature of his later music, so this 1st Organ Symphony suits me fine. However, should I venture further into his organ music - and, if so, how far?

[Gareth Vaughan]

I think you would find the 2nd and 3rd symphonies to your taste. After that, not so much.

I agree that the "Final" of the 1st is terrific and I prefer it to Widor's 5th. Vierne's Carillon-Sortie is also fun.

Try also the Toccata by Marcel Lanquetuit (available in a number of different performances on YouTube) and the Toccata in B minor by Gigout (similarly available).

[Gareth Vaughan]

I assume you are familiar with the Suite Gothique by Boellmann.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Gareth.

In fact I've now ordered the complete set of Organ Symphonies on Brilliant Classics as it was so inexpensive, so I'll be looking forward to Nos.2 and 3!

[Gareth Vaughan]

I hope you won't be disappointed.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I must apologise for a careless mistake in one of my previous posts: I wrongly ascribed the "Carillon-Sortie" to Vierne. It is, of course, by Henri Mulet.

[4candles]

Vierne's 3rd Symphony - especially (for me) its opening and closing movements - is a masterwork. His 4th and 5th generally leave me less enthralled, though there's no doubting the skilfullness of their writing. The finale of the 6th Symphony is one of my favourite organ pieces. It's pretty chromatic in parts, but well worth a good few spins.

His other Carillons are also excellent ('de Westminster', 'de Longpont' and 'Les cloches de Hinckley'), as well as other selections from his '24 Pièces dans le style libre' and, especially, '24 Pièces de Fantasie'  which includes some glorious music such as 'Hymne au Soleil'.

As an aside, if you haven't tried the '3 Preludes and Fugues, Op.7' by Marcel Dupré, you really must. The third piece is positively life-affirming.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for these thoughts.

[eschiss1]

The only Vierne for organ in my collection, fwiw, seems to be a recording of the 6th symphony I acquired because the other item was Reger's 2nd organ sonata. Have heard several of his chamber works, though, and his symphony in A minor for orchestra.

[dmitterd]

Readers may be interested to know that Vierne orchestrated various movements (the Scherzo from the Second Symphony, Adagio from the Third Symphony and the Final from the First Symphony) from his organ symphonies into a Pièce Symphonique. It looks like the recording is now out of print but I imagine second hand copies can be found on Ebay, etc. More information here: https://ohscatalog.org/louis-vierne-volume-4-christine-kamp-and-orchestra/

cheers,
Daniel

[Ilja]

For whoever wants to taste Vierne's Pièce Symphonique, there's an enthusiastically played but execrably recorded Youtube performance:

1. (Not available)
2. Adagio 
3. Finale

Caution is advised.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have tried it. It is HORRIBLE!

[Ilja]

The upside is that whatever this new recording offers, it'll be an improvement. Small blessings...

[Alan Howe]

It's not a new recording - unless I've misunderstood...?

[Mark Thomas]

For those with a spirit of adventure, downloadable tracks of the commercial recording of Vierne's Pièce Symphonique for organ and orchestra can be bought very cheaply from this Dutch online music store: https://web20.sthrecords.nl/muziek/2195/christine-kamp-l-yuvre-d-orgue-integral-de-louis-vierne-vol-iv/. My browser threw up a dire security warning but this seems to be linked to the site's security certificate being out of date. I had no problems thereafter, although the site is in Dutch. You do need to register, and to be on the safe side I used a fictitious name and address, an email address I hardly ever use (because the download link is emailed out) and paid with PayPal but all seems above board, the tracks downloaded with no problems and are virus-free, as is my PC. I'm not recommending you risk it, just saying that I did and it seems to be consequence-free provided you take precautions.