•The United States Air Force Academy Stellar Brass is a brass and percussion ensemble and has performed across the nation. Their musical virtuosity spans across performance styles and genres, including everything from arrangements of classical favorites, to original commissions. Fireworks for Brass and Organ features not only the full, rich sound of the brass ensemble, but also the wide-ranging capabilities of the organ. Combined, they can perform works such as the finale from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, “Organ” and the Hallelujah Chorus, as well as Suite for Organ, Brass Quintet, and Percussion, an original work by composer Craig Phillips. Now, Fireworks for Brass and Organ will be available at a special reduced price! Don’t miss this opportunity to experience this special pairing of instrumental groups in ways both old and new!

The piano is perhaps better suited than any other instrument to evoke the sound of bells – evening bells, bells of farewell and of joy, funereal bells, bells with spiritual overtones – and late-Romantic and twentieth-century French and Russian composers in particular have responded to the challenge of capturing those sonorities at the keyboard. This recital explores three centuries of pianistic tintinnabulation, and its ability to capture atmosphere and emotion. In her work, Irmela Roelcke combines concerts with teaching, practicing with reflecting and communicating music. She develops innovative concepts and dramaturgically profiled programs.

The appearance of Faur�'s Requiem in the 1880s, a decade during which the composer's most successful compositions were songs and piano pieces, can on I y be explained by the fine choral music which preceded it. The Messe basse represents Faur� at his most practical. Written in conjunction with the French composer and organist Andr� Messager (also at one time assistant to Widor at St Sulpice) during a holiday in Normandy in 1881, the Messe basse was composed for the modest forces of a local church. A setting of the motet O salutaris hostia and the Kyrie were Messager's contribution; the remaining movements of the Ordinary, without the Credo, were set by Faur�. When revising the score in 1906 Faur� adapted the violin and harmonium accompaniment for organ, at the same time excising the Gloria and replacing Messager's Kyrie with one of his own. The final version of the Messe basse is one of the few existing settings of the mass for female voices and organ. The youthful Cantique de Jean Racine dates from 1865 when Faur� was studying with Saint-Sa�ns at the Ecole Niedermeyer in Paris. The Cantique earned Faur� a premier prix in composition and is a testament to the young composer's melodic genius and to his penchant for rich textures. This recording is an attempt to move Faur�'s liturgical music from the concert hall to the church. In particular, the reconstruction of nineteenth-century French ecclesiastical pronunciation and the restoration of Faur�'s preferred phrasing are just two of the most useful elements in the search for the composer's intentions. To those familiar with the more expansive versions of Faur�'s Requiem there will inevitably be unfamiliar textures in this performance. However, few of Faur�'s romantic gestures are lost in the chamber version, and moreover, the reserved translucence of the instrumentation emphasizes the fact that the Requiem -and indeed all the choral music recorded here - was originally designed for liturgical performance.

Louis Vierne is renowned as one of the most brilliant of all French organ composers. His piano works are little known despite their colourful, imaginative and inspiring treatment of the instrument. The early Deux Pièces owe their lyrical style to Mendelssohn, while the Suite bourguignonne exudes an atmosphere of joie de vivre and romantic contentment. Impressionism can be heard in the Trois Nocturnes, the third of which is considered one of Vierne’s masterpieces with its evocative use of birdsong, while the shadows of war echo in the solemn Poème des cloches funèbres. This is the first of two albums covering repertoire that deserves a place in the pantheon of French piano music.

REViEW:

The overall impact of Volume 1 is wide-ranging. The musical style stretches from the Romantic character piece to post-Impressionism. The compositions on this album are placed in chronological order.

The playing by Sergio Monteiro captures the magic of this music. He can seize Vierne’s “colourful, imaginative and inspiring” approach to the piano. The recording is superb. The liner notes by Peter Siepmann are excellent; they give a brief overview of the composer’s life and achievement, detailed notes about each piece, and successfully manages to fit them into Vierne’s overall achievement. Bearing in mind that there are few other sources of information about this music, they make essential reading.

I enjoyed this exploration of Louis Vierne’s piano oeuvre. To whom will this disc appeal? I guess that listeners who appreciate the great tradition of French piano music, from Alkan to Messiaen. It fills a gap that has been ignored by most recitalists and I look forward to the second volume soon.

– MusicWeb International

Louis Vierne will always be best remembered as one France’s most outstanding organ composers, but his piano works are part of a significant wider oeuvre and notable for their colourful and inspired inventiveness. Each of the Douze Préludes carries an evocative title in music filled with the pain and tumult of war and loss, while the epitaphs in Solitude were composed shortly after the deaths of Vierne’s brother and eldest son. Including recently published manuscripts, this is the second of two albums covering repertoire that deserves a place in the pantheon of French piano music.

On June 2, 2012—the 75th anniversary of his death at Notre Dame—I performed each of Vierne’s six organ symphonies in a marathon performance at Church of the Ascension, New York. That performance launched a summer-long tour of these works (affectionally titled “Vierne 2012”) with similar performances in Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Montreal, and Dallas. At the time, the Pascal Quoirin organ at Ascension Church was a little over a year old and, as of this recording, it is still the only French-built organ ever installed in New York City. Among organ music, the successful performance of French repertoire is especially dependent on the particular sonorities available on a given instrument. The Quoirin organ is a very good fit for the colorful demands of Franck and Vierne’s music, and it was an honor to return to Ascension Church for this recording. Ever since the marathon tour, I am often asked if I have a favorite among Vierne’s symphonies. It’s hard (and unnecessary) to pick, but the sixth just might be my favorite. It has all the characteristics that make Vierne’s music so appealing, and perfectly in proportion. And, with Vierne at the height of his artistry, it also marks the apex of the French symphonic organ tradition — a fitting culmination of the style enshrined with Franck’s Grande pièce symphonique.

Recording in an excellent acoustic the Chandos sound team has excelled with well balanced and forthright sonics. Full Latin and French texts are provided together with English translations. Under Andrew Nethsingha's assured direction the choir sing with integrity and a profound devotional intensity. The organists in the Vierne accompany the choir with convincing weight and scale. If the repertoire suits there is absolutely no reason to hesitate about purchasing this Chandos release.

– Michael Cookson, MusicWeb International

The last Reference Recordings release to come my was Organ Odyssey, which showcased the Fisk Op. 100 of Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas. In general such up-to-date instruments show how capable modern concert organs can be; stable, sophisticated and subtle they certainly make a change from the untamed roar of the Cavaillé-Colls upon which the French composer-organists experimented with such success. That said, some examples of the venerable Aristide’s organ-building skills – that in the Church of St François-de-Sales, Lyon, for instance – can deliver the most refined sounds imaginable. Jan Lehtola’s Widor disc – one of my Recordings of the Year for 2013 – is ample proof of that.

The Allegro from Widor’s Organ Symphony No. 6 headlines this new album, which features Kansas City's Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant (2011). At the console of this magnificent 102-rank instrument is Jan Kraybill, who tackles Widor’s daunting structures with aplomb. Even at this early stage the organ’s tonal subtlety and range of colours are very much in evidence; whether Kraybill’s dissembling quietly or sallying forth her playing is always tasteful and proportionate. As for the recorded sound, so often the killer in collections such as this, it’s both full and forensic, with a phenomenal reach. These tummy-wobbling pedals, all the more thrilling for being judiciously used, will satisfy even the most jaded of organistas.

Goodness, this is a very promising start; after all that heat and heft Florent Schmitt’s Prière is a quiet oasis of pure loveliness. Small it may be, but it’s so gracefully formed. Jehan Alain’s two dances inspired by Agni Yavishta, the Hindu god of fire, are a perfect foil for what’s gone before. Kraybill teases out all the music’s sinuous rhythms and exotic flavours, and seasons the dish – lightly – with those stunning pedals. Joseph Bonnet’s Variations de Concert, a most accomplished Op. 1, is another well-chosen piece, for it demonstrates both the intimacy and agility of this fine instrument.

There’s nothing at all flashy or distracting about Kraybill’s performances; and what a pleasure that is, given the self-aggrandising showmanship one usually associates with such recitals. It’s not just the playing, for the clean, unfussy acoustic and the perfectly judged recording add immeasurably to one’s enjoyment of the music. And it just gets better. Maurice Duruflê’s elusive, Ariel-like Scherzo is a delight; Kraybill’s apt registrations and general keyboard wizardry turns her into something of a Prospero figure, very much in command of all that she surveys. This confluence of artistic and technical talents makes the Scherzo an ideal taster for those who wish to try before they buy.

Marcel Dupré is represented here by his youthfully conceived G minor Prélude et Fugue. Given his flamboyance as both a composer and a performer Duprê’s writing here seems remarkably restrained. Don’t be fooled, for the filigreed detail of the first part and the firm direction of the second confirm this as the work of a real pro. As always Kraybill gets the scale just right, so the work’s fugal pomp never sounds empty or overbearing. A quiet bravo is in order here, as it is after Franck’s Pièce héroïque. The latter's an organ staple that, like so many of its ilk, is apt to stale with repetition. Kraybill really freshens it up with her lithe, transparent playing; indeed, her finely shaped and projected account of the piece reminds me of Hans-Eberhard Roß, whose three-volume traversal of Franck’s organ music is mandatory listening for all Franckophiles.

As with Organ Polychrome those Roß recordings, played on a 1998 Goll, revitalise familiar repertoire in all sorts of ways. Throw in sympathetic engineering and the results are truly remarkable. That’s certainly true of Felix Guilmant’s Caprice in B flat, which at times appears to mimic the chug and honk of a fairground organ. This may suggest a degree of roughness, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Kraybill's playing is always refined, and she brings out the music’s inner voices with ease and good humour. This is my favourite track; the music scampers to a delicious, seat-pinning finale that left me grinning like a village idiot.

Louis Vierne’s mellifluous Prélude, the first part of a work he wrote for his US concert tour in 1927, gets a buoyant outing here; the dark-toned Caprice balances grace and gravitas and the Intermezzo, with its ‘Boo!’ ending, is spookily done. What better way to end this marvellous recital than with Eugène Gigout’s Grand-Choeur dialogué? Grand it most certainly is; the recording’s fine sense of depth and breadth ensures the antiphonal character of the piece is conveyed with ear-pricking realism. And the joy that peals forth in the final seconds is a perfect metaphor for this recital as a whole; a triumph for all concerned.

Only once before have I encountered an organ recording worthy of the term 'a perfect storm’, and that was the Fuga/Kiviniemi Lakeuden Ristin urut; I didn’t think that would be supplanted any time soon, and now it has. The skill and good judgement of both organists is beyond question, as are the recording talents of Mika Koivusalo (Fuga) and Keith O. Johnson and his team (Reference Recordings). Frankly, these two albums blow all others into the proverbial weeds.

In the face of such overwhelming excellence it pains me to bring up the vexed question of booklets or, more precisely, the lack of them. I was annoyed to discover that this and other RR downloads are being sold without any documentation. In a recent article for MusicWeb International I pointed out why this is unacceptable and urged the offending labels/distributors to address the issue without delay. A cross Tweet elicited a booklet in this case, but that’s not the way it should be done. RR's omission is all the more regrettable as the Organ Polychrome booklet is beautifully presented – it’s a model of common sense and clarity – and Kraybill’s succinct notes are a pleasure to read.

Pure magic; my store of enchanted objects has just increased by one.

– M usicWeb International (Dan Morgan)

Grammy®-nominated American organist Jan Kraybill performs an engaging program of organ literature spanning the 18th through 21st centuries upon the Schantz pipe organ of Grace Cathedral (Episcopal) in Topeka, Kansas USA. Jan Kraybill is a musical leader and dynamic speaker; a concert organist, pianist, and harpsichordist; an educator, church musician, and consultant; and an enthusiastic advocate for the power of music to change lives for the better. In addition to maintaining a very active concert schedule, Dr. Kraybill is Organ Conservator at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, Organist-in-Residence at the international headquarters of Community of Christ in Independence, Missouri; and Organist at Village on Antioch Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Overland Park, Kansas. She plays and oversees the care of the Kansas City metro area's three largest pipe organs: at Community of Christ, the Auditorium’s 113-rank Aeolian-Skinner (installed in 1959) and the Temple’s 102-rank Casavant (1993), and at the Kauffman Center's Helzberg Hall, the 102-rank Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant (2012).

Louis Vierne inhabits a unique place in the development of the Organ Symphony. Following in the footsteps of his teacher, Charles-Marie Widor, Vierne brought the organ symphony to its pinnacle with his six symphonies, written between 1895 and 1930. Symphonic in style, structure, and form rather than forces, these solo organ works are exquisite composition examples of the last great late French Romantic organ composer. As the thirty-one movements of these symphonies offer a staggering variety of character, from majestic to whimsical, and from deep despair to unbridled joy; the venues offer an equally broad variety of organs and acoustics.

Concert Organist Eric Plutz performs the Complete Organ Symphonies of Louis Vierne superbly and spectacularly on six separate organs around the United States from New York to Texas. This album is the culmination of “The Vierne Project,” a series of performances of the complete Vierne organ symphonies in celebration of the composer’s 150th birthday in 2020. The University Organist at Princeton University, Plutz is one of only a handful of organists to embark on such a venture. As an organ concert soloist, he has performed on distinguished and historic instruments across the United States and abroad including in Germany, Austria, and France.

With a title inspired by Woody Allen’s ‘Midnight in Paris’ (the opening scenes of which were filmed on the church steps), ‘Midnight at St Etienne du Mont’ explores the music of Duruflé, who was Titular Organist there from 1929 until his death in 1986. As well as Durufulé’s own Suite Op. 5, at the centre of the programme is the premiere recording of David Briggs’ Le Tombeau de Duruflé – a brilliant work built on plainsong themes that Duruflé so loved himself. British-Australian organist and choral conductor Joseph Nolan has been hailed by ABC Classic FM as “an extraordinary musician”, BBC Radio 3 CD Review as a “virtuoso”, and Limelight Magazine, Australia as a “remarkable musician”. In 2016 he was awarded the medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government for services to French music

Includes work(s) for organ by various composers. Soloist: Frederick Lewis Swann.

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.

Classical Music

REVIEW:

Cedille has made a good decision in choosing this program to launch its new mid-price FOUNDation imprint. First, Menotti's Mass proves surprisingly engrossing and substantial, and, not surprisingly, full of beautiful melodic material and operatic-style passages and movements. Never having heard this work before, and being very familiar with the operas, I was expecting something more clever and catchy than profound. Well, what Menotti gives us is not exactly profound, but it's undeniably lovely and often very powerful, and the music, an intriguing stylistic mix, is weighty and thoroughly developed enough to give the textual/liturgical material its due.

Although originality is not much in evidence--Fauré, the Debussy of Pelléas, and Tchaikovsky's character effects in the ballets are never far away, nor are the film-music, plot-action orchestral devices--Menotti nevertheless knows how to write a very good theatre piece that at once successfully captures the significance of the Mass (and each of its movements) as a sacred, spiritual experience.

He's fortunate here to have some very fine soloists--not a weak link in this group--and an absolutely first-rate choir and conductor (Menotti sanctioned this performance and attended the rehearsals and concert from which this recording was made). The choir sopranos and tenors are worthy of special mention for their gorgeous tone and uninhibited ease in the upper-register passages. This is currently the only available recording of Menotti's Mass--a puzzle, given its immediately appealing character and standard performing forces--but the performances are excellent, and the sound, from a Chicago concert in 1982, is remarkably good thanks to expert remastering by engineer Bill Maylone.

Vierne's Messe solennelle is more stylistically and thematically cohesive than the Menotti, but it's anything but subtle; written for choir and two organs, it assumes a large performing space, large choral forces, and a room-filling organ sound. This performance, from a 1988 concert at a Chicago church, satisfies Vierne's requirements--including the support of two magnificent organs (whose specifications are thoughtfully included in the liner notes)--and makes a solid impression.

The William Ferris Chorale again makes a fine sound but seems less comfortable with the performing space and with the demands of coordinating organ and vocal parts. But in spite of the few out-of-sync moments, the overall performance is the kind that would leave an audience enthralled, especially regarding the big climaxes, rich tutti choral textures, and the visceral impact of the organ sound (very well recorded). In all, this proves not only an engaging program, but, particularly in the case of the Menotti, a welcome and important addition to the choral catalog. Warmly recommended. [1/11/2007]

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Classical Music

Internationally recognized organist Jung-A Lee performs an intimate recital on the great Walt Disney Concert Hall organ as a gift to Simon Woods (the new CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) and as a token of appreciation in honor of the orchestra's 100th Anniversary season. Jung-A's infectious and delightful sense of humor infuses her musical performance and repertoire choices. Jung-A Lee has performed in Europe, North America, and Asia as organist, pianist and conductor. She currently serves as organist at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. In addition, she teaches at Biola University and Vanguard University. Lee is also the Artist-in-Residence for Pacific Chorale which is directed by Maestros John Alexander and Robert Istad. In 2009 she founded Music Mission International in order to promote organ music. She completed her Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance from Boston University, and earned her Master of Music from Yale University with a full scholarship.

Just how much wonderful French music there is to discover from the period circa 1900 is revealed to us by Duo Avad on their new GENUIN CD. Cellist Clemens Krieger and pianist Rieko Yoshizumi present original compositions and arrangements that reach far beyond the standard repertoire. The CD features tiny treasures of little-known composers such as Gabriel Pierné and Louis Vierne as well as unknown works by the 'greats' such as Debussy, Ravel and Fauré. Of particular note is the 'Soir triste' by Lili Boulanger, who died much too early. Reconstructed by the ensemble, it is recorded here for the first time. This is intimate, impressionistic chamber music, elegantly and finely performed at the highest level.