Louis Vierne - Blind French Organist/Composer!

Started by SonicMan46, November 16, 2008, 03:11:14 PM

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Cato

Highly recommended CD which I bought at Westminster Cathedral (Catholic), when we were visiting London:

Louis Vierne's Messe Sollennelle plus works by Widor and Marcel Dupre'!


"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

schnittkease

Quote from: André on December 23, 2016, 12:29:02 PM
Just like Pierné, Koechlin, Tournemire, Roussel, Schmitt, there is nothing in Vierne's chamber music that will stop the trains and make one shout 'Bravo!'. But their tentacles make their way and grab the attention over time. 1890-1950 was a great period for french chamber music.

I can't speak for Vierne, but surely Schmitt's Piano Quintet is a masterwork?

SymphonicAddict

#22
The Piano Quintet in C minor is his MASTERPIECE (along with his Symphony in A minor). The intensity level of the Quintet is comparable to the Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio or the Chausson's Concert for piano, violin and string quartet. It's stormy, passionate, quite afflicted. I like it more than the Franck's Piano Quintet.

Mountain Goat

Just been listening to this excellent double CD of his complete chamber music:



All the music is worth hearing, but the Piano Quintet is especially good. Written shortly after the death of his son, it's about as cheerful as you would expect, but it's an extremely powerful work which deserves to be much better known!

Cato

Quote from: Mountain Goat on May 15, 2021, 02:02:36 PM
Just been listening to this excellent double CD of his complete chamber music:



All the music is worth hearing, but the Piano Quintet is especially good. Written shortly after the death of his son, it's about as cheerful as you would expect,

but it's an extremely powerful work which deserves to be much better known!



Yes, a most excellent and haunting work, and, since chamber music has not always been a first choice, it takes a great chamber work to interest me!   8)
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

Mountain Goat

Quote from: Cato on May 16, 2021, 02:11:33 PM
Yes, a most excellent and haunting work, and, since chamber music has not always been a first choice, it takes a great chamber work to interest me!   8)

It's certainly impressive, it's one of those works which really grabs you on the first listen - well it did to me anyway! I first heard it in concert and couldn't believe I had not heard of it before.

Another CD I highly recommend:



His only orchestral symphony, makes me wish he'd written more! The Poème for piano & orchestra, despite its unassuming title, is actually a pretty substantial piece which could easily be called a concerto.

Cato

Quote from: Mountain Goat on May 18, 2021, 08:32:26 AM
It's certainly impressive, it's one of those works which really grabs you on the first listen - well it did to me anyway! I first heard it in concert and couldn't believe I had not heard of it before.

Another CD I highly recommend:



His only orchestral symphony, makes me wish he'd written more! The Poème for piano & orchestra, despite its unassuming title, is actually a pretty substantial piece which could easily be called a concerto.


Yes: despite the 6 great Organ Symphonies (for solo organ), Vierne only composed this one - but wonderful - symphony for orchestra!  The Poème is also a masterpiece: the use of short pauses and the interplay between orchestra and soloist produce a most expressive atmosphere.
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)