Favourite works for Organ and Orchestra (excluding Saint Saens's 3rd Symphony)

Started by vandermolen, October 11, 2021, 08:03:37 AM

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vandermolen

Quote from: Cato on October 11, 2021, 12:52:55 PM
A big AMEN  0:)  for the GUILMANT and POULENC works!


Is that the one with 10 trumpets?  I bought that when it first came out on an American label, I think on RCA with Leopold Stokowski conducting!

A fun work!  A potboiler,  :D   but a fun potboiler!  8)

Not to be forgotten:

https://www.youtube.com/v/hu8Y8elFFhE
Re: AK - Yes, that's the one Leo.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

classicalgeek

Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2021, 08:52:01 AM
I've actually seen the Williamson live (great 'big tune' in the finale, based on the dedicatee, Adrian Boult's, initials (ACB)) with Boult conducting. This is the team who recorded it for Lyrita:


I see the Williamson is on Spotify - I'll have to give it a listen soon!
So much great music, so little time...

Original compositions and orchestrations: https://www.youtube.com/@jmbrannigan

vandermolen

Quote from: classicalgeek on October 11, 2021, 02:29:05 PM
I see the Williamson is on Spotify - I'll have to give it a listen soon!

If you like it you might enjoy 'Elevamini' (his 1st Symphony on another Lyrita CD) and the Sinfonia Concertante. I find him to be an interesting composer.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Symphonic Addict

Concertos or symphonies with organ:

Poulenc: Organ Concerto
Casella: Concerto Romano
Copland: Symphony for organ and orchestra
Hindemith: Organ Concerto
Leifs: Organ Concerto


Works that are not concertos:

Weinberger: Passacaglia for organ and orchestra
Dubois: Fantaisie Triomphale
Otaka: Fantasy for organ and orchestra
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

bhodges

A 21st-century favorite is A Scotch Bestiary (2003-04) by James MacMillan (basically a concerto for orchestra and organ), with the superb organist Wayne Marshall. There's political content, i.e., warring Scottish factions, but you don't need to know any of that to appreciate MacMillan's exuberant orchestration.

https://www.amazon.com/MacMillan-Scotch-Bestiary-Piano-Concerto/dp/B000FMR3Z8

--Bruce

MusicTurner

Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2021, 08:57:08 AM
Yes, do and let us know what you think - look out for the big tune in the last movement! I have that Lyrita LP as well.

I've had difficulties finding the Williamson LP (it's there somewhere, but parts of my collection could be better organized), however there's a complete version on you-tube (maybe insert specific Roman numbers too, to get all tracks). It's a sprawling, ambitious, very varied work, with a lot going on, going from the quirky first movement (I was reminded of Stravinsky, big band jazz and even parts of Nørgård's percussion concerto), to the slow movement, at times perhaps reminding of early Messiaen. The finale takes up traits from the 1st movement again, but even more extrovertly, then suddenly a slower, cinematic and lyrical section interrupts, and is combined with the faster music, building up to big, fireworks-like climaxes.

I like that it's generally quite transparent in the instrumentation, very well recorded, and you hear a lot of details, as in chamber music, though the finale makes a lot of use of grand orchestral sound. It's a work worth exploring further.

premont

Quote from: MusicTurner on October 11, 2021, 08:58:47 AM
I also have BWV1052 as a concerto for organ & orchestra, it works OK.

Generally I think the harpsichord version works better than the organ version or any reconstructed violin version, because the organ version (taken from the cantata-sinfonias) and the violin version lack the left hand addirtions, which Bach made for the harpsichord version, making the music more weighty and in accordance with the dark manacing character of the composition.
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premont

I think the Bach examples of music for organ and orchestra have got a certain character of being arrangements (even if by Bach himself) and for that reason they don't feel quite idiomatic to me. Some of Händel's organ concertos feel more idiomatic but on the other hand they are less musically interesting. So I don't listen much to baroque music for organ and orchestra. Also I'm not much into romantic music, so actually only Hindemith's and Poulenc's concertos remain, and I would hardly call them great favorites.
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vandermolen

Quote from: MusicTurner on October 13, 2021, 04:22:23 AM
I've had difficulties finding the Williamson LP (it's there somewhere, but parts of my collection could be better organized), however there's a complete version on you-tube (maybe insert specific Roman numbers too, to get all tracks). It's a sprawling, ambitious, very varied work, with a lot going on, going from the quirky first movement (I was reminded of Stravinsky, big band jazz and even parts of Nørgård's percussion concerto), to the slow movement, at times perhaps reminding of early Messiaen. The finale takes up traits from the 1st movement again, but even more extrovertly, then suddenly a slower, cinematic and lyrical section interrupts, and is combined with the faster music, building up to big, fireworks-like climaxes.

I like that it's generally quite transparent in the instrumentation, very well recorded, and you hear a lot of details, as in chamber music, though the finale makes a lot of use of grand orchestral sound. It's a work worth exploring further.
Nice analysis and thanks for feeding it back. I'm glad that you found it to be of interest.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on October 12, 2021, 03:27:59 PM
Concertos or symphonies with organ:

Poulenc: Organ Concerto
Casella: Concerto Romano
Copland: Symphony for organ and orchestra
Hindemith: Organ Concerto
Leifs: Organ Concerto


Works that are not concertos:

Weinberger: Passacaglia for organ and orchestra
Dubois: Fantaisie Triomphale
Otaka: Fantasy for organ and orchestra
Most interesting Cesar! I only know the Poulenc and Copland and look forward to exploring the others.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Brian


Symphonic Addict

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

Just remembered another work for this splendid combination: Rangström's imposing Symphony No. 4 Invocatio. A strikingly potent and dramatic piece, so don't expect many quiet moments in here. It's perfect to make your stereo or audio system work a fun good deal.  ;D
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

vandermolen

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on October 14, 2021, 08:09:13 PM
Effectively it is, a fun wild riot.


Just sampled it on You Tube - it's a hoot! The organ is given the full 'Dr Phibes' treatment - marvellous stuff!
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: vandermolen on October 14, 2021, 10:38:30 PM
Just sampled it on You Tube - it's a hoot! The organ is given the full 'Dr Phibes' treatment - marvellous stuff!

Good to know, Jeffrey. Leifs was a specialist in this kind of compositions.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

vandermolen

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on October 14, 2021, 11:05:21 PM
Good to know, Jeffrey. Leifs was a specialist in this kind of compositions.
Just ordered the CD - your fault Cesar!  ;D
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

VonStupp

The link below has been mighty handy for me to explore new repertoire in the organ/orchestra category for a handful of years now. I love discovering organ concertante miniatures, so luckily the internet has been a handy resource to even be able to hear some of the more obscure works on the website. But as with any semi-comprehensive lists like this, there are winners, and moreso, many I haven't enjoyed; the fun is in exploring, though. VS

https://pipedreams.publicradio.org/pdf/organ_orchestra_repertoire.pdf
"All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff."

Maestro267

I'm taking selections from these lists as recommendations, so thank you for those.

About 10 years ago I stumbled upon William Mathias' Organ Concerto being performed on BBC Radio Cymru. I'm not a Welsh speaker but I was transfixed by the music. I was out walking at the time as well. It's a great disappointment that a recording hasn't been released yet, even by a label like Lyrita that specialises in radio broadcasts.

Symphonic Addict

I found this on YouTube. Seemingly the sonics is decent enough to appreciate how the music is like.

https://www.youtube.com/v/QXxIJ7upP_c
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mountain Goat

Pleased to see the Mathias concerto getting attention, I actually came to this thread specifically to mention it as I was sure nobody else had! Absolutely crimilnal that there is still no commercial recording of it.

My choices, in no particular order:
Mathias: Organ Concerto
Hindemith: Organ Concerto
Poulenc: Organ Concerto
Hoddinott: Symphony No. 7
Jongen: Symphonie Concertante
Guilmant: Symphony No. 1