Your favourite organ moments in orchestral (or choral-orchestral) music

[Maestro267]

What the title says. Have at it

[pjme]

There are many:

Respighi - Vetrate di chiesa

RVW: Job and Symphony nr 7

Janacek: Glagolitic mass and Taras Bulba

Richard Strauss: Festliches präludium, Alpen symphonie

Samuel Barber: Toccata festiva (a concertante work)

Weinberger: Passacaglia for organ and orchestra

C.M.Loeffler: La vilanelle du diable

Copland's Organ symphony!

[relm1]

I think Britten's War Requiem Libera Me is devastatingly impactful use of organ and full choir and orchestra.  I saw this in a concert with huge orchestras and choirs and gigantic organ that melted my face off it was so devastating.  I think my heart stopped and I was a puddle of tears after. 

(At around 6:18)

Also love Franz Schmidt's Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (Book with Seven Seals) climax.

[Maestro267]

I've always been intrigued by how the organ in War Requiem works because for most of the work it's a chamber organ accompanying the distant boys' choir, but for that one climax he calls for a full "grand organ".

Anyway, some moments I love:

- In Part 1 of Elgar's The Apostles, at the "sunrise" climax the organ holds a huge pedal C underpinning everything else to incredible effect.

- Holst, The Planets, Neptune. The pedal E with that rising celesta line.

- Bax Symphony No. 4, all the organ moments in it, which I didn't really realize were as many as they are until I heard the Handley recording.

[Luke]

I echo the Janacek examples given earlier, and the Strauss Muesli Symphony one, too. In that piece the organ part is of enormous significance in countless places. The Britten War Requiem example is also excellent.

HB's Gothic seems to be cropping up in all my recent lists, whether for its marches or its percussion moments. But it also has a fabulous first organ entry near the end of the first movement.

[(poco) Sforzando]

It's more felt than heard and may not even be used much of the time, but the opening storm in Verdi's Otello is accompanied by a sustained low pedal on the organ, C-C#-D.

Then there's that Saint-Saens thing . . .

[San Antone]

Poulenc Organ Concerto

[atardecer]

HB's Gothic seems to be cropping up in all my recent lists, whether for its marches or its percussion moments. But it also has a fabulous first organ entry near the end of the first movement.

If I remember correctly there is an organ in Brian's second symphony as well, I recall liking the sound of it in that work. It was actually the first thing that came to mind when I saw this thread.

[Maestro267]

If I remember correctly there is an organ in Brian's second symphony as well, I recall liking the sound of it in that work. It was actually the first thing that came to mind when I saw this thread.

Yes, and Nos. 3, 4, 8, 9 and 14 have organ parts of varying levels of significance too.

[DaveF]

It's ad lib, and only lasts a few bars, but the organ pedal part at the end of Elgar 2, doubling the tuba and basses, is remarkably effective if included.  (It's at 8 after 165 in the Novello score; 11:15 in Handley's LPO recording.)

And a big +1 for the Glagolitic Mass - not just the two deranged solos, but for the underpinning of the harmony in the Gloria.  (I once sung it in the Festival Hall, in the back row of the basses, and the vibration from the pedals at its first entry nearly liquefied all my internal organs.)

[pjme]

Not a masterpiece, but there a few really good moments. the entry of the organ is -of course - one of them.
The paintings/ illustrations are far too sentimental and pastoral for this heavy work.
I suggest Anto Carte: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anto_Carte
https://www.antocarte.art/en

Bartok: Blueneard's castle - the organ rings out in some recordings . Ferencsik had Gabor Lehotka as organist in his 1981 recording with Nesterenko and Obraztstova . The fifth door !

Viteszlav Novak: De profundis

Bohuslav Martinu's early (1918!) patriotic cantata 'Czech rhapsody"  for chorus , baritone soloist, organ and orchestra. especially the last movement 

https://youtu.be/SSLxxhLoRYU?si=e_-jiuI7pJiilble

Charles Marie Widor: Symphonie antique

https://youtu.be/KO5hrBJNIQE?si=ZMjEDbu5G8glqdj5

Some recordings of Miklos Rozsa's Ben Hur feature the organ to full late Romantic / 19th century molto pomposo effect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qum7fpGT2WI&list=PLkAUJkbhd-Riqy0bTTfbc34NBM8dRkZ4B

[Roasted Swan]

"Favourite" might be too strong a description - more of a health safety warning...... The Dr. Phibes extended organ solo is Khatchaturian's Symphony No.3.  Absurd or awesome...... you decide.....

[vandermolen]

Definitely go along with 'Dr Phibes' at the keyboard in Khachaturian's 3rd Symphony (he also appears in the soviet recording of Sinfonia Antartica by Vaughan Williams!)
Others:
VW Job
Bax Symphony No.4
Copland Organ Symphony
Saint Saens 3rd Symphony
Holst The Planets
HB Gothic Symphony
Novak De Profundis
Janacek Glagolitic Mass
Poulenc Organ Concerto

[Cato]

Definitely go along with 'Dr Phibes' at the keyboard in Khachaturian's 3rd Symphony (he also appears in the soviet recording of Sinfonia Antartica by Vaughan Williams!

Janacek Glagolitic Mass

Poulenc Organ Concerto

I still recall the Leopold Stokowski premiere recording of the Khachaturian Third Symphony on RCA with 15 Trumpets! Bombastic beyond belief, but lots of fun!

Consider the use of the organ by Dmitri Tiomkin in his melancholy overture to the movie The Fall of the Roman Empire.


(at 50 seconds, the Organ enters in a funereal mode, ironically countering the trumpet fanfares before: very striking)

[vandermolen]

I still recall the Leopold Stokowski premiere recording of the Khachaturian Third Symphony on RCA with 15 Trumpets! Bombastic beyond belief, but lots of fun!

Consider the use of the organ by Dmitri Tiomkin in his melancholy overture to the movie The Fall of the Roman Empire.


(at 50 seconds, the Organ enters in a funereal mode, ironically countering the trumpet fanfares before: very striking)

Wow! That's quite something Leo - how come I've never heard it before? The start of the organ entry reminded me of the organ playing at the start of the 'Heavenly Trial' scene in 'A Matter of Life and Death' ('Stairway to Heaven' in the USA). Nic Raine does some very good work with the City of Prague SO. Thanks for posting this.
The Khachaturian 3rd Symphony (especially in Stokowski's famous old recording) is a great guilty pleasure. In fact I like all of the Khachaturian symphonies which tend to have been overshadowed by his Violin Concerto and ballets.

[Cato]

Wow! That's quite something Leo - how come I've never heard it before? The start of the organ entry reminded me of the organ playing at the start of the 'Heavenly Trial' scene in 'A Matter of Life and Death' ('Stairway to Heaven' in the USA). Nic Raine does some very good work with the City of Prague SO. Thanks for posting this.

The Khachaturian 3rd Symphony (especially in Stokowski's famous old recording) is a great guilty pleasure. In fact I like all of the Khachaturian symphonies which tend to have been overshadowed by his Violin Concerto and ballets.

To answer your question above, The Fall of the Roman Empire (whose basic premise - that philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius was murdered by his mentally ill son Commodus, who feared his father would ban him from the throne - was later used for Ridley Scott's Gladiator) never became the classic movie, which its producer, Samuel Bronston, desperately wanted it to be.

Reviews were mixed, with some major reviewers reacting negatively.

It is possible that the mid-1960's audience had tired of ancient epics, which had been popular from the late 1940's into 1960 with Spartacus and Samuel Bronston's El Cid and King of Kings.

The movie cost nearly $160 million in today's dollars, but made only 10% of that at the box office.  Bronston went bankrupt as a result.

I have not seen the movie since it was released, when I was a teenager.  Certain scenes and actors stand out: Christopher Plummer struck me as brilliant in the role of Commodus, and looking back now, Alec Guinness seemed to have been auditioning for Obi Wan Kenobi, when he played Marcus Aurelius.  There is a terrifying chariot duel through a forested area and the scenes of Ancient Rome were amazing (real sets were built back then, no computer tricks).  I recall a scene near the end with the character played by James Mason trying to stop a massacre ordered by Commodus.

However, Dmitri Tiomkin's score impressed me greatly, especially with that Organ part!

Anyway, the entire movie is available on YouTube!

[Roasted Swan]

Wow! That's quite something Leo - how come I've never heard it before? The start of the organ entry reminded me of the organ playing at the start of the 'Heavenly Trial' scene in 'A Matter of Life and Death' ('Stairway to Heaven' in the USA). Nic Raine does some very good work with the City of Prague SO. Thanks for posting this.
The Khachaturian 3rd Symphony (especially in Stokowski's famous old recording) is a great guilty pleasure. In fact I like all of the Khachaturian symphonies which tend to have been overshadowed by his Violin Concerto and ballets.

There is a very fine version of the Roman Empire Overture on an old Unicorn recording slightly improbably conducted by Sir David Willcocks and the Royal College of Music Orchestra.  Opulent recording and no allowances required for a nominally student orchestra;

[pjme]

To answer your question above, The Fall of the Roman Empire (whose basic premise - that philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius was murdered by his mentally ill son Commodus, who feared his father would ban him from the throne - was later used for Ridley Scott's Gladiator) never became the classic movie, which its producer, Samuel Bronston, desperately wanted it to be.

Reviews were mixed, with some major reviewers reacting negatively.

It is possible that the mid-1960's audience had tired of ancient epics, which had been popular from the late 1940's into 1960 with Spartacus and Samuel Bronston's El Cid and King of Kings.

I just watched the trailer : "....a miracle recreation ...." .
Indeed, the sets look impressive and so do the hundreds of extras! And some of the actors are -inspite of all too perfect wigs, beards, heavy make up (Sophia Loren) and pompous texts - excellent!  Add lavishly glamorous-kitschy (19th century) music,  and one is set (become a teenager in 1960 again....) for a couple of happy hours in the cinema....

Miklos Rozsa is still my favorite "peplum" composer and do not forget Mario Nascimbene (Alexander the Great, She, Barabbas...) who adds some "sleazy" charm to his historical recreations....

back to organ + orchestra again! I love the combination:

Walter Braunfels massive 1928 Concerto - a boys chorus intervenes twice (singing Gegrußet Jungfrau (Hail O Virgin) in the slow movement and Zion hört den Wächter singen (Zion hears the watchman sing) - in the tumultuous finale)

In a more contemporary vein : Robert Groslot (pianist, composer, visual artist...) wrote an organ concerto for the restaured Scheyven organ of Antwerp's cathedral.

[pjme]

Belgian composer/organist Flor Peeters (1903-1986) wrote little for orchestra. Some of his concertante works with organ could well be used in epic films....

from this LP



His (ca 1940) organconcerto breathes the same opulent, tonal, late-romantic (one can call it bombastic) style. At more than 40 minutes it is also a symphony-concerto. Here is the first movement:

very curious is his concerto for piano and organ (which also exists as a concerto for piano and orchestra)

here is the last movement:

Other "magnificent" organ concertos that never fail to impress:

Hendrik Andriessen
Yon Leifs blockbuster onslaught

[Cato]

Belgian composer/organist Flor Peeters (1903-1986) wrote little for orchestra. Some of his concertante works with organ could well be used in epic films....


Other "magnificent" organ concertos that never fail to impress:

Hendrik Andriessen

Yon Leifs blockbuster onslaught

Thanks for the recommendations!

The Poulenc Concerto has always been a great favorite!

Speaking of French composers and the organ: Louis Vierne is always at the top !

Alexandre Guilmant has also been a great favorite: