Charles-Marie Widor and Louis Vierne

Four by Four

The pipe organ of 19th century France offered players a virtual symphonic soundscape, and this week we’ll listen to a pair of works that exploit those resources to the full. Charles-Marie Widor at the Church of Saint Sulpice, was the first to thoroughly articulate a symphonic organ style, creating scores rich in color and virtuosity. Widor’s pupil and colleague, Louis Vierne at Notre Dame Cathedral, increased the emotional intensity of the genre to embrace passion, heartbreak and rage.

Nine soloists on as many instruments play the Fourth Symphonies by this pair of famous composers, creating the grandest sort of sonic experience. We’re not kidding when we say it’s as simple as Four by Four.

Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

July 14, 2003

Featured Organs:

1929 Skinner organ at Woolsey Hall, Yale
Newbury Memorial Organ
1880 Cavaillé-Coll organ at St-Francois-de-Sales, Lyon, France
1990 Jann at Waldsassen Basilica
1868 Cavaillé-Coll organ at Sainte-Trinité
1985 Nicolle-Valentin-Meslé organ at Saint Bonaventure, Lyon, France
1882 Cavaillé-Coll at Saint Sernin Basilica, Toulouse
1868 Cavaillé-Coll at Notre Dame, Paris, France

Music played in the program

CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR: Toccata (1st movement), from Symphony No. 4 in f, Op. 13 (1887) –Charles Krigbaum (1929 Skinner/Woolsey Hall, Yale University, New Haven, CT) AFKA CD-522

WIDOR: Fugue (2nd movement), from Symphony No. 4 -Herman van Vliet (1880 Cavaillé-Coll organ/Saint-François-de-Sales, Lyon, France) Festivo CD-143/4

WIDOR: Andante Cantabile (3rd movement), from Sym-phony No. 4 –Günther Kaunzinger Novalis CD-150085 (nla)

WIDOR: Scherzo (4th movement), from Symphony No. 4 -Suzanne Chaisemartin (1868 Cavaillé-Coll organ/Sainte-Trinité, Paris, France) Motette CD-11131

WIDOR: Adagio (5th movement), from Symphony

No. 4 –Patrice Caire (1985 Nicolle-Valentin-Meslé organ/Church of St. Bonaventure, Lyon, France) REM CD-11010

WIDOR: Finale (6th movement), from Symphony No. 4 -Ben van Oosten (1880 Cavaillé-Coll organ/Saint-François-de-Sales, Lyon, France) Dabringhaus & Grimm CD-3402

LOUIS VIERNE: Prelude (1st movement), from Sym-phony No. 4 in g, Op. 32 (1914) -Christine Kamp (1888 Cavaillé-Coll/Church of Saint Sernin, Toulouse, France) Festivo CD-6941762

VIERNE: Allegro (2nd movement), from Symphony No. 4 –Iain Simcock (1932 Willis/Westminster Cathedral, London, England, UK) Priory CD-425

VIERNE: Menuet (3rd movement), from Symphony No. 4 –Thomas Dahl (1996 Winterhalter/Church of Our Lady, Achern, Germany) Organum CD-970037

VIERNE: Romance (4th movement), from Symphony No. 4 -Ben van Oosten (1880 Cavaillé-Coll organ/Saint-François-de-Sales, Lyon, France) Dabringhaus & Grimm 2CD-3213/4

VIERNE: Final (5th movement), from Symphony No. 4 -Pierre Cochereau (1868 Cavaillé-Coll/Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France) Solstice CD-913

Ben van Oosten has recorded all of the Widor and Vierne symphonies. He will be featured during a festival symposium, The Life and Music of Louis Vierne (July 27-30, 2003) at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, 797 Summit Ave., Saint Paul, MN