Widor : Œuvres célèbres pour orgue

Album review

Charles-Marie Widor's single greatest hit is the knuckle-busting Toccata from his Symphony No. 5 in F minor for organ, heard far and wide at weddings and other festive church celebrations. However, to create Widor: Organ Favourites, Naxos and organist Robert Delcamp had to pick movements from several other organ symphonies and a few minor pieces to put together a reasonable collection. But the fact remains that the Toccata -- a famous example of perpetual motion that tests even the most experienced players -- is the catchiest thing Widor ever composed, and though there are undeniable merits in his other works, nothing else in his oeuvre equals it. There are plenty of exciting selections here, such as the grandiose Marche pontificale from the Symphony No. 1, the flashy Finale from the Symphony No. 3, and the dramatic first movement of the Symphony No. 6; there are also a fair number of quiet meditations, such as the Andante cantabile from the Symphony No. 4 and the Andante sostenuto from the Symphonie gothique. However, it is unlikely that this album will appeal to a much greater audience than listeners already interested in organ music, yet not counting students who have delved deeper into Widor's complete works. Delcamp plays the 2003 Martin Pasi organ at St. Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha, NE, and delivers Widor's music with a fine sense for late Romantic registration and rubato, and his execution is virtuosic and flawless in the last track, where it counts most.
© TiVo

Details of the original recording : 81:01 - DDD - Enregistré à la cathédrale Sainte Cécile à Omaha dans le Nebraska, Etats-Unis - notes en anglais, allemand & français