Saint-Saëns: Organ Symphony - Poulenc: Organ Concerto

Chronique

The pairing of Francis Poulenc's Concerto in G minor for organ, string orchestra, and timpani, and Camille Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3 in C minor, "Organ," is an attractive way to program these showpieces and undoubtedly an efficient way to record them. These works complement each other well: where Poulenc's neo-classical mingling of Bach and modernism is a somber essay, tinged with Gothic brooding, Saint-Saëns' symphony, strongly influenced by its dedicatee, Franz Liszt, represents the Romantic ideal of light triumphing over darkness. The live performances by organist Thomas Trotter and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Arvo Volmer, are fully committed and exciting for their energy and vitality. Though occasionally there is a little roughness in the playing, the strings give chase to Trotter's fast tempos, and the feeling of give-and-take that is so essential to a concerto makes this volatile performance of the Poulenc fully satisfying. The Saint-Saëns is extraordinary in its contrapuntal richness, and the clarity of the orchestral sections gives added interest to the recording, letting secondary parts to be heard with crisp details and clear separation. While the performance has some minor inaccuracies, inevitable in a concert setting, the orchestra's passionate expressions and vivid tone colors make this recording worth hearing at least once.
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