[.ca] Organ Concerto/Concert Champet

The Cavaille-Coll at Notre Dame is Awesome.....:
I can't top the solid review already given, except to add that the incredible sound of the Notre Dame organ is brilliantly recorded here. I'm in awe -- of both Philippe Lefebvre's execution and the immediacy & clarity acquired by the sound engineers. Interestingly, this organ (rebuilt by Cavaille-Coll in 1867 but dating back to 1730 in form) is now computer-controlled and networked with 3 LANs. It has 7800 pipes, of which 900 are considered historic, 109 stops, and 5 keyboards. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the other two pieces, the Poulenc organ concerto is undoubtedly the main attraction on this CD. Don't let the budget price fool you -- it's first-rate music.

Prefer Munch:
In Biggs and Munch in Boston, coming up on _ --- _ --_ transverse wave of traffic coming into the studio... perhaps.. Coastwatch Grid *n... WKRC floating into the park... disc spotted at Truk, observation in 1953 there also... For the commonality of profit in floating a Jesus, travel travel... ride the gas of profit... "problem with Michelin? there's a problem with Michigan, Ford, republican, pro choice... any? nnn/s? // the problem with michigan... a man could leave a community with noah, jesus, dresdin... daedalus... how do you fare? michelin... michigan schlepian problem... if the army of god wants to float bad enough... i guess then what? follows mic follows me? michigan follows weeping seeing the cannisters in the trough at marianas? krc? promise me michigan krc does nathanial taylor ectopic who good, nu/// n// no? the problem with michigan the problem with michigan how to float christers... and bring the ladies home, andrews/ do you want to float that bad? dream, dream on nacelles wing jesus come back... jew boy just pull the mannlicher thrity ought five.. have to prove the jew crowd did it dresdin we're confident

Francis Poulenc: Organ Concerto:
The main attraction on this disc for me, as an organist, is of course the Concerto in G minor. Here it is brilliantly executed by Philippe Lefebvre on the Great Organ of Notre Dame, an instrument which, due to its enormous size, would seem to create difficulties of balance and synchronisation. These problems are overcome excellently, Lefebvre is a sensitive player, allowing the full plein jeu of the organ out only on the huge final chord and the orchestra is very rarely out of time with the organ. This would seem a trivial point, but one must consider that this is a live performance (with an incredibly quiet audience). Lefebvre coaxes the most colourful timbres from the organ in the slow movements and Casadesus brings a rich sonority from the strings, aided by the glorious bloom of the acoustic. Also on this disc is the Concert Champetre, the excellent harpsichord playing of which is by Elisabeth Chojnacka. I found the sound of this, and the last piece (the deliciously tongue-in-cheek Suite Francaise) to be a little bland, with a very dry, flat acoustic. Nevertheless, the orchestra balances the harpsichord playing very well in the concerto, and Casadesus and the orchestra manage to capture the wit and colour of the Suite Francaise. This is an excellent budget disc with some fantastic playing - the Organ Concerto is particularly stunning although the poor sound of the otherwise excellent Concert Champetre and Suite Francaise mars the disc somewhat. This is a good introduction disc to anyone who wants to become more acquainted with the music of Poulenc, as it is inexpensive and the programme notes are informative and interesting.

• Organ Concerto In G Minor: Andante
• Organ Concerto In G Minor: Allegro giocoso
• Organ Concerto In G Minor: Andante moderato
• Organ Concerto In G Minor: Tempo allegro. Molto agitato
• Organ Concerto In G Minor: Très calme. Lent
• Organ Concerto In G Minor: Tempo de l'Allegro initial
• Organ Concerto In G Minor: Tempo Introduction. Largo
• Concert Champetre For Harpsichord And Orchestra: Allegro molto - Adagio - Allegro molto
• Concert Champetre For Harpsichord And Orchestra: Andante: Mouvement de Sicilienne
• Concert Champetre For Harpsichord And Orchestra: Finale: Presto
• Suite francaise d'apres Claude Gervaise: I - Bransle de Bourgogne
• Suite francaise d'apres Claude Gervaise: II - Pavane
• Suite francaise d'apres Claude Gervaise: III - Petite marche militaire
• Suite francaise d'apres Claude Gervaise: IV - Complainte
• Suite francaise d'apres Claude Gervaise: V - Bransle de Champagne
• Suite francaise d'apres Claude Gervaise: VI - Sicilienne
• Suite francaise d'apres Claude Gervaise: VII - Carillon