I totally blame Gerard Brooks and Fugue State Films for the fact that I nearly missed a writing deadline last week. I’d been sent a copy of Fugue State’s most recent box set of CDs and DVDs, on Widor and his music. Fugue State always get high praise for their production values, and the recording quality on the opening CD, with Gerard playing Widor’s Symphonie No 6 on the organ of the Cathedrale Sainte-Croix d’Orleans was no exception – absolutely terrific, even on what passes for a sound system in my office, and all I wanted to do was listen.
The whole set of 2 CDs and 2 DVDs includes performances by Gerard Brooks at Saint-Ouen, Rouen, as well as the Cathedrale Sainte-Croix, and Daniel Roth playing movements from the Widor Symphonies on the organ of Saint-Sulpice, live on a Sunday morning, during mass. At the time of filming, the great Cavaille-Coll at Saint-Sulpice was in a vulnerable condition, and was only available for Sunday services, so these Paris recordings give an unedited slice of musical life from Saint-Sulpice, exactly as it would have been during Widor’s own tenure there.
The DVDs give a detailed documentary portrait of the composer and his relationship with organ builder Cavaille-Coll, and sets his organ music in the context of his other compositions of ballets, operas, chamber music and orchestral symphonies. It is presented by Gerard Brooks, often at the keyboard, playing snippets to illustrate his points, and includes interviews with Widor scholars John Near, Anne-Isabelle de Parcevaux, and of course Daniel Roth.
Luckily we don’t have to head for Paris to hear Daniel Roth live – he’s over here this month to give a recital on 19 December at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster to launch this recording project. He’s playing Widor (of course), and Saint-Saens, and Vierne – full details of the event below.
Widor: Master of the Organ Symphony
Fugue State Films www.fuguestatefilms.co.uk
FSFDVD010
buy from Fugue State Films shop
Saturday 19 December 2015
METHODIST CENTRAL HALL, Storey’s Gate, Westminster, London SW1H 9NH (opposite Westminster Abbey)
3pm Recital by DANIEL ROTH
PROGRAMME:
Widor: Marcia from Symphonie No3
Saint-Saens: Prelude & fugue in B majeur
Widor: Intermezzo from Symphonie No6
Vierne: Andantino from Pieces de fantaisie
Vierne: Scherzo from Symphonie No2
Widor: Symphonie gothique – I Moderato, II Andante sostenuto, IV Allegro
around 4.15pm Tea and coffee
around 5pm Partial showing of the Widor film from Fugue State on a big screen
Admission by programme £10
