Louis Vierne - The Bells of Hinckley - Saint Ouen

[Rheinlander95]

Not so bad, Mr. Oosten. Now if only we could get you off of Prozac so you could shine in your Vierne and Widor renderings.

[willowthebored]

@Rheinlander95 It's so true. XD The organs he records on are fabulous, but some of them are so conservative. I tend to prefer other's interpretations of the larger symphonic works. 

[Brockett122]

This piece, on this organ, in this building is hypnotic. Their is truly nothing like it.

[tamiasthechipmunk]

Splendid work. This piece paints in my mind's eye a picture of sunlight shining upon the earth.

[marsvltor2]

PS No one mentioned Pierre Labric's magnificent recordings of Vierne made at S Ouen many years ago on LP. Well worth listening to...

[marsvltor2]

From 6.11 - :-D The greatest sound this side of heaven!!!

[advisorC101]

Still my favorite.

[silverstartrucker]

Excellent, I thought.

[a55b47]

Wonderful music on the greatest organ ever built. Nice pix of St. Ouen, too.

[willowthebored]

@a55b47

I know, isn't it? I'm so happy I found that picture of the Barker machine in particular.

[passacaglia28]

@ wilowthebored: Thank you for posting.

[advisorC101]

This is much better than Latry's recording at NDP. At least to my ear. Maybe it's because here we have a Cavaille-Coll still in original condition that is also one of the mightiest ever built on earth.

[willowthebored]

@advisorC101

I don't think Latry's rendition is bad - Vierne and Latry both offer textbook performances, I think, but in the case of Saint Ouen versus Anything, Anything is bound to lose. This is the kind of music that organ was built to play.

[advisorC101]

I don't mind Latry either, but I personally prefer hearing it more or less on the same instruments that Vierne did. The only downside I see in Latry's recording is the former Cavaille-Coll of NDP.

But Latry is a supreme organist.

[menschmaschine5]

@advisorC101 Really? In general I find Latry to be a MUCH better performer (i.e. more musical and more interesting) than Van Oosten. Sure, the instrument's better, but Ben Van Oosten's playing is so dry...

[advisorC101]

@menschmaschine5, Van Oosten is a modern/romantic, Latry is a youthful modern performer. Your tastes are not mine.

[menschmaschine5]

@advisorC101 Ok, it just seemed to me that you preferred this rendition solely because of the instrument.

[advisorC101]

@menschmaschine5, That too.

[menschmaschine5]

@advisorC101 Yes, it's a much better instrument, but I'd rather listen to the better performance. I have several recordings of Van Oosten, and to me it sounds like he's typing. Yeah, he plays all of the notes, but there's no sense of phrasing or musicality there.

[advisorC101]

@menschmaschine5. You are fully entitled to believe whatever you wish. Please don't let my rambling get in the way of your views.

[willowthebored]

@menschmaschine5

I won't deny that Latry has more personality. I've just listened to his rendition of the piece, though, and personally I still like Oosten's better. Perhaps, in some cases, being somewhat dry and following the score more closely is a better thing than personality. When I hear Latry's recording I hear Latry playing. When I hear this recording I hear the Great Organ of Saint-Ouen playing, not Ben van Oosten.

[willowthebored]

@willowthebored

And in some cases, foremost with this organ, isn't that wiser? If a performer has some great insight into a piece that can make it so much better I have absolutely no problem appreciating that on whatever instrument, but since none has made itself apparent here I think it's fair to say that the organ gives this piece its power, not whether it's Oosten or Latry playing.

And, for the record, I do like Latry's rendition of the 5th Symphony better, despite the 'inferior' organ.

[menschmaschine5]

@willowthebored I see that as a big problem, though. I have Oosten's recording of Vierne's symphonies, and I find the playing incredibly boring, despite the fact that he played on fantastic instruments (including St. Ouen). I far prefer Latry's recording of 2 and 3, despite the inferior instrument, and Filsell's recording of the symphonies at St. Ouen, which is great playing on a great instrument. A great instrument does not always equal a great performance.

[willowthebored]

@menschmaschine5

Now that is certainly true. I have Oosten's complete Vierne symphonies and the Pieces de Fantasie, and I won't deny that I don't like Oosten's recording as much as even Michael Murray's (which takes the Finale much slower and articulates certain movements, particularly the Fugue and the Allegro Vivace, much better). As for the Piece de Fantasie, I have several of Michael Bouvard's recordings on Saint-Sernin that are better. I'm afraid I haven't heard Filsell's recording...

[willowthebored]

...but Latry's certainly have more character (even with those awful chamades). I will also give Latry that he made my favorite recording of Durufle's organ catalog ever (on Durufle's instrument, thank god).

Is this the Mensch from the Organforum?

[organpipes61]

Absolutely beautiful! Thank you for posting and please continue to post more of this magnificent organ music!

[tjugofyra]

See Andreapianoplayer's profile. He has loads of Oosten's recordings of Vierne!