St. Sulpice in Paris Widor Plays Widor Pipe Organ

[Nosteratees]

Talk about tingles down the spine. I have no adequate words.

[gerdi911]

many thanks for this precoius recording!!!

[Murrocks]

I was taught by one of his pupils, and have often visited Saint Sulpice. Last time it was closed due to refurbishment.

[FromHolbergsTime]

Time cannot erase this gem from collective memory.

Such voices, textures, the glory of interior space

as if spoken from a higher plane of existence

where moments at the console bespeak

almost limitless powers of expression

**********

Glenn

[aamusc]

Special, indeed.

[gerardbedecarter]

A wonderful historical recording ! Beautiful sonorities !

[advisorC101]

It's absolutely wonderful to be able to hear Widor himself play.

[stickershomeplus]

Where did you get that very first photo? I love the sepia tone, and the overall look of it? Can you buy it?

[a55b47]

Straight off the internet -- which is where all the photos on my uploads come from. But I'd be hard-pressed to tell you how to find it. Google "St. Sulpice photo" & rummage around in whatever pops up. And good luck ;-)

[stickershomeplus]

Radiantly beautiful. I have loved organ music since my earliest memories of going to church with my parents. There's no other sound in the world like this.

[gngeannakakes]

Did Widor ever record all of his organ symphonies and if so with whom and are they available?

[advisorC101]

Unfortunately, no. There are only four known recordings of Widor.

[FromHolbergsTime]

Some of the most sublime music ever composed or recorded! This is a great historical document, a recording of unsurpassed beauty.

[all1rog]

A remarkable performance by this great organ composer, in extreme old age. A pity that some of the crackles were not taken out, but the playing overcomes any complaints!

[DeltaAlphaDeltaOne]

Widor was brilliant!

[bachprofessore]

There's nothing better than hearing composers playing their own music!

[marsvltor2]

Mr Fox had a habit of destroying what he played: listen on Youtube to his 'performance' of Alain's Litanies, and then compare with that of Jehan's sister...as I've said elsewhere, it's popcorn as opposed to Fois Gras...

[jockboy69]

@marsvltor2 I completely agree with this assessment!

Listen, sometime, to Fox's Franck Grande Pièce Symphonique performance, on Pipedreams archives. The most hideous Franck playing ever conceived, and on one of America's most hideous pipe organs (in a dead concert hall!). Playing like that doesn't get any worse. The music completely disfigured.

[MEPPO06]

Wonderful and profoundly moving - and why, oh why, faced with something as marvellous as this can so many people think of nothing better to talk about than Virgil Fox.

Must go back to Paris and back to St-Sulpice as soon as possible. Heaven on earth.

[tonyinvan]

This is so beautiful

[citzie]

Virgil Fox changed my life in 1970. Were it not for him, I would not know Bach nor the organ. I am sorry for those too young, stuck up or unfortunate to have missed his live concerts and/or appreciate VF. You may not be able to change the facts of your own life and loves now, but who knows. Maybe one day you will soften the hardness with which you approach music and the love of it and open your heart and mind to the great gifts left behind by those who graced us with their love of life and music

[praisethelord333]

very good!

[Organistabrasileiro]

Let's consider the historical importance of this recording; correcting a small detail, in 1932 Widor was 87-88 years old.

[NiallMS]

Thankyou for that a55b47. Pity we can't see a video of the old man actually playing!

[a55b47]

Now, that really would be something, wouldn't it? In this day & age, where everyone has a camera, we take for granted that there are pictures for everything. But back in 1932, film cameras were huge & not very portable, & required extremely bright & hot lights. I'm not sure they could have squeezed all that equipment into the st. Sulpice gallery -- even if they'd thought of it.

[winston5610]

I have this on CD. If I remember correctly, an account of the recording session said that Widor was frail and rather unsteady on his feet until inside the church, then seemed to shed fifty years, walked directly to the console, and played as strongly as he had in his prime. The narrative indicated that he may have lacked the stamina to play the Scherzo from the "Gothique" but he did record the F-major toccata, the opening movement, andante sustenuto, and finale from the "Gothique". Stamina?

[simonsteam]

Widor Did record the Toccatta at the st sulpice i have a recording of it.theres a break in the middle where u turn the record over. He played it VERY slowly though as by the time he recorded it he was 85.

[a55b47]

See contratromba's comments farther down the thread. He was generous enough to send me an MP3 of his old recording, & you're right: it was very "stately."  But we've certainly got to give him credit for his efforts ;-)

[marsvltor2]

Yep - I'm lucky enough to own a copy of the original 'HMV' 78 'Le Voice de la Maitre', as it would be in France... wonderful to have...

[mglava7]

Do you have maybe also recording of Widor playing Toccata from 5th symphony?? I heard it once on radio.

[a55b47]

The old 78 RPM recording format placed severe time constraints on what could be recorded; only about 4 minutes on each side of a disc. So the pieces couldn't be very long; or there had to be a natural break at about the 4-minute mark so people could flip sides. Widor's Toccata usually clocks in at about 5 minutes,& there isn't a break,so he didn't record the Toccata.But I've got a great one recorded @ Chartres Cathedral that I could upload. Stay tuned.

[contratromba858]

Widor actually did record his Toccata at St. Sulpice...it clocks in at something like 6:12. The Maitre was a little peeved, I think, that people played it so fast (and he was old and arthritic at the time!) but at that tempo it sounds rather ponderous.

[a55b47]

6:12 is pretty "stately." ;-) The only Widor-himself recordings I've got are 3 movements of the Symphonie Gothique. I guess I'll have to try to track down the Toccata -- for historical purposes, if nothing else.

[contratromba858]

If you'll privately-message me your email address, I'd be glad to send you an mp3.

[chwidder]

contratromba858 is quite right: Widor *did* record his Toccata (during the same session as the three mouvements of the "Gothique"). All four tracks are included in an EMI 5-CD-box called "Orgues et Organistes français du XXè siècle". If you're curious about the Toccata, Amazon still has the box listed, with some sound samples.

[praisethelord333]

do you know the name of this box?

[winston5610]

It's out there on a series of recordings called "Composers in Person" if I'm not mistaken. The tempo of the Tocata on that track is rather flexible, as was the common practice at the time. Listen, for example, to a recording by Widor's pupil, Albert Schweitzer, of the Bach d-minor Toccata and Fugue.

[2468HOTROD]

These videos are being watched by people who would never know what a pipe organ is, let alone hearing this wonderful music on their computer screne. You are exposing the pipe organ all over the world. Thank you for these great videos.

[a55b47]

Thanks. I keep hoping it's not just organ junkies like me who see thse things .... but you never know. I'm going to keep spreading the gospel, though.

[octave4]

You could be the next Virgil Fox of historic recordings. It is important to bring the performances of the composers to the public. You have done some good work.

[praisethelord333]

I dont like Virgil Fox! To much Show!

[octave4]

Consider that Virgil brought classic organ music to thousands who would never have heard it otherwise. His "Show" was one attraction that made that education possible. Perhaps I am wrong but I think we should remember Fox for his talent, the prodigious amount of music he memorized (Unlike today's organists) and the education of people - popularizing the organ as no one since E. Lemare has done. Don't look at show, listen to music. There is no one to equal him today.

[praisethelord333]

i only like classic not the show! you can also make a show with bad music! realy good music needs no show! and i think virgil vox don t make it for the music - he just do it for himself

[octave4]

There are very few people who do not do things for themselves. If he did not like the music he would never have spent years in training and many more years performing - even when he was suffering from Cancer. Musicians perform because they love music. If, like Victor Borge the put some showtime into it - so what. It makes it better for the common man and that is who Fox did most of his playing for. What about Carpenter - he has "Show" in his own way. Give credit where credit is due.

[winston5610]

I agree with octave4: I have loved 'classical music all my life, and that's been almost 52 years now. I heard Fox live on stage once, with the "Revelation Lights" when I was in college. The instrument was his electronic touring organ, and the audience was as diverse as any you could imagine at the time. I still remember the response when he played 'The Entertainer' rag as the first selection after intermission. Fox was a great organist who could get away with rhinestone heels.

[redletterchurch]

Virgil Fox brought Bach and the Organ to the rock 'n roll crowds...such as at the Philmore East. They loved it! And this crowd wouldn't have gone to the Riverside Church to hear Virgil play...

[praisethelord333]

virgil vox is just an entertainer!

[Reesman95]

I have a modern recording of this play at Notre Dame de Paris, simply beautiful.

[accousticdecay]

This man was truly a master, as were the organ builders. Very enjoyable music.

[joenwayne]

Amazing! Thank you so sharing your ever-growing number of organ audio/video posts.