Notre Dame de Paris Pipe Organ Vierne Plays Vierne (3)

[polsterj]

Awesome how much power the reeds and especially the Contre-Bombarde lost over the years.

I'm sure if they had let the reeds how they were, the chamades wouldn't be necessary today.

[Monsignore91]

Sorry, i prefer the organ before Cochereau's elettrification

[Monsignore91]

Is a great performance, Vierne is one of my preferit composers, but i like the Notre Dame organ after the Cochereau's electrification and i like the Cavaillè_Coll consolle.

[FromHolbergsTime]

A grand document of great historical interest. It is a gift to be able to hear this instrument before any more modern modifications. The cathedral and the organ have become international treasures for those who savor such sublime music and art.

[stevebournias]

recit fourniture IV was designed by alexandre guilmant ans installed by mutin in 1904 along with an 8 and 4ft diapason...also the basses of the recit bombarde 16 and trompette 8 were replaced with full-size instead of half-size resonators

[a55b47]

And I understand the computerized combination system caused all kinds of havoc -- rendering the instrument virtually useless for a time.

[ds1868]

I prefer the sound of this organ as it was in 1929, compared with the much-changed sound we hear today. Just ignore the sound quality and listen to the grandeur of those reeds! The 1989-92 restoration did no favours to this famous instrument at all.

[BeFrSc]

indeed, a more vintage sound, I mean, the chamade today is 125dB at 1 metre distance, its just ridiculous, yes, it does help fill the cathedral, but its a waste of power. Olivier Latry said that the Royal Albert Hall Organ is like a gentleman, soft, warm, tameable, and Notre-Dame is fierce, big and aggresive."

[codeman2008]

Completely agree, the organ sounded worlds better in during the tenure of Vierne, and even when Cochereau was organist. Much of the instrument, today, sounds a bit... generic to my ears, I don't think they voiced it very well. It has no character anymore, unfortunately.

[ds1868]

Yes, it sounds more like an Anglo-American organ today. For instance, why did they remove the mixtures from the Swell, added by Vierne in the 30s? Overall a terrible shame, but never mind, we have the masterpiece at St Sulpice just across the Seine......

[codeman2008]

And it's nice to know that there's no way they're doing anything to that organ while Daniel Roth and Sophie Veronique Choplin are still there! Saint Sulpice' organ is a beautiful instrument!

[DesireeDeFete]

Can I get-a "Amen!" I love Cochereau's playing legacy, but her really bastardized a perfect instrument. They better not do that to St Sulpice. If I'm correct, Leonce De Saint-Martin, the Organist after Vierne kept the instrument as Vierne, and it was not until Cochreau that this unmusicall loudening of the organ changed. And Im also tired of Organ builders that think "loud" is French Symphonic...eh?

[IDFAFrans]

If you have the original recordings of the mass,...I'd LOVE to hear them!!!!!

[simonsteam]

The old organ console of the Notre Dame is actualy in the Musee de notre dame a small museum with interesting artefacts and personal items of Louis Vierne including his glasses and an origional music score he wrote.(messe sollenell) ive also got the origional recordings of these on 78s

[pommersche]

Great!

[IDFAFrans]

Mind you everybody, that these recordings where made even before the so much needed restoration of the organ in 1932!!!

[accousticdecay]

The picture of the organ console looks the one at St. Sulpice.

[IDFAFrans]

Yes, they looked more or less the same.

The original console from Notre Dame now stands in the basement. (Since the modernisation in the early 70's.

[BeFrSc]

same designer and builder.

[IDFAFrans]

They where transcribed....by Maurice Duruflé

One of his major pupils at that time...

[a55b47]

I'd always assumed the 3 pieces Durufle transcribed were the Triptyque: Matins, Communion, & Lament for a Dead Child. That's what the Vierne website says, & there have been several recordings of the pieces, including 1 by Cochereau. But the Wikipedia article on Vierne lists the 3 transcriptions as the ones I've posted here, which I've never heard recorded (or performed) by anyone.

[IDFAFrans]

I have them, and played them,....they where published by "Durand" I believe.

In the "meditation" Duruflé even made a clear mistake in rythm, when comparing to what Vierne plays.

[BeFrSc]

ahh, thats interesting, i'll have to check that out, and change it on my copy, make it sound more like the real improvisation.

[Reesman95]

I'd love for this to be transcribed. Amazing

[johannuscro]

wow