Virgil Fox Legacy | Alain | Litanies

[legrawe]

when you hear that, it's good when you fasten your seat belts!

[msiscoe1958]

I love Virgil Fox, but he absolutely murdered this piece

[Peterryom]

I like Virgil Fox, so I'm sorry to write this; but he takes a dramatic masterpiece and totally murders it. There's just no drive, meaning or respect towards the composer here. Apart from Marie-Claire I think Jean-Baptiste Robin plays it marvellously.

[johannesXXIII]

worst interpretation i've heard of this masterpiece of music....

[jepiboch]

Ce monsieur, c'est un organiste ou c'est un clown. Il n'a rien compris à la musique française du XXième siècle. Le pauvre Jehan Alain doit se retouner dans sa tombe à l'écoute d'une telle abomination. Tout est mauvais dans cette vidéo : l'orgue et l'organiste.

[zygmunt1985]

what is that? it's a joke I think?

[WVBoy25401]

What the hell does Mario Lanza have to do with French organ music? And I agree with kevin, Jean-Baptiste Robin OWNS this piece!

[russedav5]

@WVBoy25401

Then you've never heard Grand Dame Marie-Claire Alain, The Authority on her brother/teacher's works.

[kevinlew41]

Mr. Fox's contemporories have taken organ playing to higher planes, for example: Jean-Baptiste Robin and M C Alain.

[russedav5]

@kevinlew41

Marie-Claire Alain is The Authority on her brother/teacher's works. Robin is manifestly inferior.

[Composerland]

There exist better recordings of Fox playing "Litanies." That we want to see him play on video, that compromises the quality - and we all know he was ill when this was recorded.

[ms54302]

The quality of this recording leaves something to be desired. It sounds like the microphones were too close to the pipes. Otherwise, it is a characteristic Fox performance: self-indulgent and aiming to make the listener say "wow" but not really illuminating the music.

[ms54302]

The quality of this recording leaves something to be desired. It sounds like the microphones were too close to the pipes. Otherwise, it is a characteristic Fox performance: self-indulgent, mannered and heavy of the "wow" factor.

[SmallTanga]

C'est un gag ??? Quel massacre !!!



[legrawe]

@SmallTanga

You're right.It's terrible!

[kevinlew41]

Fox was a showman and not a virtuoso.

[jazzkeyboardman]

@kevinlew41 I strongly disagree! Of course he was a virtuoso! He was possessed of an enormous musical skill.

What he was NOT was a faithful interpreter of music in the different styles. Yes, that made his playing self-indulgent. But I have been playing the organ for the better part of 30 years, and I cannot pretend to be one one-hundredth the technical wizard Virgil Fox was.

[jgraif]

@kevinlew41 i'm sure you would say the same about mario lanza.

[vinniecaruso]

I cant discount that Fox is a virtuoso but some of his performances just seem so bizarre and this is one of them. Must just be a difference of taste oh well.

[MrDomi77]

Ce mec a vraiment raté sa vocation, c'est dans les cinémas qu'ils faut jouer...

[amward]

you people are truly some of the saddest in the world... you think that ANYONE cares about ANYTHING you have to say in criticism about anything... and you know what... they don't. Go crawl back up under that sad, tired rock you came out from under to talk about others... when you can't do it yourself. Pitiful... really.

[rymyeetu1]

quite a few wrong notes there...

[eameece]

This is a fine version, although his opposite E. Power Biggs did one even better back in the early 1950s.

[ContreBombarde]

Biggs' playing this piece is like listening to an old lady at a Royal typewriter. I pull that record out when I've got other organists over and we need a good laugh.

[eameece]

Sure, but that must have been a later version, after he got obsessed with "classic voicing" and Fisk organs. This earlier version is long out of print and performed on an Aoelian-Skinner. Also on that record was Dupre's Antiphon 3 (which I posted here); full of feeling, and not at all the later "typewriter" buzz and tinkle Biggs.

[organstudent]

was he drunk?

[daniel15671]

Fox played some things really brilliantly, but this isn't one of them. He could, by the way, play really soberly and cleanly when he wanted.

[gmonet46]

Fox was the 2nd person to introduce the magnificent organ installed at the Methodist Church in Ocean City, NJ. The first was the father of all American organists..E.Power Biggs. It was like night and day..Fox insisted on a TV, Biggs refused to play with it. Fox insisted on a Overhead mirror, Biggs never even thought of it. Fox was still unbelievable...you cannot take the showman out of his performances. A bit schultzy, but what talent!

[tastenmensch12]

It's really horrible played!!!!

[organmaster1000]

i'm sure he plays it better than you.

[JRSoubasse]

Get over it all of you snobby sh!ts. Virgil Fox was a god, and certainly one of the most virtuoso performers of all time. I'll bet you critics couldn't even play this piece. I believe that this organ and mainly the acoustics are to blame, NOT the artist.

[lorbo77]

not the best virgil

[bachprofessore]

No feeling, no sensibility, no acoustic. Playing Alain like this is torture!

[polsterj]

Absolutely horrible! No feeling, nonsence registration, terrible accoustics. He should have visited Marie-Claire Alain first, to learn how to play Alain's works

[msdl63]

Horrible !

this is Alain - Fox, not Alain.

Listen the recording of Marie Claire , Alain's sister, and you'll listen the right interpretation.

to change stops hundred times is wrong !!

this execution is all hard, noise .., without poetic vision or sensibility.

American organist is better than play Sousa, Gershwin and other, not Bach or Franck, or Alain.

Poor music !!

[1401JSC]

Non! Non!! et NON!!!!

HAd he even read the score?

[robroy1989]

Je n'aime pas !!! Pénible....

[Sesquiltera]

I really can't decide who's interpretation I like better: that of Fox or Diane Bish's performance of this piece (also on Youtube). Fox makes this piece really ecstatic, Bish makes it really powerfull. I hope to put up a video of myself one day combining the two.

[polsterj]

Listen to Marie-Claire Alains Recording, then you know which is the best!

[benenoit]

C'est vraiment dégueulasse!!!!!! Pauvre M. Alain, il doit se tourner dans ça tombe.

[CJCappella]

Virgil Fox doesn't really do it for me. I mean yes he is good and proficient, but he's not all that great!

[britandveg]

Such beautiful playing!!! I love to listen to Virgil Fox rock it out!

[polsterj]

Die Akkustik isz ja noch erbärmlicher als die in meiner 15 mal 8 meter-kirche!

[bachprofessore]

Please, listen to Jehan Alain's recording, thats how it should played.

[bachprofessore]

sorry: Marie-Claire Alain's recording

[stevebournias]

I saw and heard Virgil play Litanies in May 1979 at The Riverside Church. I was seated in the choir stall under the gtille containing the 32 Bombarde. Virgils interpretation was brilliant! This performance does not compare coz the organ albeit large still doesnt have the colors Virgil had at Riverside including a Mounted French Cornet V upon which he played the melody and then a cornet separe answering back from the swell. Virgils interpretation that day was the best I have ever seen or heard.

[jmjboi]

your not trying to say what it sounds like are you? or are you just naming a stop??

[alanpurchase]

sk8er1979:

Virgil almost always used what he called an "acoustic release" to finish off. This means releasing the notes of the last chord one by one from the top down in quick succession - the pedal note being the last to be released. This is a good effect in dry acoustics. Listen to his other recordings you'll find it there every time.

There was always good a reason for everything he did!

[Principal16]

is this virgil´s Allen touring organ?

[rotunda57]

What in tarnation is the time signature on this here tune? My right foot keeps getting lost trying to find it. Anyone know?

[coolcook1988]

well, one of my problems with Virgil Fox as a performer is that he tends to just play... not really in any specific time signature. Marie Claire Alain (sister of the composer) plays this piece much better, in that it was the way her brother wanted it to be played.

[alanpurchase]

TO: rotunder57 and coolcook1998:

One of the things Virgil was most famous for was his extraordinary sense of timing. This is still recognized by the best in the business today. coolcook1998 hasn't got a clue what he's talking about.

[alanpurchase]

TO: rotunder57 and coolcook1998:

Throughout the piece there are a number of time signature changes and copious explicit instructions on tempo changes. Virgil interpreted this piece brilliantly, although this particular performance may not have been his best and the acoustics of the building certainly doesn't help. But it is still very good.

[haholol]

No...a pedalpoint is written in the music. like in the opening runs of bwv 542. holding the pedal after the piece is done is holding the pedal after is done. thanks though..

[mudog35]

your the one who needs help....you waste your time responding to emails, get a life

[mudog35]

no I will not spell correctly....know eye well knot spale coretally

[mudog35]

well if you going to respond you started it in first place, it just goes to show you that you're a big ol' queen....drama drama

[mudog35]

your pathetic cuz you keep responding back

[mudog35]

and fuk U to

[mudog35]

oh my well well....you need some lip balm on those herpes lips of yours....so leave me alone your weirdo....stop sending me pics of you

[mudog35]

who cares what you think about your pathetic postings, your a loser that has nothing to do but sit on your fat ass and criticize others, mine your on fucking business you wortheless piece horse shit, why don't you go eat yourself!

[mudog35]

your such a wad....you started it so shut your stupid mouth....I think your are nothing but an old fat homo fagg organist....your a loser!

[mudog35]

hey your little faggot, go fuck yourself how about that, you little no good squirt, your nothing but a pathetic cyber homo....so fuck off

[aakned]

you called him a faggot! hahaha. that's the name of an organ stop! did you know that? hahaha. i didn't think so.

[honkymonky78]

organist are so cool!!!!! comon gentlemen, you should smook some pot, and listening to jazz piano like art tatum, peterson, or monk, or hancock, and you should have sex too. these litanies are a message of yougness, hope, and peace of course....don't be stupid like that. and this organist makes a murder with his hown version. listen to the alain's sister version which is perfect

[mudog35]

your one too

[aakned]

i totally anticipated your response! right down to the misspelling out "you're"!

[mudog35]

go fuk urself you fukn faggot homo

[rotunda57]

Well, close anyway. Actually, it's "fagatto."

[praisethelord333]

VERY BAD VIRGIL! MADAM ALAIN DO MUCH BETTER wORK ON THIS PEACE! ITS sO TERIbLE. It seems that he into the courses comes not correctly! One of the worst versions which I ever of this work heard!

[praisethelord333]

you can play it better virgil!

[smithjord]

This organ is most certainly NOT at Riverside Church.

[JMcdon1627]

True, this is not the Riverside Organ, and the technique does not always work. Virgil invented the technique at Riverside. One great example of how this CAN work is on the CD "Virgil Fox The John Wanamaker Organ-Philadelphia" during the last couple of minutes of cut #2, "Carillon De Westminster"-Louis Vierne.

[NecronHasan]

is this virgil fox at it's best? i'm sorry, he plays this masterpiece like a butcher at work...

[AARONFOLWELL]

This is Digital Organ Rodgers organ with speakers hehide the pipe front. The austin organ was under rebulit and a console was put in same design of the pipe organ console. so i thort tell u that

[noeljonesaago]

This is not a digital Rodgers...digital Rodgers did not become available until after Fox's death.

Fox choose this Rodgers and later the Allen he toured with as well by power rather than tonal beauty...choosing speaker cabinets that were not what the organs shipped with. Combine that with the limitations of temporary installations in churches and concert halls and poor acoustics for the organ...but remember, he was not playing for any reason but bringing the organ to the people....

[bbbbmer]

even bach had an off-day -- doesn't detract from virgil fox's mastery of the instrument and its interpretation... while marie's performance is closer to the original artist intent, liberties are to be taken by great musicians -- if you don't understand that, you don't understand music and your comments are mere pomposity

[Organiste06]

Horrible! I prefer farther Marie-Claire Alain's interpretation.

[mudog35]

what kind of piano is that???

[muzical15]

its not a piano and Organiste06 is talking about a performer...this is a Pipe Organ at Riverside Church...

[mudog35]

what kind of electri piano is that?

[muzical15]

really! how on earth could someone not understand my comment?? Its NOT a piano in any form! Its a Pipe Organ. If you want to hear more of the instrument try going to a church or university which provides the instrument. I'm not trying to sound rude but I will recomend you should read some info about the Organ on the American Guild of Organists website or on Wikipedia...well hope that anwsers your question enough...

-_-

[mudog35]

well if your silly gulible enough to respond to something like that's what you get. Plus, all you organist are snobs stuck up anyway

[muzical15]

mudog35, you know nothing about organists...I stated in my other comment that I wasn't trying to sound rude. Being explanitory is part of life. Why do you post comments like that when 14 other ppl respond with the same answer? I read some of your other comments on some other "organ vids" and you asked the same question. Have you never seen a pipe organ before or do you enjoy making organists look bad?? Would you mind explaining???

[muzical15]

Secondly, I never try to be a "snobish" organist. I am always generious as a organist to let students practice at my church and even help out with my job if they have time. Please stop posting obnoxious comments if you just enjoy making organists and people irritated...If you need or want help finding more information about the organ I am always free to help you find some books and music on the instrument...

[mudog35]

well how about this you stuck up prick, up your ass!

[muzical15]

you have deffinetly got some major issues...well you should grow out of it someday hopefully...

[mudog35]

you got the issues so fuck off you big queen

[spc0553]

Without exception - utterly the worst performance imaginable! Ghastly tortured rhythm, complete lack of feeling and an unbelievable ugly organ tone in mean acoustic. The whole thing reminds me in many ways of a steam engine starting - a couple of puffs then racing away as the wheels slip and suddenly coming back to steady when the slip stops. It's a relief when the whole piece hits the buffers and stops!!!

[haholol]

amen to that!!!!!!! totally agree!

[octave4]

This is an interpretation by one organist of a composer's work. You may not like it, OK, your opinion is valid. But Fox did have the right to inter'ret this piece. The acoustics are terrible and the organ is old and electronic. You can't blame Foc for that.

[haholol]

I don't understand how someone can think this performance is "wonderful." He misses a lot of notes, there are awkward pauses where he changes registrations, he rolls big chords, and WHY DOES HE ALWAYS HOLD THE PEDAL DOWN ON THE LAST NOTE??? Okay, he attracted a lot of non-organ lovers, and I think that's great, but he was NOT a musical genius!

[sykobeachparty]

This isn't an electronic organ. It's an Austin, just as bad.

[Principal16]

liian hitaasti!(too slow)

[cyrilcolv]

Showman or not, this is a hideous performance. Crap organ, dead acoustic and completely passionless. Anyone defending this is only doing so as they know its Virgil. Blindfolded, there would be few who would commend this performance. Too many mixtures and wrong notes also.

[bastian1608]

virigil vox is a good player but i like not all of his performance. sometimes he is grandious and realy perfect. sometimes he does littel bit to much to creat his own styl. dont know how i can say it better in english hope you understand that i am not criticise him in generally.

[bastian1608]

bad sound on electric organ. and rythm is not clearly. not comparable with the way of marie clair alain´s playing. she is the sister of the composer and a video of her is on youtube too!

[Reesman95]

The Rythm just didn't sound right

[Choirman59]

As usual, the purists want only absolutely "authentic" performance practice and show their jealousy at Virgil's artistry. Of course he was a "showman!" His concerts drew HUNDREDS who often PAID to get in. Some of today's "top" organists are satisfied with an audience of 50 or 60 (at best).

[Choirman59]

I might also add (to my own comment) that it's pretty close to impossible to give an "authentic" performance of "Litanies" on a four-manual AUSTIN! And, yes, I've heard Madam Alain play this - and it IS wonderful. So is Virgil's. Different, but wonderful in its own right.

[Eyescreamg]

It's sound like parody of this piece.You may say

that I'm jealous to Virgil Fox but he changes the score , in example did he play recitativo in first measure? he played that like machine or circus monkey without any feeling , it's sure that interpretation of Miss Alain is ten times better.

[octave4]

This is a different organ in a different space and the piece is played by a man who believedin "interpretation". No piece was rigid, no tempo precise. You hear Fox play, and Mdm Alain play and other who also play and each will (or should) have a diferent touch. And YOU can have your favorite.

[bbbbmer]

oh what a bunch of sticks in the mud you all are!!! like it or not organ recitals ARE show biz and you sound jealous that you can't put on as good a performance as this passionate master.... shame on you!!!

[md95065]

Oh dear, that was really quite awful.

[keanur1]

For the Litanies, Marie-Claire Alain IS the ABSOLUTE reference. As usual, Mr. Fox uses the music to give a circus show. His enormous talent is surpassed only by his bad taste and lack of artistic finesse. ...and that silly habit of keeping his foot on the pedals after the last chord!

[octave4]

Would you rather have performers who are cold, play notes instead of music. play like a machine, without feeling, phrasing - totally lacking in the personal touch?

The Great Organists of 1920 to 1980 knew how to play music and could fill a room to capacity. The "New" breed of players today can hardly bring in an audience worth counting.

[JMcdon1627]

Holding the pedal note on the last chord is a technique Virgil developed at the Riverside Church. Someone had an acoustical treatment added to the church which resulted in zero reverb (DOE!!!). Holding the pedal note added the impression of reverb.

[haholol]

oh really. NO IT DOESN'T! does it sound like a live room when he holds it down in this recording? if you think so you really must be delusional

[arthur027]

It's should be a dramatic peace, a hopeles prayer. This interpretation sounds like a streetorgan making funny. Thank God that I never heard this on this site of the ocean.

(sorry for my Englisch)

[caddyorganist]

Hmmm. It's interesting listening to Virgil's interpretation compared to Miss Alain's. I'm not sure which I prefer, even with my usual preference for Fox. I hope the acoustics are better in that church than what the recording portrays.

[pmo1969]

This is a disgraceful interpretation!!!

This is NOT what Alain wrote... as usual Ol' Virgil rewrites the score!!!!!

[octave4]

Why not. Orchestral conductors interpret the masterworks they record. Is this same liberty denied to an organist? Fox loved to play. He brought classic organ music to many thousands of kids who never listened to more than Rock. If being a showman means bringing excitement and enthusiasm to the audience - That is the way to go.

[orgatrain]

This is not a Rodgers organ it is an a huge Austin Pipe organ in Pheonix AZ, Baptist church

[GrandeChoeur]

I prefer the way Marie Claire-Alain plays it. But this one is nice for how old that Rodgers is, haha.

[DesireeDeFete]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

This is one of my FAVORITE pieces to play. I remember when I was learning it, I listened to the Garden Grove Virgil recording to get ideas. Everyone plays it just as a fast, rhythmless piece. I got into 5 different organ programs by playing it with some feel, lent by listening to Virgil.