Dupré Improvising at St Sulpice, Paris

[vleermuisje2]

Prachtige historische opname.

Marcel Dupre en Aristide Cavaille Coll, het kan niet beter.

Merci bien!

[samthemusicguy]

Just astounding... Maitre Dupre.. I'm glad that such Masters graced the face of this earth to keep the art alive and set such a high standard

[ears61]

I am almost sure I heard a recording of M. D. absolutly wrecking a noble presentation of the Fantasia in g

[gerardbedecarter]

Wonderful !!!!!

[joeyboi87]

absolutely amazing! I cant imagine an organ genius today who would manage to play for 63 years!

[advisorC101]

Are there any recordings of Dupre playing his mighty Prelude and Fugue in G Minor?

[JFSnail]

The only recording I know of Dupré playing the G Minor was recorded at the Queen's Hall London in 27th October 1926. There are three CDs on which this appears:

1 - EMI CD5550372 Composers in Person

2- EMI FranceCD5748662 Orgue et organistes Francais du XXé Siecle 5 CD set

3 - TAHRA TAH 337 L'art de Marcel Dupré

The best transfer is from the EMI CDs, but get the 5 CD set, its got original recordings of Vierne, Tournemire, Marshal etc, a truly wonderful CD set! :-)

[advisorC101]

Ah! I have the EMI 5 CD's set! I must have overlooked it somehow...

[advisorC101]

I just listened to Dupre play it, perhaps I'll upload it over the course of the next few days.

[lipsbach]

@JFSnail what about the recording he did for mercury at st. thomas in nyc in '57? that has the op.7 #3 on it. i have the LP in front of me.

[JFSnail]

@lipsbach thanks for the info, never knew about this recording. Don't think its available on CD though...

[musichiere70]

In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful Improvisations made by the "late" Dupré. But NOBODY can imagine how Dupré could improvise in the 1920-1930 years... R.Falcinelli told me that in those years, at St. Sulpice he was unparalleled as virtuoso-improviser: his Sorties were a "miracle" of virtuosity and musicality. My dream is to hear those improvsations.....

[anbarrero1962]

Maravilloso...

[polsterj]

It's always fascinating me, on what a high level his improvisations are, but they are still so wonderful to listen to.

[daniel15671]

Anyone capable of improvising something like this was a first rate creative musician. This is sublime.

[bobsamuals789]

The best improviser of all time

[gngeannakakes]

No, Tournemire was better.

[advisorC101]

@gngeannakakes

I don't think it's a good idea to assert which one of them is better. To compare Tournemire to Dupre is like trying to compare Widor to Vierne. It's a different world by itself.

[fanny0820]

@advisorC101 effectivement cela n'est qu'une question de sensibilité et non plus de "qualité ", remercions les , simplement , d'avoir existé , permi ,la construction de tels instruments magnifiques qui coûtent trés chers et dont on ne peut que cependant ,regretter

simplement qu'ils ne soient pas à la disposition "intelligente " de ceux qui les ont payés par leurs impôts .....

[gngeannakakes]

Has this piece been transcribed?

[aamusc]

In Murray's book, Dupre is quoted as saying that he practiced 10 hours a day at improvisation while at the Conservatoire.

[JFSnail]

I think that fact demonstrates, no matter how talented you are, practice makes perfect.

More astounding is that fact that his pupil Cochereau, said he never practiced improvisation during his time at Notre Dame, but used his service playing as practice!

[miauw777]

Practice is everything! Dupre is the real master!

The only nowadays master without practising is Thierry Escaich of St.Etienne Du Mont, Paris.

Also he is a real master of genious. And of course Sophie Veronique Choplin of St. Sulpice, Paris

[musichiere70]

I think he practised 12 hours a day....

[Organiste06]

@musichiere70 When he was a student, he practised the piano 10 hours a day. Do you know what he did to his students ? Preludes and fugues by heart, virtuosos piano pieces and scale, not allowed to move while you're playing...

[musichiere70]

Oui, je le sais parfaitement... J'ai eu des frequents contacts, en 1997-1998 avec Rolande Falcinelli, qui m'a dit beaucoup de choses sur son Maitre... Mais vous savez que TOUS les élèves sorties de sa Classe sont devenus a leur tour de très grandes artistes. Celà signifie que l'Ecole Dupré était, comme il le disait en 1920, la plus prestigieuse du monde entier.... Et je suis convaincu qu'il était ainsi! Evidemment il était très sevère, avec lui-même et avec ses élèves.

[Organiste06]

Oui, bien entendu que ce traitement était payant. De nos jours, il n'y a plus vraiment de grand figure fédératrice...

[menschmaschine5]

@aamusc Dupre was also quoted saying to his students something to the effect of "3-4 hours of practice a day is sufficient for a virtuoso, but a student needs at least 8 hours per day. When I was a student, I practiced for 12 hours every day. You would be well advised to do the same!"

[FromHolbergsTime]

Undeniable majesty, glorious sound and grandest musical expression from a recognized master composer and brilliant performer. Highest rating. *****

[Pedalpoint1]

In my opinion, I think Dupre was very much an over-rated organist. Sure, some of his compositions and recordings are great but really, some are very, very ordinary. So gathering from this, I think a lot of his fame and recognition is due to who he knew, rather than what he knew i terms of musical knowledge. However, in saying this, his students are/were incredible thus prooving that no-matter what, he was serverely influential in the Parisian and international organ world.

[ufoka01]

Awasome. it's not only the organ and the artist but also the pictures . . . many thanks for posting this.

[triaj53]

On peut entendre l'encens . . . !

[redletterchurch]

Has anyone transcribed the recorded improvizations of Marcel Dupre? If so...where can they be obtained? If not...hint, hint!

[JFSnail]

Dupré 'transcribed' several of his own improvisations, Symphonie Passion op.23 and the Vêpres de la Vierge op.18 are the best known ones. Although Dupre transcribed them from memory some time later, not from recordings.

Rollin Smith transcribed variations on Adeste Fideles, from a private recitel dupre gave in New York in 1929. The moment was saved onto a cut-out roll recording mechanism.

[redletterchurch]

Thank-you! I wouldn't be able to play them anyway, I guess! I love to improvize...especially in an empty church. I'm not very good...but I love the element of surprise...when one hits that perfect dissonant chord...and then resolves it! Plus, no one can judge how it's supposed to be played...since it's never been played before.

[menschmaschine5]

@JFSnail Don't forget Stations of the Cross! Those are transcribed improvisations as well.

[advisorC101]

Great, Powerfull and Magnificent Cavaille-Coll of St. Sulpice has the most beauty on earth and the best organists!

[redletterchurch]

Now THAT'S an improvization! So well developed and dynamic! A service with music such as this...no speaking...no clapping...no lights except the sun shining through the stained-glass windows...would be one of the best ways I can imagine to commune with God.

[tjugofyra]

I got to say that I like the part 0:01 to 9:10a lot:P

[marsvltor2]

JF - and the riches continue: Latry, Roth, Lefebvre, Hakim...the Great Tradition will never die...

[marsvltor2]

Keraulophone - great pity. Memories of Piet Kee on Bach...wonderful series...

[hughesmr]

Love the facade clock chime at 5:45 ... brings back memories of Sunday morning at St Sulpice ....

[pipeup1]

Its a strange thing, I always feel that Dupre's improvisations are best listened to late at night! They seem to get an added air of depth when its dark out!!

[fabianus50]

Thank you for this fantastic recording of my hero Marcel Dupre improvising ! I was lucky enough to go to his last UK recital, in the Albert Hall in London a month before he died in 1971 and even at that age he was playing brilliantly. A genius !!!

[ds1868]

This is a particularly moving recording of Marcel Dupre, a real gem indeed! Thanks for posting again JF, if you find any more, of course please post! But then i'm sure you would....!

[JFSnail]

I have the 2 CDs you mention, they are somewhat overwhelming :-) Perhaps I'll post one in the future.

I also have both the Dupre improv CD and Cochereau's CD from Cologne, sometime I will put up PC's improv on veni creator, it is incredible!

[a55b47]

Nice work, as usual, JF. Dutch radio, eh? I never cease to be amazed at the difference in broadcastng philosophies between European networks & those we have here in the US. They do Dupré improvs; we do Country & Western, Golden Oldies and Neil Diamond.

[JFSnail]

Thank you for the comment :-) I am sure there are hours of wonderful recordings hidden on radio archives around the world, shame we can't get at them! But France did have an embarrasment of riches - Dupre, Cochereau, Marchal, Guillou, Demessieux, Durufle x 2...

[2468HOTROD]

Thank both of you for all the beautiful music we listen to here. Anything grand from Cologne Cathedral that you could give us would be wonderful too. lol Peace

[a55b47]

The Cologne organ is one of my favorites, mainly because it's just so overwhelming. Not many recordings of it, though, at least in the pre-digital era. But Winfried Bönig, the current cathedral organist, is attempting to rectify that. His 2 CD's on the Motette label will literally KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF. They give a whole new meaning to the term "avalanche of sound."

[keraulophone]

Actually Dutch radio stopped broadcasting any organ music a few years ago already!