Wayne Marshall plays Messiaen at the BBC Proms

Wayne Marshall playing Transports de Joie by Olivier Messiaen on the climax to the annual BBC Proms season in September 1997. Marshall is a frequent visitor to the Proms, mostly to play the organ, occasionally to conduct and sometimes as pianist. The face you see at the very beginning is that of Sir Andrew Davis, then conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra who conducted a piece immediately before Marshall's began. Thanks be to youtuber ds1868 for his help with dating this recording.

Messiaen (b 1908) was a giant amongst 20th composers. At the Paris Conservatoire he studied with Dukas, Widor and Dupre among others. He was appointed organist at La Trinité, Paris in 1931 and remained in post until his death in 1992. His works were influenced by Hindu and Greek rythms, his own modes, birdsong and his Catholic faith. He also experienced mild synesthesia, where he saw colours upon hearing harmonies. L'Ascension was originally written for orchestra, when transribing it for the organ, Messiaen kept the 1st, 2nd and 4th movements, a new 3rd movement was composed called Transports de joie d'une âme devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienne ("Ecstasies of a soul before the glory of Christ, which is its own glory"). Along with Le Banquet Celeste, Dieu Parmi Nous and l'Apparition de l'eglise eternelle, its one of Messiaen's best known pieces.

Wayne Marshall born in 1961 and showed remarkable musical gifts, playing the piano by ear at the age of 3 and was taking lessons from the age of 7. He went on to study piano and organ from the age of 11 at Chetham's School in Manchester and later at the Royal School of Music and Vienna's Hochschule für Musik. Professionally he served as organ scholar at Manchester cathedral and then at St George's Chapel, Windsor. Since then, he has become a virtuoso recitalist on organ and piano and a respected conductor. He has long been associated with the work of George Gershwin, and has received praise for his interpretations of Gershwin, Bernstein and Ellington. He is currently organist in residence at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, and its underwhelming Marcussan organ.

As you can gather from this video, his tempi tend to be on the fast side! But this has an effect on the music he plays, many works can take the added speeds, but many do not, and I'm afraid he robs some pieces of their grandeur. Having said that, its always exciting and exhilarating to hear and especially to watch. He regularly transcribes orchestral works for the organ, and where his good musical ear and virtuosity some into play, particularly his William Tell Overture. His other great talent is improvisation, normally his themes will include show tunes or opera. I hope to put a few of these in future. Mr Marshall is a very great talent and one of my favourite musicians, hopefully we'll hear more of him at the Proms!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Wayne
• Marshall
• Pipe
• Organ
• orgue
• Orgel
• Olivier
• Messiaen
• Transports
• de
• Joie

[a55b47]

One more thing. The Related Videos that are popping up seem to focus on the Marshall part rather than Messiaen or RAH. Maybe you should re-arrange your Tags? ;-)

[JFSnail]

well, there might be a few disappointed people who wanted to see the 'other' Wayne Marshall.

Also love the way the voiceover by well known BBC journalist called the organ a 'machine' at the end of the clip, had to keep that in! :-)

[jgh548]

I can't believe the BBC put this out with the organ is such an appalling state. It is practically unplayable.

[TubaMirabilis123]

@JontyTrain That's because this organ had SERIOUS winding problems at the time this was recorded. This was before the Mander rebuild, and it is since much better.

[JontyTrain]

Have a listen to the Oliver Latry proms performance of this, the organ has gone up about a quarter tone, the chorus sounds totally knackered here.

[jgh548]

Marshall is amazing but the organ sounds absolutely horrific!

[musicalhotcha]

Mr. Marshall is a splendid virtuoso. Messiaen's works call for color, flexibility and imagination; his own recordings of his work bears this out, and this was presented with great style.

That the artist was handicapped with an acoustically dead room and a wheezing instrument is not his fault. He had to work with what was dealt him. The self-appointed YouStoopid guardians of style might want to consider such conditions.

[MrTenonSaw]

What was the commentator talking about? The sounds were terrible!

[ears61]

Still with the winding problems??? just saaaags at the end

[lee1984yate]

A truly marvelous performance from my old tutor! Especially as this poor old heap hadn't been restored at the time. Well done :-)

[orgelspielen]

@simonjp90 yes, it is you

[ds1868]

@bvsiness Got to agree with that. And I was at the RAH for this performance. It was an electrifying effort on a very tired instrument.