Suite Gothique IV. Toccata (Léon Boëllmann)

Sorry, the camera ran out of tape for the last two movements of the Suite Gothique.
Senior organ recital at St. Paul Cathedral, St. Paul, MN (November 23, 2009).
Recorded by Jon Visser.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• organ
• organist

[netnet2871]

@beccav7 A very enjoyable version of the Toccata. Tempo is not too slow, it's well chosen. Thanks for this performance!

[gjlander100]

Interesting, bitchy comments below. Among the variety of renditions good and bad on Youtube, I listened to this to the end. I am an organist, though aging, and have heard this work countless times over fifty years. I tend to the remarks of Naji Hakim. A fine performance, and since the organist is obviously younger, has promise of great things. Speed can kill, and undermine music. Get out of the way of the EGO... Every organ and acoustic is different.

[beccav7]

@twistoftime I am the performer in this video. Yes, the tempo is too slow, and yes, I had difficulty with the time delay in the Cathedral. However, rehearsing for that recital, which I did for fun and not for any degree requirement, was the first time in my life that I played a pipe organ. That performance shows my skill as an organist in 2009, and is not how I would perform the piece today. I am quite aware of the shortcomings in my performance. Please keep your comments constructive.

[twistoftime]

@classicalteacher

We may well differ, but given that I learned a bit about tempos, and for this piece in particular, while touring with Virgil Fox, who knew a little bit about organ literature, I think I'll stick with my opinion. Differences in organs shouldn't affect the tempo...unless one of two things is true.

First is the organist can't handle the lag time in a big room...the second would be a poor action response. That's not the case with this organ. Been there. Played that.

[classicalteacher]

@twistoftime Really... "ridiculously slow?" You obviously have too large an ego to give a little more helpful criticism. Tempos are dictated by the space, organ and of course the music - not necessarily the tempo markings. That's a personal quote from Naji Hakim - which I take to heart. Plus, this recording is from 2009 from an undergraduate piano student who wasn't even an organ major - though she went on to get her masterings in organ. It was a good concert! Well done!

[twistoftime]

It's a toccata, not a dirge. Tempo is ridiculously slow, and the playing far too legato..