Saint-Saëns @ St. Ouen, Rouen Pipe Organ

Prelude #2, op. 99. Recorded in 1973. Pierre Labric, the titulaire at St. Ouen for many years, is organist. This old (& essentially original) Cavaillé-Coll is, in my humble opinion, an absolutely perfect instrument. As one of the master builder's last works, it represents the culmination of a half-century of refinement of his ideas. And it's located in a superb accoustical environment. Labric's performance takes about the most leisurely pace I've ever heard for this piece, but at St. Ouen, it works.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• pipe
• organ
• orgue
• orgel
• organo
• Saint-Saens
• St. Ouen
• Rouen
• France
• classical

[johniegrad]

Does the tempo on this performance seem to slow to anyone else or is it just me?

[a55b47]

@johniegrad , it's not just you. See the comments I made when I posted this.

[iamrepete]

Ah,Paris in springtime... before I die,I want to hear this organ in person.

[a55b47]

I'm with you on that . I don't know about Rouen in the springtime, though ;-) It doesn't quite have the same ring, does it? And as someone who spent one of the coldest, rainiest Aprils of my life in Paris, springtime (or at least early springtime) there is generally no walk in the park, either.

[chwidder]

Just a small correction: Pierre Labric has never been officially titulaire of St-Ouen.

[a55b47]

Thanks. Those old LP covers never gave much information ;-)

[EccentricRichard]

@Aaronorganist19 - it would appear that you're talking about Gloucester Cathedral - but what has that got to do with this? Also, "En Chamber Trumpets"? Do you mean they'll be enclosed in the triforium, or will they be en chamade, unenclosed? ;-)

[FromHolbergsTime]

a place of rapturous grace,

where sounds envelope the spirit.

Glenn

[Silverdaddy101]

Considering the grand and cavernous acoustics of St. Ouen, I can't imagine playing this serene prelude any faster, unless you don't mind having those superbly crafted lines blurred beyond recognition.

Cest superb!

[josephR1938]

This is so much slower than Thomas Murray at the Tabernacle, but this is a beautiful interpretation of a most beautiful piece of music. I might (might!) just be able to learn it at this tempo. (If I do I can then speed it up just a little!) It's so dreamy, or like floating on a cloud!

[stepka300]

Please scores link.Thanks.

[beoland100]

Respect , the Church is very beautiful , I see one more now, wonderful....

[beoland100]

it´s relax Music, thank you , greetings to france - Elaine & Olaf from Dresden/Germany

[handlaeuter]

very great!!! wonderful! I´ll love it!