Bjorn Boysen - César Franck: Organ Works (2017) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

CD1
01. Andantino
02. Six pièces: Fantaisie en ut, Op. 16
03. Six pièces: Grande Pièce Symphonique, Op. 17
04. Six pièces: Pastorale, Op. 19
05. Six pièces: Prière, Op. 20
06. Six pièces: Final, Op. 21

CD2
01. Six pièces: Prélude, Fugue et Variation, Op. 18
02. Trois pièces: Fantaisie en la
03. Trois pièces: Cantabile
04. Trois pièces: Pièce héroïque
05. Trois Chorals: No. 1 in E major
06. Trois Chorals: No. 2 in B minor
07. Trois Chorals: No. 3 in A minor


On my retirement from the Norwegian Academy of Music, I was given the generous offer of the use of the Uranienborg organ to practice on, an offer I have made very good use of. Over the years I have become increasingly enthusiastic about the instrument. Every time I sit down on the organ bench I relive some of the youthful excitement I felt that led me to choose the organ as my career.

I had been toying with the idea of recording Franck’s organ works for some years and had had in mind an instrument maintained in an uncompromising, French symphonic style. As I gradually played my way through the repertoire, however, I realized that it would not be easy to find a Cavaillé-Coll copy that would meet the demands of Franck’s music as well as the organ at Uranienborg did. Here I found a clarinet on the Ryggpositiv that could be used as a solo stop accompanied by full swell in the Grande Pièce Symphonique. There are flutes that balance full swell in the Final; a beautiful, singing tone in the foundation stops, and an impressive tutti. I do perhaps miss having French pedal reeds, the sound is sometimes a little too rounded. Neither is the flute on the Great overblowing as it would be in the French tradition, but what does that matter when it makes such a lovely sound?

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