Daniel Roth - Louis Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies Vol.1, 2 (2005, 2010) [SACD]

Vol.1
Louis Vierne was the last of the great romantic organist-composers which flourished in France in the late 19th/ early 20th Century. In 1894 and Widor named him as his assistant at the church of Saint-Sulpice. On 21st May 1900, Vierne won the competition for organist of Notre-Dame in Paris in front of an eminent jury. He held the post until his death some thirty seven years later. The organ symphony can be traced back to both Franck and Widor who themselves, as well as Vierne, were inspired by the infinite possibilities afforded by the symphonic instruments that Aristide Cavaillй-Coll had built in the second half of the 19th Century in the Trocadйro Hall and the great churches of Paris. Vierne s six symphonies all possess a great deal of architecture reflecting the places where they were conceived although they are entirely secular in inspiration. No composer since Vierne has developed this form of composition for the organ further. The fact that Maоtre Daniel Roth is absolutely in his element with this repertoire, performed on "his organ".
Vol.2
This is the second volume in this series, as Daniel Roth takes his place at the 5 manual console of the famous Cavaille-Coll organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. 2010 is the 25-year-anniversary of his titularship there and he knows this instrument like no one else in the world.
The second volume contains Vierne's symphonies No.3 and 4 in a brand new recording from September, 2009. Especially the third symphony with the striking introduction movement "Allegro maestoso" is among the most popular works of the French symphonic organ music. In the fourth symphony you will particularly appreciate the concluding "Final" where Roth knows how to carry away his listeners by his unbelievable verve: a fiery Toccata! In this movement he himself sees parallels to Wagner's "The flying Dutchman"...
In the slower movements ("Adagio" from the 3rd symphony, "Romance" from the 4th symphony) the wonderful silky and orchestral foundation stops of the organ are shown to advantage. What did Vierne himself say to his pupil Bernard Gavoty? "Ah, que c'est beau..."
This new SACD comes along in an elegant, this time even 6-panel DPAC and nice colour prints! For the lovers of surround sound we have published this recording (as already Vol.1) on Super Audio CD! Leave your everyday life behind you and move yourselves into the acoustics of Saint-Sulpice! Your neighbours will tolerate this - at least for the duration of a single movement - even with the use of Saint-Sulpice's 32' stops.