Jane Watts - Great European Organs 7 (18 tracks) +Album Reviews

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Jane Watts
Great European Organs 7
Genres: Special Interest, Classical

Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
1. Sonata (Symphony) for organ No. 1 in D minor, Op. 42: Introduction and Allegro
2. Sonata (Symphony) for organ No. 1 in D minor, Op. 42: Pastorale
3. Sonata (Symphony) for organ No. 1 in D minor, Op. 42: Final
4. March on Handel's 'Lift Up Your Heads,' for organ in F major, Op. 15/2
5. Passacaglia and Fugue for organ on B-A-C-H, Op 150
6. Cortège et litanie, for organ & orchestra (or organ solo), Op. 19/2
7. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Introduction
8. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 1
9. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 2
10. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 3
11. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 4
12. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 5
13. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 6
14. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 7
15. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 8
16. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 9
17. Variations on an Old Noël, for organ, Op. 20: Variation 10
18. Pièces (7) for organ, Final, Op. 27/7

CD Details

All Artists: Jane Watts
Title: Great European Organs 7
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Priory Records UK
Release Date: 10/11/1993
Genres: Special Interest, Classical
Styles: Marches, Holiday & Wedding, Forms & Genres, Concertos, Sonatas, Variations, Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830), Romantic (c.1820-1910)
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 028612202377, 723721410124

CD Reviews

Uneven but technically brilliant

Avid Reader | Franklin, Tn | 03/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jane Watts is an accomplished organist and no one is suggesting otherwise. It is her manner and interpretation that is the real problem - at least with this CD. The album consists of organ music associated with the late 19th Century Symphonic Style of Widor, Guilmant, Dupre,Gigout and others, mainly French but it does include a few others. Interpreted correctly and performed on the correct instruments (one built by Cavaille-Coll) they are overpowering, stupendous works.

Yet here is Guilmant's First Sonata with both the first and last section taken at too fast a tempo. The final was taken at breathtaking speed as if were marked "Allegro con fuoco". As a result, the music became lost in the avalanche of notes. The Karg-Elert Pasacaglia fared better, in fact the best one of the lot. Dupre was good, not as mystical as I would have liked and once again, the fast sections were so hurried that it was almost like someone was speeding up a recording.

The organ has a grand though not a "great" sound - there is a distinct difference in the two. The project has spawned a cottage industry and some of the volumes are better than others. One positive aspect of the series is that like works are grouped together so we don't have Buxtehude and Messian on the same organ at the same time.

"