Very Nice!...
Sébastien Melmoth | Hôtel d'Alsace, PARIS | 08/10/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
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Incredibly nice issue by Brilliant of Jean Guillou's scintillating realizations of Franck's major organ works.
Guillou was a pupil of Dupré, Duruflé, and Messiaen--quite a pedigree. His technique is outstanding. Le Figaro has praised, "His art is both seductive and awe-inspiring. It transcends tradition without ever being unfaithful to it."
Guillou performs on the new (1989) Van den Heuvel organ of the Church of Saint-Eustache, Les Halles. This fantastic instrument has all the attributes of Cavaillé-Coll's Romantic organs but with modern facility.
Guillou registers the organ so that "voices with strong individuality will interact with one another like characters in a drama, yet capable of blending into a rich and massive sonic unity," which results in some very sharp Franck: indeed, in this realization, Franck's vision is revealed as mind-blowing as Vierne's.
Double-jewel box and comprehensive note-booklet totally bonus.
Enthusiasts will want to hear this.
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See too:
César Franck: Intégrale de l'oeuvre d'harmonium - Joris Verdin
Franck: Intégrale de l'oeuvre d'orgue
Vierne: Organ Symphonies Complete
Louis Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies
Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Organ Works, Vols. 1-4
Karg-Elert: Organ Works 5 & 6
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