Search - Charles-Marie Widor, Ben van Oosten :: Widor: Complete Organ Works Vol. 4

Widor Complete Organ Works Vol. 4, Ben van Oosten

Wallace W. Marshall | Morehead City, NC | 03/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording made on the magnificent Cavaille-Coll-Organ at St. Ouen, Rouen, is truly wonderful from both a performance and audio experience point of view. Widor's 7th symphony has got to be some of the most beautiful music ever written for organ. The profound slow movements transport the listener into the center of the church to mediate on life's most serious themes. The majestic sounds of the 9th symphony engulf the listener in the power of this great 19th century instrument. Having listened to many organ recordings, I can say that this recording renders a unique experience. The notes are detailed and most informative, and Ben van Oosten's performance is masterful."

Another Gold Medal

Avid Reader | Franklin, TN | 07/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This latest CD (following the remakes of Volumes 1, 2 and 3 from the LP) is again perfect as an example of Widor's last phase as an organist. After the initial "getting your feet wet" trio of Symphones 1-3, we have the Lush Romanticism of 4-8, then the mature Rhenish and Gothique.The Seventh has always had a special place in my heart. Shortly after our marriage, my wife arrange a trip to Williamsburg where we stayed in an "authentic" old home - but that's another story. The night we arrived she noted a concert at the church. The main piece - I forgot the organist - was Widor's Seventh, and hearing this enormous work in a small church was a sensory delight. The fires for big, Romantic works are still burning bright but the in some areas the portents are present for the next level.The Gothique (# 9) does not startle but it is a superbly crafted work that grows on one the more it is heard. In parts, it is contemplative in tone, but it is complex - much more so than the Romantic pieces. Again, Van Oosten's playing - and the sound of the organ - are both tops."