flûte harmonique
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Posts posted by flûte harmonique
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Some more of the lesser known post-Cochereau NDdP titulair,.
The organ sounding better here, than it did live (as I remember having met YD there).
Undoubtedtly the best gifted NDP "co-titulaire". Too bad he died too early!
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Pierre Pincemaille improvising on the ACC opus 1
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I'm going to Paris, the Capital of Organs, its Music and its Players.
3 services in St Sulpice, 1 sevice and a concert at Notre Dame.
Ah.....
I wish you all an inspiring Easter.
Funny thing: "Sevice" in French means "physical abuse". Mind the music you will be hearing in NDP....it might cause some troubles for your ears!!
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In St Paul's, Olivier Latry last night played Bach P & F in in G Major (BWV 541), César Franck Chorale No. 2 in B Minor, Vierne Carillon de Westminster, Widor's Andante Sostenuto (Symphonie Gothique) and Dupré P & F in G Minor Op 7 without the scores.
He did use paper for Messiaen Apparition du Christ..... and Thierry Escaiche - Deuxieme Évocation. The latter of these was new to me and absolutely stunning. I look forward to hearing M. Escaiche playing in Symphony Hall next Spring.
More of the organ and concert later in the weekend, but those who condemned the new work, especially the Tubas, without the benefit of hearing it should go along and be prepared to eat their words. What a superbly revitalised instrument it is. The new mobile console is absolutely beautiful and must be a great boon to the cathedral and any recitalist fortunate enough to play there.
I also heard Latry play a whole concert on Dupré's organ in Meudon some years ago. I don't remember the Bach he started with but I do remember he missed some bars in the middle of it
. The rest was good enough as usual, but I don't see the real interest of playing from memory from the listener point of view!By the way, Marcel Dupré when he was teacher at the Paris Conservatoire used to oblige his pupills to play from memory while reading a newspaper on the music stand...Good exercise?
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I received this today from Solstice.
COCHEREAU 2009
Next year, Cochereau will have passed away 25 years ago. This significant figure of the French Organ tradition, forever recognized as the 'Organist of Notre-Dame' was not only an unrivalled improvisator of his time. He was also a music school headmaster entirely devoted to the education of young people - at such an extent that he left his health and possibly his life in this activity.
Almost everything has been written about this outstanding figure. As a result, I planned to celebrate this anniversary in a different way. I chose to gather on a single record four musicians belonging to different generations and cultures, and sharing a common wish to make an hommage to Cochereau, each one in his own language.
Those four renowned organists are the Texan George C. Baker, the Englishman David Briggs, finally the French Loïc Mallié and his young fellow-countryman the composer Thierry Escaich.
They will improvise on four instruments having, at a various extent, a relationship with the itinerary of the great Pierre: Saint-Roch and Saint-Sulpice in Paris, Saint-Pothin in Lyons, and of course Roquevaire.
The issue of the record is scheduled for March, 2009.
Yvette CARBOU
Edit...Apologies for typo in the heading. This does not appear possible to edit...
Unstead of beeing almost obliged to compare 4 different styles of improvisation and 4 different styles of organ making, I would prefer to listen to other unpublished Cochereau's impros...
Strangely enough, nor Philippe Lefebvre, nor Pierre Pincemaille will participate in this recording...and the same for the NDP organ!!
A part from that I don't question the talent of the 4 organists choosen for this CD.
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Just returned from 3 weeks in France, mostly in Burgundy where we visited very many fine churches in the distinctive Burgunian Gothic syle and transitional Romanesque/Gothic. I know, tough - but hey, someone's got to do it!
Didn't get to hear many organs this year and only managed to play one small Choir Organ.
However, we attended a Mass at the Cathedral of St Benigne in Dijon and heard this.
It sounded absolutely stunning, played by a lady organist.
The case is huge, the largest pipes are probably 24ft (bottom F of the 32), although the nave is quite spacious the cathedral is relatively small by French standards. If you haven't seen this website before, it's worth spending some time on - plenty of good photos both of the instruments and the building they are in.
So, anybody else heard this organ, or played it?
DT
This organ was played in april 2004 at the occasion of the 20th anniversery of Cochereau's death by Maurice Clerc titular organist (former Cochereau's pupil) and Pierre Pincemaille amongst others. To me this instrument is representative of the neo classical organs fit to play a broad variety of litterature.
You may listen to it on this site(bottom of the page): the improvisation by Cochereau has been of course recorded prior to the restauration (1996)
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Solstice SOCD94
Best regards
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The 3 Breakfast show ended today with PC's recording of "La Marseillaise" from the funeral of Générale Du Gaulle. Not really an improvisation but some wonderul sounds. Well worth a listen on the BBC playback device it's in 15 minutes chucnks so go to 2 hrs 45 minutes where the section starts with Ravel's "Bolero" for 2 pianos.
Later....I've just looked on the playlist for the programme - no mention of it. Does anyone know from which CD it was taken please?
Dame Gillian is on "In Tune" tonight...sometime after 5pm.
I enjoyed a Bastille Day recital by Marcus Huxley in Birmingham Cathedral today with a good spread of French music across the years.
P
Soltice SOCD94
Best regards
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Can't lay my hands on the exact title now, but I have and play the improv he did on the Vierne Bercuese from the 24 Pieces en style libre. Its not too hard!
"Berceuse à la mémoire de Louis Vierne" transcribed by Frédéric Blanc (impro for Philips May 1973)
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No surprises but St Sulpice and St Ouen are my top two. I've listened to St Sulpice in the flesh many times, St Ouen three times. They are very different beasts. St Sulpice is tremendously grand with an incredible plenum, the analogy of the 'old Bentley' is a good one. St Ouen is incredibly dynamic from a list of only 64 stops, its 32' Bombarde perhaps for me the very best of its kind in the world. To listen to St Ouen on full organ is an amazing experience, the tremendous enveloping roar of the reeds simply breathtaking, without being OTT. This is where St Sernin falls down I'm afraid.
I've given up deciding which is best. Without doubt though listening to Widor on 'Widor's Organ' at St Sulpice is an unbeatable experience. When you're there you can forget all other Organs and locations, you can certainly bin all the Anglo-American organs ever made as they all pale into total obscurity when listening to this majestic organ. It is a tremendous shame that we have little to compare in England with regard to these two masterpieces. But then I suppose it's part of the fun to go over to France in the first place.
Saint Ouen is first in my top five, and curiously enough, Saint Denis which I did'nt know 8 years ago has become the second in this top five since I'm lucky enough to listen to it on a very regular basis. I say "curiously", because ACC considered it as a prototype. He wanted 4 manuels unstead of 3, he wanted to add a set of chamades: due to a lack of money his projects were not finaly met. As for, the Bombarde 32: it sounds extremely strong and violent and when the nave is empty the tutti seems stronger than the one of NDP!
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Lefèbvre - yes. Having stood next to him on a number of occasions, I agree wholeheartedly. A very self-effacing man, too. But Leguay? I am not convinced!
As for the young generation, I'm sad to announce that the last prize winers in Chartres impro contest (Baptiste Florian Marle-Ouvrard and Noel Hazebrouck) are thinking to drop organ in so far as they can't earn their life with it. The second one is now shop assistant in a sort of electronic hyper and the second one (much more gifted) is still titular organist, but as it is surely not enough to afford the daily expenses in the Paris region, he is seriously considering his reconversion as aircraft pilote!
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Not at all - although they were friends.
Actually, I would go even further and suggest that Gerre Hancock is not alone in this. In fact, to my ears, only Pierre Pincemaille and (the late) Yves Devernay sound(ed) like Pierre Cochereau. Even then, there are many differences in their harmonic language. With Devernay, there were some similarities in the way he used the great organ of Nôtre-Dame de Paris. In addition, some of his sorties occasionally evoke similar feelings of euphoria - but the structures and overall harmonic nuances are substantially different.
Pincemaille can occasionally make himself sound like Cochereau in some respects. There are clearly certain identifiable harmonic traits (such as the raised fourth, modulations of a third, added-note chords); the most obvious rhythmic feature was that of repeated chords (usually vivace) - often notated in transcriptions as triplets. Then there are the scherzi, with the almost unbroken semiquaver movement (even allowing for changes in texture), double-pedalling (which featured extensively in Cochereau's improvisations) and sudden, final tutti chords.
Clearly, Briggs is also able to imitate many facets of Cochereau's style - as he did on a number of occasions during lessons (all of which I have on tape). However, he has a far broader range of interest and stylistic knowledge than simply this one area. Often, lessons were based on a theme (not a musical idea, but a particular composer, period, style or form). There were naturally also times when he encouraged free improvisation.
If we want to speak about the current best improvisers I would'nt leave out people like:
.Pierre Pincemaille whose style is very well described by pncd! I would add he is also able to improvise "alla Bach" as he uses to do it almost every sunday in Saint-Denis...To me he is the best one even his music is not really innovative, but as for rythm and melody he is perfectly in line with Cochereau!.
David Briggs whom I heard twice in Notre Dame: extraordinary concerts by a virtuoso!
Thierry Escaich whom I heard improvising very often in St Etienne du Mont (playing with big tennis shoes!)or in concert. Brilliant in his own style not very innovative, although rather modal.
I would place at distance the other ones, including Latry who does'nt pretend to be a real improviser, Hakim, Blanc, Guillou ( peculiar case as you know).
Devernay was a very brilliant improviser alas to early died.
Lefebvre and Taddei were considered by Cochereau as potential successors: actually with regards this subject, he has been wrong!
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Sorry if I'm besides this topic
After a concert in Notre Dame done by Suzanne Chaisemartin ( former titular organist of the ACC organ of St Augustin in Paris and former Dupré's pupill) Pierre Cochereau congratulates her: " what a brilliant concert Suzanne!...it was fantastic...what is your secret?" And Suzanne replies out of the blue:"I sleep alone as for myself!"
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Dear pcnd,
If you are in doubt about Roth's position amongst Cochereau and Pincemaille etc., I must recommend you these two videos:
<a href="http://"http://blip.tv/file/62605"" target="_blank">Large-scale Improvisation</a>
(4m16s is a real goosebumps moment)
Also, try to get your hands on the CD 'La Tradition de Saint-Sulpice' for a stunning improv on Kyrie 'Orbis Factor'.
I'm dying to get the Widor Mass CD where Roth improvises in various 19th Century styles, and the new Vierne Messe Solennelle CD where he and Eric Lebrun improvise in dialogue a la Widor and Faure.
Daniel Roth is certainly an excellent improviser like many others French organists (Blanc, Warnier, Cauchefer-Choplin, Lefebvre, Robilliard, Taddei...) but he however stays below my personal top 5 (including the dead) in which there are Tournemire, Dupré, Cochereau, Pincemaille, Guillou (ante 1975).
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My argument was not concerned with the organ of La Trinité, nor that of S. Sulpice. In any case, surely this would serve only to re-inforce my original point. The organ of La Trinité is, as far as I know, in the same state that it was when Messiaen was Titulaire; therefore, this gives us an excellent idea of the specific timbres and dynamic levels he called for. Likewise in the case of the organ of S. Sulpice - which has been jealously guarded by at least the last four titulaires. In its present state, it certainly gives a clear guide to the types of combinations and sonority which Widor would have desired. Dupré is more complicated, since British and American influences were at least as important to his music.
This was slightly disingenuous of Cochereau. It was not as simple as that. He had caused virtually all the chorus mixtures of the G.O., Positif, Récit (where a Cymbale IV was also installed), Solo and G-C to be re-arranged. In fact, apart from those on the G.O. and the Cornet on the Solo Orgue, all of the compound stops were altered (or added) after 1963.* Furthermore, they, together with the chamades, had a profound effect on the tutti.
In addition, the G.O. anches during Vierne's tenure consisted of bassons at 16ft. and 8ft. and a Clairon at 4ft. The present G.O. anches are the more usual Bombarde 16ft., Trompette 8ft. and Clairon 4ft. Interestingly, these ranks are marked as dating from Cliquot's rebuild of 1788. They are probably the ranks formerly on the Bombarde (now 'Solo') Organ. At the very least, these stops must have been revoiced.
Do not misunderstand me - I think that the organ of Nôtre-Dame de Paris, by about the mid-1970s, was the most stunning, exciting instrument I have ever heard. However, it was simply not true for PC to state that it was possible to use only the 'Vierne' tutti - this no longer existed in the form that would have been recognised by Vierne himself.
Surely it is rather our perception of the music which changes - not the music itself.
* Although in some cases, they contained much existing pipe-work, re-arranged and revoiced.
I rather agree with you for NDP, but saying that, Cochereau wanted probably to tell that the changes brought by Boisseau were never questionned by the concertists invited each sunday afternoon...
For the rest St Sulpice is an amusing relic of the XIX st century but IMHO not the best example of ACC's work.
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If it were returned to the scheme Franck knew, how would Langlais be performed authentically on his instrument?
Quite so!
And what about La Trinité?: without the changes by Beuchet how Messiaen could have imagine to keep composing for organ?
And Widor at St Sulpice: everyone knows that he thanked ACC many times for his magnificent organ constructed on the basis of Clicquot'work!
Cochereau himself was very cool about the organ conception: to his visitors who complained about the deep changes that occured on his NDP organ, he allways said there was a button which would allow them to only use the Vierne tutti and the numerous registrations allowed the concertists to draw aside the new stops!
Music changes...organs have to
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I absolutely love this. Great fun. I like the bit at about 2 minutes where he manages to find a free hand to remove his glasses!
See also the famous bright ramp on the right side of the console displaying the crescendo pedal...
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This video isn't from the Solstice DVD - There's a similar bit of footage (which might be from the same improv) where he goes into a rather stodgy fugue on Organo Pleno with 2' Chamade in the Pedal before and building up to Full organ.
I love the Cochereau DVD, but watching it makes me want to see the performances in full, particularly the 1964 interview with Bernard Gavoty where he is given a theme by Dupre. I e-mailed Solstice suggesting they might consider such a DVD of complete performances but was quickly told there was no market for such a compilation.
It's interesting that the recent series of EMI Classics DVD's have created an incredible upsurge of popularity, particularly among younger musicians, of some formerly obscure pianists, above all Georges Cziffra (Thanks to this particular video - another bit of Gavoty footage co-incidentally).
I wonder if it could do the same for Cochereau and organ improvisation in general. It just seems a shame that the only complete impov on the DVD is the little scherzo he does at the opening of the Crystal Cathedral organ. (Plus Pincemaille's improv on C-O-C-H-E-R-E-A-U at St Denis)
That aside, for the best improvisation video around at the moment, you need look no further than Daniel Roth's demonstration of the St. Sulpice organ.
Actually, this video is a fragment of a recording that was used by Solstice for the DVD. The improvisation lasts about 20 minutes in the form of "Thème et variations". The abstract you can see on youtube comes just before the toccata finale. One of the reason why Solstice (Yvette Carbou)did'nt use the old recordings to show PC' performances more in details is linked to financial issues. One minute of programme tv recording costed so much that it impeded them to fully benefit from the images bank managed by INA (institut national de l'audiovisuel)!
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Hard to believe he was only 59 at the time ...
(wasn't this fragment also on the DVD ?)
No he was'nt 59 when this video was shot. I suspect it was rather in the late 70's.
This improvisation lasts around 20 minutes of which 2 mn have picked out for the DVD purpose.
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. The rest was good enough as usual, but I don't see the real interest of playing from memory from the listener point of view!
Youtube
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A part from the former console , one can see him at his private organ which was located in his (big) flat of boulevard Berthier in Paris.