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Compare And Contrast


Justadad

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For part of his Music A2 exam Lawrence has to "choose recordings of 2 esteemed organists with different interpretations of the same piece for the comparison."

 

Would any of the resident experts like to commend two recording of one piece by different organists that are sufficiently different to merit examination and analysis?

 

All suggestions gratefully received.

 

best wishes

 

J

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You do realise just how many replies you're going to get to this, don't you? :P

 

Franck's Choral no.1 in E major as played by (a) Daniel Roth at St-Sulpice, on vol.3 of his complete Franck series and (b ) Francis Grier at Christ Church, Oxford. I admire Francis's interpretation very much; pity the organ is so harsh for this music.

 

Alternatively, any of the first 13 Rheinberger sonatas as played by (a) Rudolf Innig and (b ) Wolfgang Rübsam. Very different, these two. Rübsam's rubato takes a lot of getting used to, but after a while you begin to understand where he's coming from. I could never recommend it though - I think his hyper-elasticity can only confuse the listener who does not already know the music. That's the effect it had on me at first, anyway, but maybe I'm just slow-witted (don't answer that!)

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For part of his Music A2 exam Lawrence has to "choose recordings of 2 esteemed organists with different interpretations of the same piece for the comparison."

 

Would any of the resident experts like to commend two recording of one piece by different organists that are sufficiently different to merit examination and analysis?

 

All suggestions gratefully received.

 

best wishes

 

J

 

Prelude and Fugue in e minor BWV 533 as played by Vierne at Notre Dame in 1928 contrasted with just about any recording made in the last 40 years. The recording is available on the 5-CD set "Orgues et Organistes Francais du XXe Siecle" which I picked up quite cheaply earlier this year. It's got some teriffic stuff on it including Widor, Vierne, Tournemire, Durufle, Messiaen, Gigout and Dupre playing their own works, and Tournemire's five famous improvisations.

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Dear Vox

 

I do hope so!

 

Obviously the answers will be very helpful to Lawrence, but I also thought it was the kind of subject the good folk here would enjoy writing about.

 

Best wishes

 

J

 

 

You do realise just how many replies you're going to get to this, don't you? :P
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For part of his Music A2 exam Lawrence has to "choose recordings of 2 esteemed organists with different interpretations of the same piece for the comparison."

 

Would any of the resident experts like to commend two recording of one piece by different organists that are sufficiently different to merit examination and analysis?

 

All suggestions gratefully received.

 

best wishes

 

J

 

 

 

How about the Elgar Sonata as performed by Herbert Sumsion at Gloucester Cathedral (reissued by EMI, the famous 'one take' recording on the long lost Willis/H&H!) and the recent version by Keith John at The Temple Church (issued by Hyperion)? There are several other recent versions of this work too, he may well have one already on his shelves.

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The Reubke Sonata on Psalm 94 would be an interesting subject to consider especially those recordings (in the plural) made by Simon Preston at WA and Roger Fisher at Chester. Compare and contrast their earlier LP recordings (1960s) with their later CD recordings (both made on the same organ) but both vastly different - and all, thrilling!

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