Franz Liszt: St. François De Paul Marchant Sur Les Flots

[Clavecin 0]

Heard this piece played at Blackburn Cathedral last Wednesday by Jonathan Vaughn (Assistant at Wells).

 

It is a transcription by Lionel Rogg and published by UMP of Liszt's 2nd Légende for piano about St Francis de Paola walking on the waves (the 1st is about St Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds).

 

This formed the centre-piece of Jonathan's excellent recital, it makes a pretty spectacular organ piece (on a suitable instrument in a suitable acoustic of course; Blackburn ticks both boxes here). I had a look at Jonathan's score afterwards, it looks a bit more difficult than BACH and Ad Nos, but I would guess that the piano original would be even more difficult! Jonathan must have put a lot of hours into this to get it to such a standard.

 

There are plenty of piano performances on Youtube, but no organ ones.

Has anyone else come across this?

 

DT

[AJJ 0]

Heard this piece played at Blackburn Cathedral last Wednesday by Jonathan Vaughn (Assistant at Wells).

 

It is a transcription by Lionel Rogg and published by UMP of Liszt's 2nd Légende for piano about St Francis de Paola walking on the waves (the 1st is about St Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds).

 

This formed the centre-piece of Jonathan's excellent recital, it makes a pretty spectacular organ piece (on a suitable instrument in a suitable acoustic of course; Blackburn ticks both boxes here). I had a look at Jonathan's score afterwards, it looks a bit more difficult than BACH and Ad Nos, but I would guess that the piano original would be even more difficult! Jonathan must have put a lot of hours into this to get it to such a standard.

 

There are plenty of piano performances on Youtube, but no organ ones.

Has anyone else come across this?

 

DT

 

I think Nicolas Kynaston plays it - and possibly Peter King down here in Bath - 'not sure whose version though.

 

A

[wolsey 0]

It's also one of Jane Parker-Smith's concert party pieces, however, she doesn't appear to have recorded it.

[martinstanley 0]

Gillian Weir plays it a lot and gave a thrilling account in St Paul's a couple of years ago. She has recorded it at the RAH on Priory 859.

[Peter Allison 0]

And I am pretty sure Kevin Bowyer has recorded it in Blackburn, or something very similar, its on the "storm" cd

Peter

[oscar_rook 0]

In addition to Nicolas Kynaston at Altenberg Cathedral and Gillian Weir at the RAH, there are at least two more recordings: Péter Sírak on the Mander organ at Nagasaki Cathedral and Léonce de Saint-Martin at Notre Dame de Paris in 1953.

 

Regards

 

Oscar

[andyorgan 0]

And I am pretty sure Kevin Bowyer has recorded it in Blackburn, or something very similar, its on the "storm" cd

Peter

I have the cd, it is this one and its very good. I once met KB shortly after this was released and he told me there was enough 'storm' music for at least another cd.

[Peter Allison 0]

I have the cd, it is this one and its very good. I once met KB shortly after this was released and he told me there was enough 'storm' music for at least another cd.

 

Yes, thats the one, infact I have just put it on my hard drive, and am listening to it now. It is. as you say, "very good"

 

Peter

[martinstanley 0]

The version on the Kevin Bowyer CD appears to be an arrangement by Reger whereas the DGW performance is the Lionel Rogg version. In the CD notes David Gammie comments "in his preface to his more recent transcription (1988) Lionel Rogg justifiably suggests the end result sounds more like Reger than Liszt; in this new version he has tried to remain as faithful as possible to the original score, taking insparation from Liszt's own style of writing for the organ". I have not heard the Reger version so cannot comment further.

 

I beleive the Léonce de Saint-Martin CD mentioned earlier is yet another arrangement.

[MusingMuso 0]

I have a bit of an aversion to storms; not just because I heard Reginald Dixon playing one on the Tower Ballroom, Wurlitzer as a lad.

 

The main reason is, that when I was in America, I rather follishly thought it a good idea to have a bit of first-hand experience of a heavy-wind obligato, and promptly went for a walk around Provincetown, (at the end of Cape Cod), in a category 5.

 

This was not a good idea, for a number of reasons.

 

a) 120mph winds

garbage cans flying through the air

c) having to hang on to lamp-posts

d) having my hair-style destroyed in an instant (I had hair then)

e) almost getting swept out to sea by 30ft waves

 

Could I therefore make a plea for a weather forecast prior to any organ-recitals?

 

I would hate to vomit on the floor mid-storm, no matter how good the programme or performance.

 

MM

[martinstanley 0]

Found this (arr. Reger):

 

 

I think I prefer the real thing as played by Horowitz:

 

[Clavecin 0]

The version on the Kevin Bowyer CD appears to be an arrangement by Reger whereas the DGW performance is the Lionel Rogg version. In the CD notes David Gammie comments "in his preface to his more recent transcription (1988) Lionel Rogg justifiably suggests the end result sounds more like Reger than Liszt; in this new version he has tried to remain as faithful as possible to the original score, taking insparation from Liszt's own style of writing for the organ". I have not heard the Reger version so cannot comment further.

 

I beleive the Léonce de Saint-Martin CD mentioned earlier is yet another arrangement.

 

From the look of the Rogg score I would agree. The distinctive pedal writing and much of the left hand was very similar to the Sandor Margittay edition of 'BACH' which I use.

 

(p.s. thanks for the pdf files!)

 

David

[Andy 0]

Richard Pilliner played it at Southwark Cathedral this month.

[DouglasCorr 0]

Found this (arr. Reger):

 

 

I think I prefer the real thing as played by Horowitz:

 

 

Me too!!

 

This organ version takes nearly twice as long !

 

Lucky it takes a lot to kill a great musical idea....

[msw 0]

I think Nicolas Kynaston plays it - and possibly Peter King down here in Bath - 'not sure whose version though.

 

A

 

I believe PK has a recording in the can (Gary Cole's at Regent Records, to be exact) using the Reger transcription. "Liszt in Bath" (not my title) will also include BACH, Ad nos, Weinen Klagen, Evocation a la Chappelle Sixtine, St Francis preaching to the Birds (arr. Saint-Saens) and various smaller pieces.

 

You'll be hard pressed to find a better organ or building for Liszt than the Klais of Bath Abbey!

[martinstanley 0]

Another arrangement by Louis Robilliard in addition to Rogg and Reger