New Tournemire CD performed by Adrian Gunning

[oscar_rook]

I have just received Adrian Gunning's superb new CD (Herald HAVPCD 361), recorded last October on the Cavaillé-Coll/Debierre organ of Notre Dame d'Auteuil, Paris. For many years, Adrian has been a committed advocate of Tournemire's music and it is marvellous to have his incandescent performances of twelve movements from L'Orgue Mystique performed on this fine instrument in a suitably spacious acoustic. The timbres are ideal, with beautiful strings and flutes, roaring bombardes and typically French-sounding mixtures.

 

In lesser hands, Tournemire's L'Orgue Mystique can seem like endless shapeless doodlings, with nothing much to get your teeth into. Certainly the music requires a rich tonal palette and plenty of resonance to make its mark. Enthusiasts may already have George Delvallée's peerless 12CD set of all 51 suites, but this new CD is a great way to sample the choicest plums.

 

Has anyone else heard this CD? Are others as enthusiastic?

 

Oscar

[oscar_rook]

For more details about this release, visit the Herald website.

 

By the way, I forgot to mention the excellent booklet notes by David Gammie. In recent years, he has become the leading writer of programme notes, both for recitals and CD booklets; I find his contributions very informative and elegantly written. You only need to look at the perfunctory twaddle that accompanies many orchestral and chamber music CDs to see how fortunate we are.

 

Oscar

[Jim Treloar]

Oscar - yes, I've also heard it, received last week. Agree with everything you say; Adrian's playing of Tournemire is always superb, easily comparable to Delvalee's. The choice of the ND d'Auteil instrument, which he knows well, is also welcome. I thiink it an underrated C.-C., the Organ Club visited it last year and both Frederic Blanc, the Titulaire, and Adrian played for us, and for me it was one of the highlights of the tour.