Hymns of joy and sorrow

Kari Vuola · César Franck · Franz Liszt · Camille Saint-Saëns

2014 · ABCD 362

Credits

Performers: Kari Vuola — Organ
Composers: César FranckFranz LisztCamille Saint-SaënsEugène GigoutLouis Vierne

About this release

Hymns of Joy and Sorrow
Hymns of joy and sorrow
Kari Vuola, organ
Kari Vuola's new album Hymns of Joy and Sorrow features organ works by both Franz Liszt and the French romantics César Franck, Camille Saint-Saëns, Eugène Gigout and Louis Vierne. Vuola plays the pieces on the Paschen Kiel organ of Keski-Pori church.
In addition to his career as a composer and pianist, César Franck was a well-known and praised organist. So it's no wonder that dozens of organ compositions were created. For Franck, as for many others, the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt was a great role model. Liszt's skilful pianism and tone poetic thinking pointed the way for the composers of the Romantic period. Liszt's own organ output was small, but it includes a few very significant works.
Liszt's wide circle of friends also included his younger colleague Camille Saint-Saëns. Along with their interest in the organ, the composers shared a great admiration for Bach's music. However, Saint-Saëns did not use Bach's tonal motifs, but updated this popular work form to the expression of his time in his series of three preludes and fugues from 1894.
The French organ tradition includes not only calm chorales but also bursting toccatas. Saint-Saëns' student Eugène Gigout created one of the most famous of them. Toccata in B minor was published in 1892 as part of a series of 10 organ pieces.
Louis Vierne was known as the long-time organist of the Notre Dame Church in Paris and as one of the best improvisers of his time. The most famous of Vierne's numerous organ compositions is the Carillon de Westminster from 1927, part of the 24 Pièces de Fantaisie series.

Tracks

1.Choral I en mi majeur (E major)comp. César Franck (1822-1890)ISRC FIABA130021217:08
2.Cantabile en si majeur (B major)comp. César Franck (1822-1890)ISRC FIABA13002136:48
3.Variationen ‘Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen’comp. Franz Liszt (1811-1886)ISRC FIABA130021422:09
Prélude et Fugue en si majeur (B major) Op. 99 No. 2
4.Préludecomp. Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)ISRC FIABA13002153:52
5.Fuguecomp. Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)ISRC FIABA13002163:07
6.Toccata en si mineur (B minor)comp. Eugène Gigout (1844-1925)ISRC FIABA13002173:33
7.Carillon de Westminster Op. 54 No. 6comp. Louis Vierne (1870-1937)ISRC FIABA13002186:38

Reviews

The same approach that he uses in the Franck works wonderfully for this intense expression of the composer’s grief over the death of his daughter, Blandine, in 1862.
American Record Guide · Robert Delcamp · May 18, 2015
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Keski-Porin kirkon uljaat urut
”Keski-Porin seurakunta näytti muutama vuosi sitten kulttuuritahdon mallia rakennuttamalla kirkkoonsa huikeat ranskalais-romanttiset urut. […] Keski-Porin kirkon urut tarjoavat muhkeaa pehmeyttä, jyrisevää voimaa ja häikäisevää diskanttia niin yltäkylläisesti, että Kari Vuola on voinut tehdä rekisteröinnit ekonomisesti – dynamiikkaa riittää vaikka paukkuja säästellään huippukohtiin. Rekisteröintitaidosta todistaa, että Lisztin muunnelmat hahmottuvat kirkkaina…
Yle Uudet levyt · Kare Eskola
Urkuromantiikkaa uljaasti
”Keski-Porin kirkon ranskalais-romanttiset urut sopivat levyn musiikkiin täydellisesti. Kari Vuola soittaa varmaotteisesti, uljaasti ja intohimoisesti.”
Lauri
Suomen Kuvalehti · Lauri Kilpiö