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French Bonbons: Romantic Organ Music
£14.99
In stock
Catalogue Number
NI5999
In an international solo career spanning almost fifty years on harpsichord and organ, Richard Lester; described by the Daily Telegraph and The Times as ‘one of our leading players’, is universally acclaimed as a prominent interpreter of early music on period and modern keyboard instruments. In 1982, Dame Janet Baker chose his recording of Scarlatti sonatas as her favourite on BBC Desert Island Discs, commenting that ‘it would keep my spirits up so well.’
Richard’s career as an organist is equally celebrated in this country and abroad, where he enjoys performing the Romantic and Modern organ repertoire; especially music by Vierne, Reger, Hindemith and Messiaen. In 1995 he was invited to perform Elgar’s organ sonata at St Paul’s Cathedral for the 50th VJ anniversary celebrations; and in 2013 his recital at St Mark’s in Venice and at Bergamo Cathedral drew capacity audiences.
As one of Nimbus Records’ ‘most popular artists,’ his recordings were lauded by Gramophone and twice awarded the ‘outstanding’ accolade from International Record Review. More recently his Frescobaldi opus on period instruments gained an entry into the Penguin Guide to the 1000 Finest Classical Recordings. This release is to celebrate Richard Lester’s 75th Birthday.
In 2018, Musicweb International voted Lester’s distinguished survey of Bach’s Harpsichord works, Volume 2 as one of their recordings of the year.
Manufacturer: Wyastone Estate Limited, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SR
Email: sales@wyastone.co.uk
Reviews:
"…The Prelude opens quietly with magical figurations – like 'gurgling champagne'. A novelty here are the seven-note chords, three of them played on the pedals! The Fugue is scary. It is full of power, energy and even aggression. The music builds up into an overwhelming coda.
Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély contributes three excellent pieces to this recital. The opening section of the Sortie in E-flat (1857) has all the vivacity of a fairground organ. Equally effervescent is the Sortie in B flat (1857)…
Old favourites of mine are the Toccata from Léon Boëllmann's Suite gothique Op. 25 and Eugene Gigout's Toccata in B minor. The former is rightly described in the liner notes as eerie: it would make a great Halloween piece. The latter builds up from the opening brilliant flourishes and figurations to a powerful peroration.
Louis Vierne is represented by four pieces in this CD. The first, even I can play! Berceuse (Cradle Song) must be one of the most delicious organ miniatures in the repertoire… Moving up a notch, the Carillon de Westminster deserves its place in the repertoire. This is the sixth number in the third of Vierne's four-suite set of 24 pieces de fantaisie, published in 1927. It is one of the great war-horses of the organist's repertoire. Vierne's final offering here is the Finale from the Organ Symphony No. 1 Op. 14 (1898-1899). This is one of those pieces that seems to just keep on building up, (with a slight relaxation) until its thunderous conclusion. It is given a great performance here.
Richard Lester's liner notes are ideal. They provide all the required information, and are presented in an engaging and often witty style. There is a résumé of the organist, as well as the ever-important specification of the organ.
I enjoyed this CD. It is full of good things. The playing is terrific, and the outstanding recording is exactly what I expect from Nimbus CDs. I think that I know each piece here, but certainly hearing some of them again gave me a fresh perspective. This was especially so with the two vivacious Sorties by Lefébure-Wély.
Finally, I repeat, I am an organ snob. In my ideal world this repertoire would have been performed on a genuine Cavaillé-Coll instrument. That said, it sounds great played here on this 'digi'. It is amazing that an instrument with all these powerful resources can be found in a Devon Parish Church. Food for thought, I fear." Music Web International
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Prelude in G Minor, Op. 7, No. 3
Pièce héroïque, CFF 104
Symphony for Organ, No. 5, Op. 42, No. 1: Toccata
24 Pièces de fantaisie, Op. 54: Carillon de Westminster
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0.135 kg