French Organ Music Volume 8 - Gaspard Corrette & Jean-François Dandrieu

"If one wanted to learn how to play this music, one could do no better than to listen to Ponsford's interpretations, and study his insights, together with the registrations which are set out in the handsome liner notes. There are so many highlights; I've had this CD on repeat all day." William McVicker, choirandorgan.com

"The main merit of this new pipe organ recording lies in its historical importance and perspective, most notably in how it exposes the core differences between French and German organists and composers of the Baroque era, or more specifically the conceptual musical differences between these two composers and their contemporary counterpart, Johann Sebastian Bach." Classical Music Sentinel [read complete review]

"Listening, recognizing and describing the sonority of a certain organ, although with metaphors, is an exquisiteness for our ears. The English organist, harpsichordist, musicologist and conductor David Ponsford is a man of taste, as well as being an authority on keyboard music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Since 2021, he has taught organ, harpsichord and continuous organ at the Royal Academy of Music in London...." sonograma.org Click here for full review

"Volume 8 of David Pondford’s magisterial survey of 18^th century French organ music was recorded in May 2023 in Marmoutier Abbey in the Alsace. The main work is Gaspard Corrette’s substantial organ Mass on the eighth tone, his only publication, which appeared in Paris in 1703. With clear stylistic nods to Couperin and other 17^th Century models, this work encompasses a wide variety of textures and moods. Some of the 24 movements are very short. The centrepiece, however, is the extended Grande dialogue à trois choeurs, an organically satisfying movement of great originality and richness, in essence a free fantasia.

Ponsford’s playing is authoritatively affectionate throughout, enhance by a superbly informative booklet, with individual registrations for each piece carefully annotated. The instrument is in fine fettle and perfectly recorded." Malcolm Riley, Gramophone

"Here is court-meets-church music, filled with graceful delights, such as the Concert pour les Flȗtes, with exotic Wurlitzer-like Tremblant doux. In contrast, Dandrieu’s Magnificat has eight movements and is supplemented by two Piéces d’Orgue (Offertoire and Tierce en taille) from the Premier livre of 1739. If one wanted to learn how to play this music, one could do no better than to listen to Ponsford’s interpretations, and study his insights, together with the registrations which are set out in the handsome liner notes. There are so many highlights; I’ve had this CD on repeat all day.” William McVicker, Choir and Organ 

"The latter brings to a close this superb disc, which every lover of organ music should add to his or her collection. In case he or she does not know or have the previous volumes, each one of them is worth having. They are listed in the booklet." Johan Van Veen, MusicWeb International