Audite have just
released volume three, the final instalment of this Vierne cycle that brings us
Symphony No.5 in A minor, Op.47 and Symphony No.6 in B minor, Op.59. Roß uses
the same organ as with his previous recordings, the Goll Organ of St. Martin’s,
Memmingen, Germany www.die-orgelseite.de/disp/D_Memmingen_StMartin.htm
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| SACD audite 92.676 |
It is a salutary thought that when Louis Vierne was writing
his Organ Symphony No.6, in 1930,
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was writing his Diptyque for organ (1930) and had already composed his Le banquet céleste for organ (1928).
So how much did the musical advances of the twentieth
century find their way into Vierne’s organ music? There is certainly evidence
of development in the earlier fifth organ symphony, with its dissonances, but
it was to be the sixth organ symphony that moved even further ahead.
But, to start with the Symphony
No.5 in A minor, Op.47 (1924), the opening Grave sounds quietly in the depths, hardly rising at all in this
austere movement, only lightened when, centrally, a more forward moving section
appears.
The dynamic Allegro molto
marcato casts aside the mood of the Grave,
full of drive, tension and thrust. Hans-Eberhard Roß is very fine, with lovely
phrasing, dynamics and very much a feeling for the music. The way Roß handles
the various musical lines is superb and there are some spectacularly dramatic
passages.
The scherzo, Tempo di
Scherzo ma non troppo vivo, has a terrific ‘bounce’ as it scuttles along, with
almost a ‘diabolical’ nature. Roß’ restraint only adds to the menace of the
music.
The Larghetto opens
on deep chords before immediately lightening in a calm melody with Roß allowing
the development to unfold naturally, with lovely textures emerging, such is his
fine sense of tempo.
There is a wonderful, bright and joyful Final: Allegro moderato, much in the nature of a carillon. Roß
brings out some lovely touches in the quieter moments, nicely coloured. He
keeps a fine forward flow with some spectacularly fine playing, especially as
the music moves rapidly toward the coda.
An ascending and descending flourish opens the Introduction et Allegro: Poco agitato e a
piacere, of the Symphony No.6 in B
minor, Op.59 (1930) full of chromaticism in this endlessly fascinating
movement to which Roß brings so much fine playing before the spectacular coda.
The Aria: Andante
quasi adagio has the same dramatic freedom to which Roß responds so well,
such fine tempo, flow and phrasing, providing such clarity enhanced by the fine
recording. What a fine coda Vierne provided, brilliantly played here.
Vierne returns to the ‘diabolical’ in the unusual Scherzo: Vivace, where there are little
runs, phrases and rhythms, giving the music a strange character. This is another
example of Roß’ brilliant technique; his ability to phrase so well in these
complex rhythms.
The Adagio: Larghetto
opens with a long held note, underpinned by a pedal motif before the music
slowly moves forward with its chromatic lines and drooping melody that becomes
increasingly passionate as it develops, before a deep, rich coda that has lots
of pedal to test any speaker cone.
The Final: Allegro
molto simply bursts out with energy before developing through a steadier
middle section, with Roß building the return to the opening brilliantly, as the
music moves quickly towards the coda in playing of supreme accomplishment.
These are superb performances that should bring more people to
appreciate these fine works. The magnificent Goll organ seems ideally suited to
Vierne’s music and is well caught by the engineers who not only provide
excellent clarity but produce a bass response to test any speaker.
There are excellent booklet notes from Rüdiger Heinze and
Hans-Eberhard Roß as well as a full organ specification.
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