Berlioz summarized the orchestral-organ relationship as follows: "L'orchestre est empéreur, l'orgue pape." He was referring not only to the secular status of the first and the religious of the second, but also to the difficult relationship between the two: here two quantities stand opposite each other, each of which is absolute ruler in their own domain. Remarkably enough, it has always been
… organists (except Poulenc) who took up the challenge of the confrontation and wrote works in which their instrument competes with the orchestra, such as Saint-Saëns, Rheinberger, Widor and also the two present on this CD organist-composers Marcel Dupré (1886-1971) and Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968). From the former, the "Concerto for organ and orchestra, op.25", a work with all the typical Dupré characteristics, can be heard. such as the basically tonal, but with free chromatic additions punctuated harmony and the sometimes almost fierce rhythm. Jeanne Demessieux plays "Poème op.9", a nice, but somewhat unprofessional piece. In addition, the rarely heard "Symphonie" for organ solo by Joseph Gilles (1903-1942), a work in which the chromatic harmony of Vierne is pushed to the extreme. The organ playing of Jeremy Filsell is not bad, neither is the accompaniment of the BBC Concert Orchestra with Barry Wordsworth, but the organ itself is either bad quality or unfortunately recorded. (JvG) _ In addition, the rarely heard "Symphonie" for organ solo by Joseph Gilles (1903-1942), a work in which the chromatic harmony of Vierne is pushed to the extreme. The organ playing of Jeremy Filsell is not bad, neither is the accompaniment of the BBC Concert Orchestra with Barry Wordsworth, but the organ itself is either bad quality or unfortunately recorded. (JvG) _ In addition, the rarely heard "Symphonie" for organ solo by Joseph Gilles (1903-1942), a work in which the chromatic harmony of Vierne is pushed to the extreme. The organ playing of Jeremy Filsell is not bad, neither is the accompaniment of the BBC Concert Orchestra with Barry Wordsworth, but the organ itself is either bad quality or unfortunately recorded. (JvG) _more
