Louis Vierne was one of the most important organ composers of the generation after César Franck. Vierne's organ symphonies and character pieces are thus among the pillars of the modern Paris organ school. However, he composed much else that has not become nearly as well known. His life, unfortunately, was sad. Handicaps, accidents, loss of loved ones, a bad marriage, professional misunderstanding:
it all happened to him. Not all of his music was overshadowed by that tragedy. Much, however, is nevertheless dark in color. One such is the little-known Sonata for Cello and Piano from 1910. Especially the slow middle movement (Molto largamente), which the booklet compares to Ravel's later Concert for the Left Hand. More impressionistic are the Soirs étrangers from 1928. The five-movement suite was Vierne's last chamber music work. (HJ)more
