ORGAN and SYMPHONY: Widor, Jongen, Parker - F. Hauk, Alfredo Ibarra, The Ingolstadt Philharmonie


Released: 2000
Label: Guild
Catalog N°: GMCD 7182
Genre: Classical
File Format: eac_flacs_cue_log  complete scans. 289MB. MP3 (Lame) VBR245 V0. 108mb

American Record Guide July/August 00  Page 210/211
 This fascinating collection of little-known pieces for organ and orchestra was recorded in Liebfrauenmьnster Ingolstadt in 1998, using the 4 – 100+ Klais organ. The Widor work was commissioned to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Villis Organ in Prince Albert Hall. Insteda of writing something new, Widor arranged two movements from his Symphony 6 and a slow, middle movement from Symphony 2. While this might strike some as an easy way out, the result is quite satisfactory. The opening Allegro manages to maintain a nice balance between organ and orchestra with sections for each to shine. The slow movement is very pleasant, but the organ is mostly occupied with quiet background commentary.
 Jongen’s 1940 work to inaugurate a new organ in Belgium will immediately remind listeners of passages from his much better known Symphonie concertante. A short work (under 6 minutes), it has a strong, romantic flavour, with heroic brass and soaring strings. The same can be said of the longer and better crafted Hymne from 1924. Characteristic Jongen harmonies prevail, and one can revel in the haunting middle section, where slow-moving organ chords accompany a lovely string theme. If you enjoy the Symphonie concertante, you’ll love this piece.
 The Parker concerto continues this romantic flavour, and if I and III are a bit disapointing, surely they are balanced by the stunning Andente. The orchestral writing is particularly noteworthy. Parker had a good sense of what works for each instrumental family. Too bad it was received with sugh indifference bz the critics. If you are unfamiliar with Parker’s compositions beyond his best-known Hora Navissima, this piece will surprise you.
 Good performances all around. Unless there was some sneaky enhancement of the acoustics, the reverberation is splendid. It makes these pieces even grander than they are.

On this CD:
01. Charles-Marie Widor - Symphonie en sol mineur op. 42: Allegro 09:36
02. Charles-Marie Widor - Symphonie en sol mineur op. 42: Andante 10:09
03. Charles-Marie Widor - Symphonie en sol mineur op. 42: Final Allegro 06:55
04. Joseph Jongen: Alleluja pour Orgue et Orchestre op. 112 05:42
05. Joseph Jongen: Hymne pour Orgue et Orchestre op. 78 09:34
06. Horatio Parker - Concerto op. 55: Allegro moderato 03:51
07. Horatio Parker - Concerto op. 55: Andante 06:48
08. Horatio Parker - Concerto op. 55: Allegretto, ma ben marcato 03:18
09. Horatio Parker - Concerto op. 55: Allegro moderato, molto risoluto 06:47
DDD Total Time = 79:40 Recorded: Das Muenster zur Schoenen Unserer Lieben Frau (The Klais-Organ), Ingolstadt 10 – 13 August 1998


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