# Organ recommendations



## ochra (May 25, 2013)

Hi, I really want to get into classical music but I find it very difficult to do so. There's so many composers and they write pieces (not albums as I am accustomed to) and then there are always countless renditions of each piece. I am particularly fascinated by the organ so I am primarily looking for organ works. 

If it sounds like it could be featured in a vampire/gothic film I'm certain I would like it. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" comes to mind as a relative template for what I am looking for. But can anyone recommend any composers outside of him, and specific pieces along these lines... 

But, more so than just knowing the pieces and composers... if anyone could recommend specific recordings or compilations. I probably would prefer the sounds of older recordings as I am so often turned off by overly clean and compressed modern production techniques.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Liszt:"Ad Nos Fantasia". For instance the Chorzempa recording. A very cinematic & gothic piece, lasting 30+ minutes ....


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## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

Try J. S. Bach's Prelude and fugue in C minor BWV 546 and Jean Langlais' Suite medievale. 

Best regards, Dr


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

All Organ recordings are generally diffuse as most are made with only two omnidirectional microphones at a reasonable distance!

I believe that getting some collections is a very good way to acquaint oneself with new music. If You have an Online Service like Spotify, I suggest You take a listen on some of the following:

*Christopher Herrick* had recorded two series for the Hyperion label called "*Organ Fireworks*" and "*Organ Dreams*" that includes several works that may fit You description. (There are short listening samples at the linked pages!)

Here are some names whose organs works You can look for, some makes me uneasy in a "vampire/gothic film" way:

Keith Jarrett (Spheres on ECM)
Philips Glass (Dance Nos. 2&4)
Petr Eben (Faust and Mutationen)
Charles-Marie Widor (Toccata fron the Fifth Organ Symphony)

The owner of the Forum, Fredrik Magle has written some quite dark organ pieces, that You can find more info about *HERE!*

/ptr


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

I recommend this out-of-print French CD on the _Arion_ label - it is an album devoted Andre Jolivet's organ music [two pieces for solo organ, one for trumpet & organ and one for soprano & organ]


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I like it when the organ blends with other instruments, as in Jeremiah Clarke's 'Trumpet Voluntary'; a schoolpal recommended John Stanley's Trumpet Tune, which is also lovely.


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## Guest (May 25, 2013)

Well, since you like Bach, start there. The recordings by Helmut Walcha on DG are very good - my favorites. You can spring for a large compilation, or just a 2-disc compilation.

After Bach, Buxtehude was also quite the organ composer. I believe Ton Koopman has recorded much of his works, if I am not mistaken. 

For something more modern - and different - try Olivier Messiaen. Olivier Latry has a great multi-disc compilation of those works on DG as well.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Mendelssohn wrote some organ sonatas and choral music with organ. I believe his organ works are well regarded. I love Mendelssohn, but I don't listen to much organ music so I cannot personally vouch for the quality compared to other organ works


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## Orpheus (Jul 15, 2012)

You seem to be after organ music with a big, lush sound, and when you take Toccatta and Fugue as your point of reference and go on to say that the sort of music you are after would fit a Vampire or Gothic film, it sounds like you want emotionally expressive, richly dramatic music, with a particular tendency towards the dark and grotesque. This leads me to think that you would get a lot of satisfaction from the French late/post Romantic organist-composers, people like Franck, Widor and Vierne. These are not exactly household names (particularly the last two) but have an abundance of the qualities you seem to be looking for in their music.

Broadly speaking, I would recommend either Vierne's or Widor's organ symphonies (which, belying their names, are actually for SOLO organ) or Franck's chorales and Pièces. More specifically, here are some links by way of example:

The dramatic finale of Vierne's first organ symphony, possibly his best known piece:





The delightfully menacing Scherzo of Vierne's 6th organ symphony:





And while I'm at it, the finale of the 6th:





Franck's first chorale, in E major:





Franck's Prière (from 6 Pièces):





Widor's best known music, the Tocatta from his 5th organ symphony (often played alone as a concert piece or, strangely to me, as a wedding recessional):






And the fine Allegro from his 5th symphony:





Lizst is a good composer for this sort of music as well, here's a piece with an obvious association with what you're looking for, I don't think I need to explain what it is 






And finally, some literally "Gothic" organ music, by the rather obscure composer Léon Boëllmann, yet another of those darkly romantic Frenchmen:






I'm not sure whether I should try to make specific recommendations for the others, but if you like the sound of the organ in the last piece, the same instrument is used for the Signum classics version of Vierne's complete symphonies, played by Jeremy Filsell (the recording available on Briliant classics for a lower price is, I think, simply a licensed re-release of this version).

http://www.europadisc.co.uk/images/products-190/1256025670_SIGCD063.jpg
Sometimes the sound is a bit TOO lush for my tastes, but I think it will fit well with your desire for a recording that doesn't sound too sanitised and modern.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Bach:
"Little" G minor fugue
"Great" Prelude and fugue in G Minor
"Gigue" Fugue in G Major
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major
Toccata in F Major (BWV 450)
Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor (That's pronounced passa-calia).
I prefer the performances and recordings by E. Power Biggs for these.


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