French Fireworks! From Widor to Castagnet

24 June 2018

Yesterday, the choir pulled off a demanding programme of works celebrating the great heritage of French organist-composers, beginning in 1879 with Charles-Marie Widor, and ending in 2007 with Yves Castagnet. The concert included two massive Masses - the first, the Messe solennelle of Louis Vierne began the concert in thundering C sharp minor, gradually giving way to the heavenly clouds of C sharp major at the very end of the Agnus Dei. The second Mass, the Messe ’Salve Regina’ by Yves Castagenet (almost) closed the evening’s music-making. Both of these Masses are written for large choir and not one but <two> organs, and we were delighted that the virtuoso organist, Simon Hogan, was on hand to reduce the two organ parts onto one! It was a particular privilege to sing the Castagnet, having met him when he accompanied our singing when we were on tour at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris (2013). The real showstopping moment is in the Sanctus, when the organist plays seemingly hundreds of notes in every single bar, from beginning-to-end … simply stunning.,
 

Louis Vierne at the Organ Console

The Audience Assembles