The third of Hortus’s
series encompassing the complete organ
works and motets of Saint-Saëns
as usual combines very musical playing
and interesting instruments. The literature
is also a nice mix including excellent
performances of the op. 99 Preludes
and Fugues. Also included is the motet
Deus Abraham, also programmed
in the previous disc, but this time
in a more richly arranged version for
soprano solo, mixed choir, harp and
organ. The solo singing, especially
that of Sabine Garonne is excellent.
The choral singing is good, but not
optimal. Interesting on this disc to
hear Saint-Saëns' Motets with other
obbligato instruments; the horn with
the organ and choir in the setting of
Ave, Verum, is delicious.
Vincent Genvrin, as
usual, is quite up to the task; his
energy in the seventh improvisation
is spot-on and the preludes and fugues
are played with virtuosity and authority.
Perhaps if I was to be very picky, the
Prelude in B could be slightly quicker
and a little more mysterious and the
E-flat fugue could be more maestoso
as suggested in the composer's tempo
marking.
The Prelude and Fugues,
together with the Marche Réligieuse
and the seventh improvisation are recorded
in La Madeleine. This is captured seemingly
rather close. Although not a fan of
claustrophobic recordings of organs,
I suspect here it is necessary. The
church has no windows with the curious
result that bass frequencies stay in
the church much longer than treble frequencies.
Allied with the very substantial acoustic,
the effect downstairs can very easily
become extremely garbled. I sat very
recently through a concert there played
by a British organist who performed
Guilmant's seventh sonata and completely
failed to modify his tempi and way of
playing to suit the room. The result
was utterly incomprehensible for the
audience. Happily, this isn't the situation
here. The remainder of the pieces are
performed on the 1880 Puget organ in
the church of Notre Dame de Taure in
Toulouse. Another of that city's organs
lost in the shadows of St Sernin, (in
this case almost physically, as St Sernin
is just along the street), it is one
of the most beautiful examples of this
local builder's work. A three-manual
organ, with both Recit and Positif enclosed,
it is ideal for the accompanying role
it plays here. Again lack of photos
and specifications in the booklet do
it no favours.
Recommendable, as usual
from Hortus.
Chris Bragg
for details
Vincent Genvrin, organ, Sabine Garonne
(mezzo-soprano), Francois-Nicolas Geslot (tenor),
Daniel Daure (french horn), Dominique Clement
(harp), Choir, 'Les Elements'/ Joel Suhubiette
