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Sounds Parisian Naji HAKIM (b.1955) Le Tombeau d’Olivier Messiaen (Par ma vie, par ma mort [6’33]; Je rends grace à mon Dieu [6’25]; Christ avec le Saint-Esprit [6’02]) Vexilla Regis Prodeunt Olivier MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Apparition de l’Eglise éternelle [9’53] Louis VIERNE (1870-1937) Messe Basse pour les enfants défunts: (Prélude [5’33]; Introit [4’43]; Offertoire [5’49]; Elevation [2’14]; Communion [5’59]; Défilé [9’33]) David Bednall, organ rec. Blackburn Cathedral, 31 May- 2 June 2004 LAMMAS RECORDS LAMM 175D [73’42]

The title ‘French’ Organ Music is not strictly correct as Naji Hakim was born in Lebanon, although France has been his adopted country for many years. The programme opens with his three movement Le Tombeau d’Olivier Messiaen and closes with Vexilla Regis Prodeunt. In between are Messiaen’s Apparition de l’Eglise éternelle and Vierne’s six movement Messe Basse pour les enfants défunts. Hakim is well known as an organist-composer-improviser and succeeded Messiaen at La Trinité in 1993. Le Tombeau d’Olivier Messiaen was premiered by Hakim at La Trinité in 1993 and is a 20 minute work which incorporates melodic and harmonic ideas of Messiaen. The first movement has a strong feel of Dieu parmi nous, has some unusual registrations and is a real tour-de-force. It is well played with panache and energy. The second movement also has exotic coloration and quotes from Les Offrandes Oubliées. It is generally quieter and musically more calm, before making-way for the shattering opening of the final movement, quoting from the Trois Petites Liturgies and Harawi. Like the first movement and the Final from the Hommage à Igor Stravinski, the dance flies along at a frightening pace with huge vigour and a relentless quality. For me some of the music is like written -down improvisation - perhaps that’s what it is. In any case, it is very well presented by David Bednall. The eleven minute Vexilla Regis is through-composed with several distinct sections which refer musically to the seven stanzas of the text of this hymn to the Holy Cross for the vespers of Passion Sunday. A wide variety of registrations provide some relief from the power of tutti, and musically the piece has some strong moments. Messiaen’s Apparition de l’Eglise éternelle sounds very well on the Blackburn instrument, an organ having gained a few new stops à la Notre-Dame thanks to the consultancy of David Briggs. Vierne’s Messe Basse pour les enfants défunts was his last work, and much of the anguish of his life is reflected in music which is frequently sombre and poignant. David Bednall finds appropriately ‘French’ registrations on the Blackburn organ perhaps by lots of coupling-up. Only the voix humaine is rather out of tune. Vierne’s musical language had become very chromatic by this stage in his life. The Prélude has a mood like the Prélude of the First Symphony: emotionally highly charged, not rising above mezzo forte, and ending on the subdued voix humaine registration and a dark C sharp minor chord. The Introit which follows is calm like the Berceuse from the Pièces en style libre, with a gentle development of the opening motivic ideas. Sensitively played, it is musically interesting and has a single affekt throughout. The Offertoire is in ternary form and is another dark and sombre piece, with reeds mixed in with the fonds. It is musically less developed and precedes the Elevation, a short movement where the tension of the previous music is released into a much needed stillness. The Communion is beautiful, a rich flute-dominated fonds and a major key! A typical Vierne Adagio, it has good forward movement. The closing Défilé has a wide range of ideas and moods, with another calm Berceuse as the central section. The loud closing section using material from the beginning finally gives way to a pianissimo conclusion on C sharp minor. A fine recording. Graham Mark Scott   Advertising Rates Visitor stats MusicWeb International has over 40,000 Classical CD reviews on offer Discs received Having a problem Donating? Gerard Hoffnung Concerts & The Bricklayer Story MusicWeb can now offer you discs from the following catalogues: Prices include postage There will be NO VAT Rises [Acte Préalable £13.50] [Arcodiva £12.00] [Avie from £6.25] [British Music Society £12.00] [CDACCORD from £13.50 ] [ClassicO £12.50] [Hallé from £11] [Heritage £10] [Hortus £14.99 ] [Lyrita ONLY £11.75 ] [Nimbus Special prices] [Northern Flowers £13.50] [REDCLIFFE £11 ] [Sheva £11] [Tactus £11.50 ] [Talent from £12.00 ] [Toccata Classics £10.50 ] Musicweb Special Offers Monthly Best Buys   New Releases New Releases   MusicWeb sells the Polish catalogue CDAccord £10.50 post free W-W MusicWeb sells the Arcodiva catalogue £12.00 post free W-W £11.75 post-free world- wide     Google Ads - for information about privacy matters, click here.  Amazon Musicweb International is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

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