Another fabulous release from Festivo
of Louis Robilliard playing two of Cavaillé-Coll's
greatest late organs. This programme
is built around a brisk and virtuosic
reading of Liszt's huge Fantasia and
Fugue on Meyerbeer's theme from 'Le
Prophète'. This is a much recorded
work, but Robilliard, one of the very
greatest French organists of his generation,
comes through the competition unscathed
to present one of the very best recordings
currently available. How often do you
hear this piece played with such a formidable
sense of unity? Interesting also that
the piece survives being played on a
late French Romantic organ, rather than
the Ladegast organ-type for which it
was conceived. Rather like Daniel Roth's
recording of the Reubke Sonata in St
Sulpice on Aeolus, the match is uncannily
effective, despite the obvious aesthetical
differences - the most obvious being
the role played by the reeds in the
French organs.
Another 'leap of faith'
which also comes off surprisingly well,
is Robilliard's own transcription of
Rachmaninov's Prelude in F# minor. Transcribing
very pianistic music for the organ seldom
produces happy results, this is a beautiful
exception. The rest of the repertoire
is made up of standard Widor and Vierne
excerpts; perhaps a little shame that
neither symphony is presented complete.
The Vierne is marvellous, with the momentum
of the opening prelude and the way in
which Robilliard creates a thrillingly
unstoppable inevitability in the much-played
Final, despite playing at a far from
extreme tempo, is a real master-stroke.
The key to the genius
of Robilliard is not to be found in
big gestures. Mostly his tempi are at
the slightly quicker end of the scale,
but it is his ability to manipulate
long lines, project huge structures,
to create an atmosphere which draws
in the listener, and to build thrilling
climaxes without ever pushing the music's
pulse which is so telling.
As with previous Robilliard
releases on Festivo, the juxtaposition
of the fiery Toulouse organ with the
more serene Lyon instrument contributes
much to the listening enjoyment. I find
again that both organs are too closely
recorded for my taste, though I understand
from Festivo that microphone placement
is very much at the discretion of the
artist. We can assume therefore that
this is what Robilliard wants us to
hear.
This is unmissable
stuff, buy one for yourself and several
more as Christmas presents.
Chris Bragg
Louis Robilliard, organ 
