BaL 26.12.15 - Poulenc: Organ Concerto

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

0930
Building a Library: Oliver Condy recommends a version of Poulenc's Organ Concerto. In 1936 Poulenc made a pilgrimage to the Black Virgin of Rocamadour, where his Christian faith was reignited. And there is a feeling of anxious spiritual questioning in this concerto. But Poulenc also contrasts the religious mood with the more jovial Poulenc of the cabaret and the fairground.


Available versions:

Marie-Claire Alain, Bamberger Symphoniker, Jean-Jacques Kantorow

Marie-Claire Alain, Orchestre National De L’O.R.T.F., Jean Martinon

Hansjorg Albrecht, Bach Collegium Munchen

Georges Athanasiadès, Eurasia Sinfonietta, Jin Wang

Joachim Dalitz, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Claus Peter Flor

Maurice Duruflé, Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Georges Prêtre

Franz Hauk, Georgian Chamber Orchestra, Markus Poschner

Martin Heini, State Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra of Novosibirsk, Rainer Held

Peter Hurford, Philharmonia Orchestra, Charles Dutoit

Kjell Johnsen, Kungliga Filharmonikerna, Kjell Ingebretsen (download)

Peter King, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, François-Xavier Roth

Olivier Latry, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach

Philippe Lefebvre, Lille National Orchestra, Jean-Claude Casadesus

George Malcolm, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Iona Brown

Michael Murray, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Robert Shaw

James O’Donnell, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Simon Preston, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa

Simon Preston, London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn

Ian Tracey, BBC Philharmonic, Yan Pascal Tortelier

Thomas Trotter, European Community Youth Orchestra, Bernard Haitink (download)

Thomas Trotter, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Arvo Volmer

Gillian Weir, English Chamber Orchestra

Gillian Weir, City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox

[Pulcinella]

What role does the Tanglewood Festival Chorus have in the Preston/BSO/Ozawa recording, Alpie?
I suspect that they might feature in the coupling (Gloria, perhaps?).

[Petrushka]

Is the Simon Preston/LSO/Previn account no longer available? A pity if so as it's a winner in my view.

I also have Trotter/EUYO/Haitink on CD. It's a live performance and is fine.

[Nick Armstrong]

I also have Trotter/EUYO/Haitink on CD. It's a live performance and is fine.

I assume it's this one recorded in the Concertgebouw? I was there (indeed, you can see me in the photograph on the cover - we were nicely placed near the front of the stalls! A friend was playing the viola. There were two concerts, same programme, one day after the other, and we went to both... )

[Petrushka]

I assume it's this one recorded in the Concertgebouw? I was there (indeed, you can see me in the photograph on the cover - we were nicely placed near the front of the stalls! A friend was in the violas. There were two concerts, same programme, one day after the other, and we went to both... )

Yes indeed that's the one. It was broadcast live on R3 and I remember the concert well.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

What role does the Tanglewood Festival Chorus have in the Preston/BSO/Ozawa recording, Alpie?
I suspect that they might feature in the coupling (Gloria, perhaps?).

[Madame Suggia]

Philippe Lefebvre, Lille National Orchestra, Jean-Claude Casadesus

This Naxos disc is a classic, a live performance, brilliant

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Is the Simon Preston/LSO/Previn account no longer available?

It's definitely available as a download and there seem to be CDs available. I've added it to the list.

[Barbirollians]

MC Alain/Martinon is excellent and coupled with a cracking SSaens Organ symphony .

[pastoralguy]

It's definitely available as a download and there seem to be CDs available. I've added it to the list.

What about the Ida Haendel version?!

[MickyD]

I have a version with Ton Koopman and James Conlon on Erato.

[BBMmk2]

I am glad SP's recording with LSO/Previn is inn the catalogue still! I rather like it! Did Olivier Latry record this?

[techniquest]

I have two Marie-Claire Alain recordings; one as listed above with J-J Kantorow on Apex, the other with James Conlon on Erato.

[mikealdren]

What about the Ida Haendel version?!

Hi PG
There isn't one, even with killer heels, she'd not reach the pedals............
Best wishes
Mike

[Pulcinella]

But we do have a HIP(pish) version, with the original organist Durufle, and an out of tune organ.
I love it, perhaps because it was the first version I owned, as is so often the case.

PS: It's the Grandes Orgues (sic) de l'eglise Saint-Etienne-du-Mont (EMI CDC 7477232).