BaL 26.12.15 - Poulenc: Organ Concerto

[VodkaDilc]

I
PS: Don't have the disc to hand, but does the Preston LSO version use the RFH organ too?
.

According to the notes on my Preston/LSO recording it was in the RFH.

Presumably all the recordings were recorded on organs in the same location as the orchestra, without any technical jiggery-pokery, such as happened in several of the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony recordings which were reviewed some time ago.

[jayne lee wilson]

If it's Poulenc, it must be Paris and it must be Pretre!
Nothing else comes close. (Oh OK, a palm or two to Dutoit and the National...)

A fine-sounding 24/48 remaster (from a Columbia SAX LP) complete with corrected tuning, can be found here - https://www.pristineclassical.com/pasc324.html...
But the Gloria is an even better reason for buying it, a truly stunning transfer!

But the notes on Pristine's transfer get it wrong about reissues, as there is an EMI GROC, coupled with Concert Champetre and the 2-Piano Concerto, from 2003. To my imperfect ear the organ sounds identical on close comparison of the quiet andante moderato, (although the violins are brighter and a little louder on the GROC) so maybe the ART engineers corrected it too. Perhaps someone with doggy-pitch could take a listen to the GROC...

I do prefer the Pristine download sonically - more refined, slightly better resolution and sweeter upper strings (helpful when all are going full-tilt with, or against, the organ).

[Lordgeous]

Ioana Brown once recounted (in the Gramophone) that one of the most difficult tasks she encountered as director of a large ensemble was the recording of the Poulenc with George Malcolm and the Academy of St. Martins for Argo. "George was at one end of the church watching the Academy at the other end on a screen. I had earphones in order to hear George. The rest of the orchestra watched me. It was fiendish!"

[BBMmk2]

So I better be acquainted with another recording!

[Keraulophone]

Very interesting about the Pristine remaster, which I'll certainly investigate. Thanks, Jayne. It's a pity that Oliver Condy didn't include it in his assessment. He did smell the garlic in that recording, which is so necessary for the proper effect. It was recorded in M. et Mme. Duruflé's church, St-Étienne-du-Mont, a stone's throw from their rooftop apartment which still houses his manuscripts and house organ.

My LP of this Concerto/Gloria EMI recording is adorned with a photograph of a magnificent rose window, so appropriate for these rainbow-like multi-faceted works.

The recommended King/Roth version on Regent Records was an Editor's Choice in the Nov. 2010 BBC Music Magazine, of which Mr Condy is editor (though I'm not certain the he was at the time).

This is a feather in the cap for Mr & Mrs Gary Cole, himself an organist, who run this small but brilliant company specialising in choral and organ music.

[Nevilevelis]

I just sampled this in iTunes and it sounds absolutely beautiful - moved to tears, actually. I visited Poulenc's grave at Père Lachaise cemetery recently and had the slow sections (and his Salve Regina) in my head all the while.

[Tony Halstead]

Ioana Brown once recounted (in the Gramophone) that one of the most difficult tasks she encountered as director of a large ensemble was the recording of the Poulenc with George Malcolm and the Academy of St. Martins for Argo. "George was at one end of the church watching the Academy at the other end on a screen. I had earphones in order to hear George. The rest of the orchestra watched me. It was fiendish!"

Hmmm.... in addition, what the 'sleeve notes' also say/ imply in a very subdued and understated way is that the recording was in fact CONDUCTED by - not the late great Iona Brown - but NICHOLAS KRAEMER.

[cloughie]

I have the Durufle version in its original LP incarnation. I also have an RCA LP, SB 2147, with Berj Zamkochian on the organ, cond. Munch. Presumably it hasnt made it to CD?

Is the Durufle version HIP ish? It was made in 1961, I didnt think they'd invented HIP by then?

GD60817 FRANCK:Le chasseur maudit/ POULENC:OC/SAINT-SAENS:Sym 3

[jayne lee wilson]

Very interesting about the Pristine remaster, which I'll certainly investigate. Thanks, Jane. It's a pity that Oliver Condy didn't include it in his assessment. He did smell the garlic in that recording, which is so necessary for the proper effect. It was recorded in M. et Mme. Duruflé's church, St-Étienne-du-Mont, a stone's throw from their rooftop apartment which still houses his manuscripts and house organ.

My LP of this Concerto/Gloria EMI recording is adorned with a photograph of a magnificent rose window, so appropriate for these rainbow-like multi-faceted works.

The recommended King/Roth version on Regent Records was an Editor's Choice in the Nov. 2010 BBC Music Magazine, of which Mr Condy is editor (though I'm not certain the he was at the time).

This is a feather in the cap for Mr & Mrs Gary Cole, himself an organist, who run this small but brilliant company specialising in choral and organ music.

[Lordgeous]

Hmmm.... in addition, what the 'sleeve notes' also say/ imply in a very subdued and understated way is that the recording was in fact CONDUCTED by - not the late great Iona Brown - but NICHOLAS KRAEMER.

The plot thickens!

[Keraulophone]

Hmmm... the recording was in fact CONDUCTED by - not the late great Iona Brown - but NICHOLAS KRAEMER.

Was she single-handedly attempting to rescue the ensemble by circumventing the conductor and advising the players to watch her instead?

I've been at a recording session where we, the chorus, were told to follow the orchestral leader and ignore the famous Hungarian conductor. At one point in the session, our chorus master actually tried to beat time behind the maestro, shaded by the gallery of Kingsway Hall. We had already experienced his explosive temper, so our man was taking his life in his own hands!

[pastoralguy]

I've just found a Decca 'Double' cd which includes the Malcolm/ASMF recording. The great Iona Brown is credited as being the director. Have to say, it sounds pretty bloody great to me!

[Pulcinella]

Ioana Brown once recounted (in the Gramophone) that one of the most difficult tasks she encountered as director of a large ensemble was the recording of the Poulenc with George Malcolm and the Academy of St. Martins for Argo. "George was at one end of the church watching the Academy at the other end on a screen. I had earphones in order to hear George. The rest of the orchestra watched me. It was fiendish!"

The 'church', as may have been mentioned in the programme (I remember some discussion of the various organs used and their suitability, but that might just have been about the Weir versions), is in fact the chapel of St John's College, Cambridge.
My copy is the Decca Enterprise release, 425627-2, coupled with the Concert Champêtre (Malcolm again, recorded in Walthamstow Town Hall) and the Gloria (OSR/López-Cobos), with Iona Brown credited (though not given any position such as conductor/director) for the ASMIF performances. The liner notes make no reference to the performers.