Olivier Latry @ Ripon Cathedral

[Guest]

I am a new poster to this site, but have been reading all the posts with interest for some time!

There doesn't seem to be a dedicated site for organ, so as it is so linked with choirs I am posting here. My apologies if I have stumbled at the first block.

I see Olivier Latry is performing at Ripon Cathedral at the beginning of Feb to celebrate their organ restoration. I hear so many amazing things about him, but I have never heard him perform live. Can anyone enlighten me? It appears he is not often in the country, so I want to make the journey worth it.

Comments would be appreciated. many thanks

[DracoM]

Sonic

Delighted you made it here! Welcome

Most of the organ buffs chat on The Choir forum.
Why not put your message there?

[Nick Armstrong]

The post seems to be safely in The Choir forum

Yes, welcome Sonic

I wonder whether you would like me to change the heading to your thread so that it invites more general organ-related discussion, as well as about the Latry recital you mention.

Let me know. Either way, I've heard him play Messiaen in Notre-Dame in Paris and it was pretty special. I wouldn't hold back if the programme is up your street. What is the programme for the recital?

[ardcarp]

Welcome from me too. Yes organ stuff gets put on here. We often get teased a bit for being nerdy, but we just have to take it on the chin...and grin.

Re-naming The Choir section 'Choir & Organ' would not be a favoured option for me, because organ skills are not necessarily linked to choral skills, and it would make the whole thing seem even more tilted towards 'cathedral music' (for want of a better term) than it is at present.

Maybe there ought to be a dedicated Organ section...or at least sub-section?

[Sonic]

Thank you for responding everyone. The programme is below...very French (surprise surprise)

Alexandre Guilmant - Sonata No.1 - Finale
César Frank - Prélude, fugue et variation
Louis Verne - Symphony No.2 – Scherzo/Final
Charles-Marie Widor - Symphony No.5 - Allegro vivace
Jehan Alain - Berceuse sur deux notes qui cornent - Fantasmagorie
Marcel Dupre - Prélude et fugue en Sol mineur
Olivier Latry - Improvisation

[amateur51]

Thank you for responding everyone. The programme is below...very French (surprise surprise)

Alexandre Guilmant - Sonata No.1 - Finale
César Frank - Prélude, fugue et variation
Louis Verne - Symphony No.2 – Scherzo/Final
Charles-Marie Widor - Symphony No.5 - Allegro vivace
Jehan Alain - Berceuse sur deux notes qui cornent - Fantasmagorie
Marcel Dupre - Prélude et fugue en Sol mineur
Olivier Latry - Improvisation

Wow Sonic - that's a programme!

I hope that you go & that you enjoy it & that you'll come back with a report. Nothing heavy is implied by that - "I enjoyed it and my ears are still ringing" - sorta report!

[mercia]

lots of Latry lurking on youtube - looks like everything is played from memory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rizCafG_ou8

a formidable technique - or technique formidable

[ardcarp]

or technique formidable

ou impressionante, peut etre?

The programme looks great...but a bit intense maybe? Relief only from the Alain Berceuse...unless Latry's improv. is ppp throughout.

[Vile Consort]

Formidable technique may well be a necessary condition for great music making but it certainly isn't a sufficient one.

Fortunately, M Latry has excellent taste to go with his technique, and I have just purchased my ticket.

It will be only the second organ recital I have attended at Ripon Cathedral. The first one was an all-Bach recital by Karl Richter circa 1971.

[Sonic]

I have also purchased my ticket and am thoroughly looking forward to the evening. I shall probably go to Evensong beforehand (Girl Choristers) and make the most of Ripon's wonderful acoustics. It should be a fascinating evening and will be intersting to hear how the organ sounds after, I am told, its extensive restoration.

[Alain Maréchal]

I'll word this carefully, as I do not want it to appear negative: if an Olivier Latry recital comes into your orbit you must certainly go and hear him. He has a formidable technique and knows his way around the pieces. Perhaps however OL has a little too much taste. I have heard him a few times in his native habitat and what I miss is a certain sensibility in his playing (there is a CD of Franck made some years ago at NDdeP - stunning playing and registration but no hint of 19th century romanticism at all). For that one needs Vincent Warnier or Thierry Escaisch.

Having said which, if I was able to be anywhere near Ripon (and I had to look at a map) I would go.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Here's a link:

http://riponcathedral.info/notre-dame-organist-to-relaunch-ripon-cathedral-organ/

I might be able to go this one.

[Mr Stoat]

I speak french to a reasonable standard; my stepdaughter lives and works in france and speaks fluently, but even she cannot translate the exact meaning of Alain's "Berceuse sur deux notes qui cornent" "Lullaby on two notes which ??????" Anyone help please?

[ardcarp]

"corner"

Well it can mean to blare (like a horn) but I guess the lesser known meaning of 'turning around' (maybe intertwining?) as in 'a corner' may be relevant here. Seeing my French mistress later today so will get an authoritative opinion.
(Well, if Hollande can do it, what's the proplem?)

[mercia]

here its translated as lullaby on two stuck keys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8915XfFOVk