Widor: Organ Symphony, Op. 42bis / Sinfonia sacra

$16.99 (SACD)

Link to this SACD

Organ Symphony, Op. 42bis (more info)
Performed by: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Composed by: Charles-Marie Widor
Conducted by: Stefan Solyom
Christian Schmitt, organ


1.   I. Allegro maestro - 00:08:57
2.   II. Andante - 00:08:49
3.   III. Finale: Allegro - 00:06:06


Sinfonia sacra, Op. 81 (more info)
Performed by: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Composed by: Charles-Marie Widor
Conducted by: Stefan Solyom
Christian Schmitt, organ


4.   I. Adagio - 00:07:15
5.   II. Adagio - 00:05:58
6.   III. Andante con moto - 00:04:01
7.   IV. Allegro moderato - 00:01:29
8.   V. Tempo I ma un poco agitato - 00:10:10

Reviews

Widor for organ and orchestra (Apr 5, 2010)
Reviewer:Craig Zeichner
The two symphonies are quite different and really showcase Charles Marie Widor’s skill. The Symphony Op. 42 is a reworking of movements from two of Widor’s symphonies for solo organ. The interesting back story is that Widor reworked the music because King Edward VII of England asked him to come to the Royal Albert Hall to play the “Voice of Jupiter” organ. Widor needed a work for organ and... The two symphonies are quite different and really showcase Charles Marie Widor’s skill. The Symphony Op. 42 is a reworking of movements from two of Widor’s symphonies for solo organ. The interesting back story is that Widor reworked the music because King Edward VII of England asked him to come to the Royal Albert Hall to play the “Voice of Jupiter” organ. Widor needed a work for organ and orchestra and the rest is history. The Symphony opens in heroic style with lots of splashes for brass. The middle movement is impassioned and quintessentially Romantic while the closing Allegro is boisterous and busy. Not a great work, but a highly entertaining one.

The Sinfonia Sacra is sublime. Widor was a great lover of German music and concertized quite a bit in the country. It was the great Bach scholar Albert Schweitzer who suggested that Widor compose a work for organ and orchestra based on the chorale “Nun komm der Heiden Heiland,” a tune which inspired Bach (he wrote a cantata based on it and numerous organ pieces). Widor responded with a masterpiece that showcases some pretty impressive contrapuntal skills, great orchestration and, of course, some remarkable organ writing. Check out the final big fugue that closes the work to get an idea of how well Widor responded to the task.

Organist Christian Schmitt plays a German organ and it actually works quite well in this music, particularly the instrument’s warm flutes. Stefan Solyom leads the Bamberg Symphony and they play quite beautifully and really shine with some fine string playing in the gorgeous Adagio that opens the work.
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