The three Chorales by César Franck (1890) performed on the Cavaillé-Coll organ of Notre-Dame de Paris by titular organist Olivier Latry. Recorded on September 25th, 2018.
Music always depicts life, but in this case I have always been of the opinion that this piece goes beyond: it mirrors life. Notice how calm and serenity is suddenly replaced by the severity and vice versa: the waves of the occurrences, the torment within ourselves, the periods of light, the periods of night, the joys, the sorrows, the falls, the redemptions. All in one piece. And finally, most important, maybe, like Mr. Proust teaches us, once we have tasted this tough life, once we have learnt how life can be hard, once that Illusion has fallen down, once that we are completely naked before the Giants who want us bare and sincere, yes there is, yes there is some hope. Thank you Mr Frank for looking into the Truth and let us share a little piece of it.
Olivier Latry monitors the Bornemann score, revisited by Marcel Dupré, which has some differences with the Durand score, especially about the registration. I think that the Durand's is closer to original Franck's phrasing and registration. Olivier Latry suit la partition de Bornemann, révisée par Marcel Dupré, qui a des différences avec l'édition Durand, surtout en ce qui concerne la registration. Je pense que l'édition Durand est plus proche du phrasé et de la registration d'origine de Franck.
Good to watch and listen. Olivier Latry, Known here in the UK as a French Recital Oganist and in more recent years for his tireless work after the Largescale fire in Notre Dame de Paris. I spent a long time learning the Third Choral prelude and they are marvellous works.
Yes, Cavaille-Coll rebuilt the instrument in 1868. However, the interesting thing about the organ in Notre Dame is the combination of pipes it contains from earlier builders. Coll didn't try to completely redo it, instead, he built on what already existed. So one might argue that it's not a "true" Cavaille-Coll, but there is no doubt it renders music like this perfectly.
I don't think so. Strangely, here these three Chorals are recorded in monaural and with a low quality, whereas we can listen to very good recordings elsewhere. It is a pity, I agree with you.
@@paulfasang8637 the recordings made at ND are spectacularly miked - apparently there is no single place in the cathedral where this sound could be experienced (so that means sonic enhancement in a sense)
@@keplergso8369 It seems to me that someone uploaded an MXF file to YT and that's why the sound is mono. I have encountered this error many times in my work as a recording director. When the TV, instead of mp4, gives the YT channel administrator an MXF file
I hesitate to say this because obviously I will never be as good an organist as Latry but I disagree with the lift at 12:28. It's not in the score and I think there's good reason for it. To lift is dramatic, but to reduce stops suddenly at the height of a such a wrathful melody is arguably even more subversive. We are used to this feeling of "pulling the rug out from under someone" and what's so extraordinary about this moment in the Chorale is that yes, you are pulling out the rug, but contrary to all expectations you are doing it slowly. It goes against the very idea of pulling out the rug, which one would expect to be fast by necessity. Anyway, I think this is clearly Franck's intention, as he wrote out what stops to take off, and indicated new reductions in each measure. The melody shouldn't stop; it should gradually decay. The resulting effect should frustrate the listener (perhaps why Latry didn't do it)
I agree with you. I own the Durand & Cie score, which is the most accurate publishing, there is no breathing between the bars, and next, as usual when there is no (de)crescendo pedal, it is simply written "remove Great reeds", at the next bar "remove Positif reeds", and next "remove Swell reeds" to produce a decrescendo manually. But in the Bornemann publishing that I own too, written by Marcel Dupré, there is a breathing written between the two bars, and suddenly "8' founds", so it is the score that Latry monitors in this recording, rightly or wrongly. Jacques, from France.
@@danielgrotz6599 At Dupré's time, 'authenticity' was not the priority like nowadays, neither for baroque pieces neither for romantic. And Dupré changed the registration to adapt it on Saint-Sulpice organ. The breathe you mention between the two bars produces an effect maybe interesting, but youre are right, of course this and the sudden 8' founds stops are not planned by Franck and not in the original or first publishings. Regards.
@keplergso8369 @danielgrotz6599 Dupre certainly didn't share today's very one-sided view of "authenticity". But he was very loyal to the tradition he received from his teachers - it's almost certain that his interpretation of Franck derived from studying the pieces with Guilmant - who was actually the dedicatee of the First Chorale. In any case, Franck - like many composers - is known to have approved contradictory interpretations of his music. Presumably the manuscript has a special authority, but in contradicting Durand, Dupre felt he knew what he was doing e.g. in altering the dedications.
Beautiful, lyrical interpretation!
Bravo! Nothing better than Franck played on a Cavaillé-Coll organ. Absolutely perfect together.
C’est pas un cavaillé coll
everything Latry does is amazing.Bravo
Music always depicts life, but in this case I have always been of the opinion that this piece goes beyond: it mirrors life. Notice how calm and serenity is suddenly replaced by the severity and vice versa: the waves of the occurrences, the torment within ourselves, the periods of light, the periods of night, the joys, the sorrows, the falls, the redemptions. All in one piece. And finally, most important, maybe, like Mr. Proust teaches us, once we have tasted this tough life, once we have learnt how life can be hard, once that Illusion has fallen down, once that we are completely naked before the Giants who want us bare and sincere, yes there is, yes there is some hope. Thank you Mr Frank for looking into the Truth and let us share a little piece of it.
A masterpiece played by a great organist. Wonderful rendering, thank you!
Beautiful playing.
I love to watch the Master in his natural habitat, to which I pray he is one day restored.
Belíssima interpretação! De arrepiar!
Incredible!
Amazing!
A master musician playing a masterpiece. Magnificent in all respects. Eerie to see Notre Dame with subdued lighting before the fire.
Olivier Latry monitors the Bornemann score, revisited by Marcel Dupré, which has some differences with the Durand score, especially about the registration. I think that the Durand's is closer to original Franck's phrasing and registration.
Olivier Latry suit la partition de Bornemann, révisée par Marcel Dupré, qui a des différences avec l'édition Durand, surtout en ce qui concerne la registration. Je pense que l'édition Durand est plus proche du phrasé et de la registration d'origine de Franck.
Good to watch and listen. Olivier Latry, Known here in the UK as a French Recital Oganist and in more recent years for his tireless work after the Largescale fire in Notre Dame de Paris. I spent a long time learning the Third Choral prelude and they are marvellous works.
Amazing playing all from memory! A beautiful interpretation - I love French music - particularly Organ music. Ok is this a rebuilt Cavalle-Colle?
He plays almost everything from memory!
Yes, Cavaille-Coll rebuilt the instrument in 1868. However, the interesting thing about the organ in Notre Dame is the combination of pipes it contains from earlier builders. Coll didn't try to completely redo it, instead, he built on what already existed. So one might argue that it's not a "true" Cavaille-Coll, but there is no doubt it renders music like this perfectly.
@@dallinbissett1992 It has also been altered over the years from what Cavaille-Coll built.
Such a beautiful performance. But I have to admit Marie Claire Alain remains my favourite interpretator of Franck's organ music
SUPERB
So the organ at Norte Dame de Paris was not damaged in the horrendous conflagration which destroyed the roof and the famous ‘forest’ ??
Hello! This was recorded before the fire.
It got dirty and needs to be cleaned but it survived intact.
@@lukloberhofer6892 Thank you, Lukl.
@@brucetominello325 Thank you Bruce. WOW! It was only a little while back I saw a video of the rebuilt console being winched up onto the platform.
@@michaelgamble296 I’ll be on a plane as soon as it’s announced that it will be played again!
Is it possible to get a version with better audio?
I don't think so. Strangely, here these three Chorals are recorded in monaural and with a low quality, whereas we can listen to very good recordings elsewhere. It is a pity, I agree with you.
Concert ! 😅
Get his recording for deutsche gramophone.
@@paulfasang8637 the recordings made at ND are spectacularly miked - apparently there is no single place in the cathedral where this sound could be experienced (so that means sonic enhancement in a sense)
@@keplergso8369 It seems to me that someone uploaded an MXF file to YT and that's why the sound is mono. I have encountered this error many times in my work as a recording director. When the TV, instead of mp4, gives the YT channel administrator an MXF file
I hesitate to say this because obviously I will never be as good an organist as Latry but I disagree with the lift at 12:28. It's not in the score and I think there's good reason for it. To lift is dramatic, but to reduce stops suddenly at the height of a such a wrathful melody is arguably even more subversive. We are used to this feeling of "pulling the rug out from under someone" and what's so extraordinary about this moment in the Chorale is that yes, you are pulling out the rug, but contrary to all expectations you are doing it slowly. It goes against the very idea of pulling out the rug, which one would expect to be fast by necessity. Anyway, I think this is clearly Franck's intention, as he wrote out what stops to take off, and indicated new reductions in each measure. The melody shouldn't stop; it should gradually decay. The resulting effect should frustrate the listener (perhaps why Latry didn't do it)
I agree with you. I own the Durand & Cie score, which is the most accurate publishing, there is no breathing between the bars, and next, as usual when there is no (de)crescendo pedal, it is simply written "remove Great reeds", at the next bar "remove Positif reeds", and next "remove Swell reeds" to produce a decrescendo manually.
But in the Bornemann publishing that I own too, written by Marcel Dupré, there is a breathing written between the two bars, and suddenly "8' founds", so it is the score that Latry monitors in this recording, rightly or wrongly. Jacques, from France.
@@keplergso8369 that is interesting, thank you for letting me know about the borneman
@@danielgrotz6599 At Dupré's time, 'authenticity' was not the priority like nowadays, neither for baroque pieces neither for romantic. And Dupré changed the registration to adapt it on Saint-Sulpice organ. The breathe you mention between the two bars produces an effect maybe interesting, but youre are right, of course this and the sudden 8' founds stops are not planned by Franck and not in the original or first publishings. Regards.
@keplergso8369 @danielgrotz6599 Dupre certainly didn't share today's very one-sided view of "authenticity". But he was very loyal to the tradition he received from his teachers - it's almost certain that his interpretation of Franck derived from studying the pieces with Guilmant - who was actually the dedicatee of the First Chorale. In any case, Franck - like many composers - is known to have approved contradictory interpretations of his music. Presumably the manuscript has a special authority, but in contradicting Durand, Dupre felt he knew what he was doing e.g. in altering the dedications.