Jean-Louis Florentz - Harpe de Marie (Laudes) - Ben Bloor

Harpe de Marie (Laudes, op. 5) by Jean-Louis Florentz performed by Ben Bloor in the live final of the 2021 Canadian International Organ Competition on the 2014 Casavant Pierre-Biéque organ in the Maison Symphonique de Montréal on Friday 22nd October 2021.
The works of Jean-Louis Florentz are characterised by his extensive studies in the field of ethnomusicology. Laudes (Op. 5) for solo organ is the central fresco in a musical triptych dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the other works being the Magnificat (Op. 3) and the Requiem (Op. 7) both involving choirs and orchestras. Their inspiration is the Kidân Za-Nageh, or the Ethiopian Office of Matins, and each work explores a different aspect of the fifteen sacred mysteries of the Rosary - Laudes being the fifth sorrowful mystery, the Crucifixion and Death. Each of the seven movements of Laudes bears a title reflecting prayers from the Office, the texts of which would often be kept and carried in amulets worn by Ethiopian men and women. The most common of these is ‘Watibye Mâryâm ta’abbio nefsiye’ - the Magnificat, which appears on the clarinet stop in the third movement ‘Harpe de Marie’. Florentz was keen to use the unique timbre of the organ’s mutation stops and their relationship to the fundamental stops to evoke the divine. In addition, his style of composition includes an abundance of cross-rhythms which, while seeming extremely complex to the Western ear, are completely second-nature to the musicians of Ethiopia.
Ben Bloor is Organist at the London Oratory Church and School Organist at Westminster School. For more information, please visit www.benbloor.com
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[@mathijs1987j]

Fantastic! I'm always happy to see Florentz performed and this was an amazing instance!

[@grahamtwist]

WOW! What extraordinary music, and what an amazing performance, Ben - virtuosic in every respect! You register this fabulous instrument with breathtaking flair and make those complex rhythms look easy to master (when they clearly required a brain capable of imagining multiple dimensions coexisting!).
You are totally awesome!

[@not.an.organist]

Pure magnificence! Absolutely wonderful! But when will get a new chiff chat?

[@thekathal]

hell yeah!

[@orneant2015]

Dieu sait à quel point cette œuvre est difficile à maîtriser et pour vous on dirait que c'est simple !