Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies Vol. 1 (Remastered) Daniel Roth

• Louis Vierne (1870 - 1937): Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 14:
• 1I. Prélude08:44
• 2II. Fugue05:48
• 3III. Pastorale07:53
• 4IV. Allegro vivace04:39
• 5V. Andante07:06
• 6VI. Final07:15
• Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 20:
• 7I. Allegro risoluto07:50
• 8II. Choral08:52
• 9III. Scherzo04:10
• 10IV. Cantabile08:17
• 11V. Final08:36
• Total Runtime01:19:10

Info for Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies Vol. 1 (Remastered)

„Listening to the organ works of Louis Vierne reminds me of the challenge of trying to capture dynamite in a bottle. Vierne has written music that can be explosive, almost larger than life. It takes every pipe of the mighty organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris to capture the sound that emerged from Vierne’s imagination. Even in a recording as fine as this, we can only approximate the impact of these thunderous sounds echoing through the cathedral’s expanse, rattling the windows, shaking the walls.

Daniel Roth provides a welcome addition to the catalog. Here is a master organist, tackling two of the masterpieces of the organ literature. One sits back, reveling in the tonal splendor. In the first symphony, Roth allows Vierne’s menacing opening movement to build to a massive climax (although both Marie-Clare Alain and Daniel Chorzempa are slightly more menacing in this music). Roth’s second-movement Fugue builds to a magnificent conclusion. The third-movement Pastorale is appropriately peaceful while his Allegro vivace is fleet and electric and the fifth-movement Andante is nicely meditative. In the Final, Roth literally lets out all the stops. We close our eyes and almost imagine sitting in Saint-Sulpice, the sound sweeping over us. In my rational moments, I realized that there was a slightly excessive reverberation that somewhat mars this movement. Yet, in the end, this did not matter. In his recording, Gunther Kanzinger provides extra drama, aided by his quick tempos. (His recording of this symphony is 10 minutes shorter than Roth). But Roth brilliantly plays this amazing music.

If anything, Roth is even more impressive in the Second Symphony, which was composed in 1902, four years after the First Symphony. We can sense how, in those four years, Vierne had gained in maturity. Roth builds the second movement Choral to a mighty climax and then transports us with songlike flutes in the third movement Scherzo. We feel the flowing of melodic currents throughout the fourth-movement Cantabile, leading into the mighty Final. I really like Latry’s recording of this symphony. At the same time, it is hard not to be caught up by Kanzinger’s faster tempos and more intense approach. But overall, Roth won me over.“ (John E. Roos, Fanfare)

Daniel Roth, organ

Daniel Roth
is "titulaire" at the famous organ of Saint Sulpice.

Widely acclaimed as one of the leading French organ virtuosos, he has held several prestigious positions as both performer and teacher. At the age of twenty he made his debut at the organ of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre in Paris, as assistant of his teacher, Rolande Falcinelli. He later succeeded her as titular organist, a post which he held until 1985 when he was appointed titular organist at St-Sulpice, the famous Paris church where his predecessors were Widor, Dupré‚ Grunenwald.

A former student at the Paris Conservatory, Daniel Roth’s teachers have included Marie-Claire Alain and Maurice Durufé. He has won several competitions, among them the Grand Prix de Chartres 1971, interpretation and improvisation. After teaching positions at the Conservatories of Marseille, Strasbourg and the Saarbrücken Musik- hochschule, he is currently Professor of organ at the Musikhochschule in Frankfurt am Main where he is successor to E.Krapp and H.Walcha.

Daniel Roth has been also Artist in residence at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and chairman of the organ department at Catholic University in Washington D.C.. He is invited to play concerts as a soloist and with famous orchestras. Furthermore he teaches master classes and participates on juries for organ competitions throughout the world.

A composer as well as performer, Daniel Roth has several works for organ published by Leduc, Bärenreiter, Schott (Mainz), Novello, for flute and organ, choir an organ (Messe Brève) published by Schott. For his compositions he received the Florent Schmitt prize awarded by the Académie des Beaux-Arts (Institut de France).

Daniel Roth is also well known for his brilliant improvisations which are regularly included in his concerts programs. He has several recordings to his credit with numerous record labels.

Booklet for Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies Vol. 1 (Remastered)