Joseph Nolan’s excellent cycle of Widor’s organ
symphonies continues with volume 3, volume 1 having been reviewed
here; volume 2
here. Not only are the qualities of this series already
making it a declared winner for the complete symphonies, but I have it on
good authority that Signum has commissioned recordings of the entire organ
works of Widor from Joseph Nolan, with further pieces already recorded and
plans for a disc of Widor’s transcriptions to be made at the huge
church and organ of St Sernin, Toulouse. In other words, those faithful to
this Signum cycle will also be rewarded with enough extras to make an
uber-complete Widor organ set, almost certainly to be available before the
end of 2014.
As has been noted in previous volumes, Joseph Nolan’s timings
for these works and their individual movements are almost invariably longer
than those you will find in currently available versions. Whether or not you
find this initially discomforting will depend on your familiarity and
investment in other recordings, but even if you have to make some minor
adjustment I sincerely believe you will swiftly come to appreciate the care
taken by Joseph Nolan with his tempi. Where some recordings can seem to turn
these works into something more akin to a suite of movements, Nolan brings
out the symphonic breadth and weight of Widor’s compositions, allowing
the structure and development to emerge and unfold in a most impressive way.
Just take the first movement of the
Symphony No. 3, which resolves
massively over two minutes through its final pedal tone onto a single note.
I’ve made the point before, but these are performances which really
reflect and resemble the architecture of the environment for which they were
written, as well as putting such a magnificent Cavaillé-Coll
instrument to the best use imaginable.
Nolan gives the second movement
Minuetto a light and almost
witty airing, the transparent warm-up to another huge Widor statement, the
Marcia, which “unleashes hewn majesty but isn’t all about
unrestrained volume.” Ateş Orga’s notes provide some
interesting harmonic features to look out for in this and other movements,
but in any case this is a highly satisfying organ workout, managing to
convey massive sonics which retaining plenty of the detail required to hear
the actual notes. The lilting
pastorale of the
Adagio fourth
movement is given beautiful lyrical legato by Nolan, the natural flow of the
lines and harmony all linked in an unforced embrace which sweeps you gently
to the
Finale: Allegro Molto, one of Widor’s more urgent and
exciting creations, its multi-layered complexities accommodated well by
Nolan’s superb technique.
The
Fourth Symphony opens with one of Widor’s most
distinctive themes, described in the booklet as “a
single-dotted-rhythm ‘French overture’ Toccata”, but also
given a distinctly Teutonic feel through the measured pace of Nolan’s
approach. Once again, he convinces in a performance which is orientated
towards creating drama and magnificent clarity in la Madeleine’s vast
acoustic, a deliberate and intelligently paced unfurling of masterful organ
music which is continued in the
Fugue. Unmannered simplicity is
reflected in the expressive
Andante cantabile, the little call and
response features and unusual harmonic wrinkles performed with a kind of
self-explanatory assurance which says ‘how else would you want to hear
this?’ The scampering runs of the
Scherzo make up another
favourite movement, given an almost secretive character through the round,
mellifluous sound emerging from the initial stop selection. Nasal, churchy
voix humaine reeds intone the beginning of the
Adagio fifth
movement, contrasting gloriously with the deceptive sections which follow,
which are simultaneously chorale-like and rich in counterpoint. The
Finale to this work can sound a little like a rocket launch and it
certainly opens impressively here, though Nolan manages to make the initial
bars sound like a curtain-raiser which promises more to come.
Another extremely fine organ recording, this will be a
‘must-have’ for collectors of this series, and no-one will be
disappointed. With recording dates a couple of months later than the first
two volumes, I have the feeling this session has delivered a little more
detail in the organ sound than the first two volumes. This is a marginal
impression and not a criticism of the other discs, but on a quick comparison
I feel just a little closer to the pipes with volume 3, without losing the
gorgeously atmospheric feel of the other symphonies. Perhaps this was
nothing more than a change in the weather conditions between sessions - air
quality can after all have its effect in such an environment. Either way,
I’ve loved all of these releases and await further instalments with
everything bated.
Dominy Clements
