Symphony for Organ No. 5 (Widor)

Charles Marie Widor's 5th Organ Symphony, in F minor, Op 42, No. 1 whose most famous Organ Symphony. Your last sentence ( Toccata ) is next to Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 is one of the most famous works of the organ music.

Data to the work

Period: Published by J. Hamelle in June, 1879.

Premiere: October 19, 1879, the organ of the Trocadero - hall by the composer. The first set was already listed on 27 February 1879 inauguration of the new organ of Saint -François -Xavier in Paris.

Instrumentation: French late-Romantic great organ.

Design and analysis

First movement: Allegro vivace

The first set ( 4/4-time ) in F minor with the tempo indication Allegro vivace varies a topic of marschartigem rhythm of 32 beats, which begins on an upbeat beat 4 and modulates from 17 clock shortly after D-flat major. The first variation adds even hardly thematic change. The theme is accompanied by a trio Récit set in eighths; additionally from the D flat major passage from the pedal. In the second variation, the theme is rhythmically varied from strong chords with the Anches of Récit. In the third variation, the subject is presented in syncopated chords in the right hand while the left hand of a perpetuum mobile of sixteenth notes while the pedal -like pizzicato eighth plays to each beat. Contraindications As guarantee this is followed by an F major Intermezzo in the rich sound of the basic votes. This is followed by a continuous modulating scherzando on the subject, which is driven by a dynamic increase and rhythmic intensification. Finally, the last is reached and the whole theme first and then with increasing the pedal in full chords with both hands until the sentence in a coda increases again to end in brilliant F major.

Fifth set: Toccata (Allegro)

The fifth sentence ends the symphony with a triumphant F major Toccata in 4/2-Takt. The set is one of the most famous organ works at all. His harmonic and motivic material is easy. It starts with fast, high sixteenths in the manual, push the sentence incessantly as perpetuum mobile. This movement is contrasted by striking Akkordrepetitionen in the left hand. After an initial presentation of the topic, the pedal voice sets in broad, sound progressing for clay dotted quarters and eighths at a distance of two octaves lower. The semiquaver motif of the right hand gradually loses in volume until it is played by the left hand in at the closed door sill Récit. The recapitulation is a strong crescendo in until General Tutti of the organ until the issue reappears in thunderous 32' - octaves in the pedal. Widor expressed this as follows:

"I have the Manual pianos given in this toccata a figure of extremely rapid and evenly flowing movement to make the broad triumphal song of the double pedal in the repeating part the more impressive. "

The position of the sentence within the organ literature is unique. All the technical innovations of organ building Aristide Cavaillé -Coll are presented in it that ever were to make possible such a rapid perpetuum mobile motif and flowing dynamic transitions.

Controversial is the question of pace: There is a recording of Widor's from the year 1932 on the organ of St- Sulpice de Paris. Widor was at the time when 88 years old and played it at a speed of about 1 /4 = 94 critic of the slow tempos have the paralysis of the arms and legs Widor in his last years back. In the first edition of the score, the pace was only with allegro, specified in the second with 1/4 = 118, in the third only with 1/ 4 = 100. Widor's contemporaries suggest that he attached great importance to the exact articulation of the sixteenth-note chords in the left hand and probably therefore a slower pace than any other chose.

Werkausgaben

  • Charles -Marie Widor: Symphony V. In: John R. Near (ed.): Widor - The Symphonies for Organ. A-R Editions, Inc., 2008, ISBN 978-0895796059.
  • Charles -Marie Widor, edited and arranged by Wolfgang Kessler (ed.): Symphony No. 5 in F minor, Op 42 No 1 for Organ and Symphony Orchestra (Study Score). Wolfgang G. Haas Musikverlag Köln eK, Cologne 2012 ( ISMN M -2054-1690-4 Stpart; ISMN M -2054-1691-1 score, lend; ISMN M -2054-1692-8 harmony, lend; ISMN M- 2054-1693 - 5 Strings, lend ).

Discography

  • • Widor Symphony No. 5 Vierne Carillon de Westminster •. 1984 German Grammophon CD (Simon Preston plays the organ at Westminster Abbey ).
  • • Widor Symphony No. 5, 1985, Hyperion, CD ( David Hill plays the organ at Westminster Abbey ).
  • Widor - Symphonies Vol 5 motet MOT 11141, CD ( Daniel Roth plays the organ of St- Sulpice de Paris Symphonies No. 5, Op 42 No 1, Op 73 and 10 ).
  • Organ Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6, 1995, MDG, CD ( Ben van Oosten plays the organ of the Abbey Church of Saint -Ouen (Rouen ) ).
  • Charles -Marie Widor. 6ème et 5ème Symphonies pour Orgue. 2002, BNL, CD ( Olivier Latry plays on the organ of Notre- Dame de Paris cathedral).
  • Bombard 32 '. 2008, BBC Music, DVD (David Briggs plays the organ of the Basilica of Saint- Sernin Widor's 5th and Viernes 3 Organ Symphony ).
Charles-Marie Widor Organ repertoire Daniel Roth (Organist) David Briggs (English musician)
14537
de