Louis Vierne - 24 Pièces de fantaisie; etc. (Ben van Oosten)

Information

Composer: Louis Vierne

CD1:

• (01) 24 Pièces de fantaisie, Suite I, Op. 5
• (07) 24 Pièces de fantaisie, Suite III, Op. 54

CD2:

• (01) 24 Pièces de fantaisie, Suite II, Op. 53
• (07) 24 Pièces de fantaisie, Suite IV, Op. 55

Ben van Oosten, organ
Date: 1998
Label: Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm

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Review

PERFORMANCE: ***** / SOUND: *****

Vierne’s 24 Pièces de fantaisie were written towards the end of his life, at a time when his many recital tours overseas were bringing to bear a marked influence on his compositional style. There is a wonderfully broad range of moods and textures to be found here, spanning every major and minor key, from the sombre tranquillity of ‘Résignation’ to the impish humour of ‘Feux follets’ and the imposing austerity of ‘Cathédrales’, which one can imagine filling effortlessly the vast expanses of Vierne’s beloved Notre Dame Cathedral. Ben van Oosten plays on the splendid four-manual Cavaillé-Coll instrument at St Ouen, Rouen, giving performances of great integrity and finesse. His finely honed technique lends many of the faster pieces such as ‘Naïades’ from Suite No. 4 a real lightness of touch and vivid characterisation. Most satisfying is his ability to let the music ebb and flow naturally, for instance in ‘Clair de lune’ from Suite No. 2, where the delicious opening flute solo defies any mechanical origin and the marriage between sound and acoustic seems almost ideal. The famous ‘Carillon de Westminster’ achieves its thrilling impact mainly through van Oosten’s finely-judged tempo. A hugely enjoyable disc.

-- Stephen Haylett, BBC Music Magazine

More reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/Vierne-Fantaisie-Ben-van-Oosten/dp/B00000I15P

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Louis Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French organist and composer. Vierne served as an assistant to the organist Charles-Marie Widor, and subsequently became principal organist at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, a post he held from 1900 until his death in 1937. Vierne had an elegant, clean style of writing that respected form above all else. His harmonic language was romantically rich, but not as sentimental or theatrical as that of his early mentor César Franck. His output for organ includes six organ symphonies, several chamber works, vocal and choral music, and a Symphony for orchestra.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Vierne

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Ben van Oosten (born 1955 in The Hague, Netherlands) is an organist, professor and author. Van Oosten studied at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam with Albert de Klerk (organ) and Berthe Davelaar (piano). He completed advanced studies in Paris, France, with André Isoir and Daniel Roth. Van Oosten is considered one of the greatest practitioners and interpreters of the French 19th century's Romantic Organ school. Besides maintaining a heavy recital schedule and an active private teaching practice, he serves as organist for the Grote Kerk (The Hague) and is a professor of music at the Rotterdam Conservatory.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_van_Oosten

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