Saint-Saens Organ Symphony

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

Who has heard this? It is an amazing piece. I recently have been listening to it night and day, interspersed with Rach 3 and Opus Clavicembalisticum now and then. 

What do you think of this piece?

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[DarkWind]

It's way too slow to pick up pace, and just seems to ramble from then on forward in a Brucknerish style.

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

It's way too slow to pick up pace, and just seems to ramble from then on forward in a Brucknerish style.

Hmmm... Sorry....

What recording did you have? I don't think it is too slow at all. In fact, most of it is written in fast tempi. Maybe you should get a new recording, or listen to it again. The first time I heard it, I didn't care much for it either. But then, it all started to make sense, and I now think it's one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever heard.

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[xRhapsodyx]

It's one of my favourite ever pieces. My orchestra performed it, one of the best moments of my life, I got such a high when the maestoso section kicked in, it's enough to make me cry (not good on stage lol). I went through a period of listening to it basically non stop, I still listen to it regularly. It's a gorgeous piece and has so many amazing points in it, apparently it's on Babe the film about the pig but I've never seen it. When we performed it though, I didn't really know it inside out (well the first violin part but not the entire piece back to front) until afterwards when I bought the CD and really got into it. The quietish part near the end of the first movement is so beautiful, then all of a sudden you hear the organ creeping into it, just as a pedal note in the background. It's so well written, even though it's 'the organ symphony' it's really subtle. I could go on about it all day :-)

[cziffra]

I too have suddenly started to listen to it night and day!  Funny that...Saint Saens seems to be able to do that. 

I don't have a complete recording, however- i have only managed to get a snippet- the section from the...4th movement i think, that was used in Babe.  (the melody in 9/4)  It's unreal!

Ditto for Piano concerto 2 movement 3, that has been stuck in my head for a long time...
oh, and the 2nd and 3rd movements of the 5th piano concerto (what a piece!)

[xRhapsodyx]

Whose piano concerto? 

By any chance is the organ symphony you own on a classic FM CD... my friend has it and it says it's movement 4, but it's actually three (there are only three, no movement four exists). Can't believe a CD would get that wrong to be honest 

[klavierkonzerte]

i only have the last mvt of the symphony
i think it's amazing.

[cziffra]

The site i downloaded it from says it was the 4th movement, i don't actually have it on cd. 

[Allan]

Terrific piece.  The best recording I have heard is the one played by Virgil Fox (organist) and conducted by Eugene Ormandy.  This is a "must have" cd and it is available at www.virgilfoxlegacy.com.