"Clavier-Übung (keyboard exercise) consisting of an Aria with diverse variations for 2-manual harpsichord, dedicated to music-lovers to gladden their hearts, by J. S. Bach, composer to the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, Kapellmeister and Civic Director of Music for Leipzig. Edited by Balthasar Schmid at Nuremberg.” So runs the very modest title for a piece of harpsichord literature that can be described only as a work of towering complexity and of the most profound expressive grandeur. Its richness derives on the one hand from its great number of rhythmic figures (only, perhaps with Stravinsky does such profusion again occur), and on the other hand from a composing style that makes use of almost all the possible canonic intervals and inversions.

The beauty of this CD is that it combines two very important factors: Vivaldi and the pipe organ, and creates a most listenable and relaxing musical mood. Vivaldi concertos are usually in three parts each: Allegro, Adagio, Allegro (or close to that), that is, fast, slow, fast, and were composed for a small chamber ensemble. Vivaldi himself was primarily a violinist, and wrote what you hear on this CD for ensemble, not for pipe organ. They transcribe very well to pipe organ.

On this disc, Jean Guillou teams up with Edo DeWaart and the San Francisco Symphony for a lush performance of Camille Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3, popularly known as the Organ Symphony. This is a lush performance of the Organ Symphony with spot-on tempi, great orchestral balance, and unsurpassed balance between organ and orchestra. This symphony has one long melodic line after another, and DeWaart keeps a long view that prevents any sense of meandering. The organ is stunningly recorded. Brass blaze with glory. Strings are lush. Timpani are extremely well-defined. The clarity of the recording provides an excellent window into finer details. It is difficult to imagine how anything could have been improved upon. The disc is filled out with a strong performance of Widor's Allegro from his Symphony No. 6. This account of the Organ Symphony has everything going for it. There are no obvious weaknesses. If you have excellent subwoofers, they will get the workout of their life. Very Highly Recommended!

Presentation One remark to evoke the way we will have been able to hear, throughout this programme, the great organ of Notre-Dame de Paris sound. At the time, it was known for an amazing, fecund, symbiotic existence with its organist, Pierre Cochereau, openly in love with his alter ego, well known for being able to make it speak like no one else. Yet it is unquestionably a ‘Guillou’ organ that proudly speaks in many aspects over the course of nearly 80 minutes, changed into a kaleidoscope of sound, unusual in many regards. Should we be surprised? Surely not, if we dare compare this being of 8,000 voices with the greatest symphony orchestras capable of transforming themselves instantly and against their traditions, to the sole ends of bending to the often contradictory aesthetic desires of the greatest conductors. It is even thereby that we recognise them: unlimited resources, a strong identity, yet capable of adaptation or metamorphosis but without denial.

A monumental 85-minute organ improvisation for the music for the film-documentary "Congo Safari" by Marcel Isy-Schwart.