 | |
|
12 May 2006 The Organist of Notre-Dame
Since first discovering the delights of French romantic organ music as a genre, I've greatly enjoyed listening to and (occasionally) playing Vierne's works. I played the Carillon de Longpont from the 24 Pieces in Free Style as a postlude the other week, and I harbour hopes of mastering the Carillon de Westminster one day. In a thread on the Organ Forum about the most beautiful organ piece of all time, Vierne's Berceuse - another one of the 24 Pieces - has been mentioned several times. I didn't know it, but it's included in the big CD-ROM of organ music PDFs recently bought off eBay, so I've been inspired to learn it. This, in turn, led to Vierne's life story. It is heartbreakingly sad, veering from triumph (appointment as the organist at Notre Dame) to disaster (his blindness, countless family tragedies) and the bittersweet ending - fulfilling his lifelong "ambition" of dying at the console of the Notre Dame organ. There's a Napeoleonic backstory, natural disaster (great floods in Paris), the backdrop of the Great War, financial ruin and a triumphal return. And, of course, a great soundtrack. The Berceuse is the most poignant of all. It's a gentle, wistful piece, written for his daughter Colette. But, as soubasse32 observes on the Organ Forum, "it has a sad history". Colette was born in 1907. Just two years later, Vierne's wife Arlette admitted her infidelity. Colette wasn't Louis Vierne's daughter after all. You can listen to the Berceuse by clicking on the headphones here, or by coming to St Mary's on Sunday! Comments | |
Clearly the three-strong audience for this blog doesn't include any film producers, but if it did, I'd be on my hands and knees exhorting them to make a biopic of Louis Vierne.