Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)
Symphonie pour orgue, op. 13, n° 1-4

Christian Schmitt, orgue (orgue Cavaillé de l'Abbaye de St Ouen de Rouen)

C’est Widor qui eut le premier l’idée d’écrire des « symphonies » pour orgue, accompagnant la mue de l’instrument initiée par Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. Les quatre premières de ses symphonies regroupées sous le numéro d’opus 13 ont plus la forme de suites en cinq, six ou sept mouvements que la structure classique des symphonies d’orchestre mais l’imagination et la richesse d’inspiration du musicien de Saint Sulpice en font de véritables chefs d’œuvre romantiques. Pour ce double album, Christian Schmitt touche l’un des plus beaux instruments du grand facteur, celui de Saint-Ouen de Rouen, d’autant plus remarquable qu’il est demeuré dans son état d’origine. C’est que ces partitions ne sonnent pleinement dans toute leur splendeur que lorsqu’elles sont jouées sur les instruments même que Widor a touchés. Magnifié par une prise de son exemplaire de clarté et qui restitue l’acoustique de l’abbatiale rouennaise, voici bien un album indispensable à tous les amateurs de l’instrument-roi. (Richard Wander)

Charles-Marie Widor : this name is synonymous with French organ music of the nineteenth century. The leading organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll took Widor under his wing while he was still a schoolboy and later recommended him for the post of titular organist at Saint-Sulpice. Widor also quickly made a name for himself as a composer, and his ten symphonies for organ solo are regarded even today as the non plus ultra of the virtuoso French school. Christian Schmitt, certainly the most distinguished German organist of the younger generation, is again the interpreter of our first, freshly recorded organ symphonies solo opus. His recording of the Organ Symphonies opp. 42, 3, and 69 was awarded an ECHO Klassik prize in 2013. He performs the Symphonies op. 13 on the Saint-Ouen Abbey Church organ built by Cavaillé-Coll from 1888 to 1890. Charles-Marie Widor is reported to have termed this instrument "une orgue à Michel-Ange". Widor’s allusion to the universal artist Michelangelo is to be understood to mean that he held this instrument to be just as multifaceted as it was perfect. The Saint-Ouen organ was one of the last instruments built by Cavaillé-Coll, and it has even survived without modification, which lends it a high historical significance. And it is simply magnificent to be able to experience this music and this organ in spectacular Surround Sound!