C. Franck - Sinfonische Orgelwerke

The Grand Organ (and massive acoustic) of St Paul�s Cathedral brings the symphonic organ works of Cesar Franck to life, played by Simon Johnson, the current Organist of St Paul�s Cathedral. He plays his own transcription of Franck�s Symphony in D minor, a troublesome work which was despised by critics at its premiere. The paradox of the Symphony was memorably defined by Norman Demuth: �Never was there such magnificent music so badly written.� The present transcription may be seen as an authentic response to that paradox, particularly since modern advances in console control enable Franck�s orchestration to be used as the outline for a detailed registration plan.The �Symphonic Interlude� that separates the two parts of the oratorio Redemption has not acquired the popularity that it deserves. Franck described the subtext of the work as �the joy of the world, transformed and gladdened by the word of Christ�. It is built on two main thematic ideas, the first a gloriously noble tune that Emmanuel Chabrier described as �the very soul of music�, and the second an energetic peal from the trombones, with responses and modulations from the brass and woodwind. The two are developed and combined ingeniously.