The Organ Forum

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Hoth Cochereau recordings were released on CD by Philips but never in the US.  I have the Romaine with "Ad Nos"-the Liszt is a feat of virtuosity but verges on the bombastic.  Sometimes I think he uses registrations that make the manual part a little blurry with all that legato. 

I actually prefer the Liverpool organ to the Windsor castle one, at least for Widor.  I've never liked the organ used for Filsell's Dupre recordings- it seems overly harsh most of the time (the performances on the other hand....)

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Does Van Oosten use Cavaille-Coll organs for everything?  It would seem rather difficult to play some of his later works on an un-modified one (deux esquisses, tryptique, etc...) although I suppose it could be done.

While Ben van Oosten records mostly upon Cavaille-Coll instruments in his Dupre cycle, such as St.Ouen and La Madeleine, his latest volume, the 7th, comes from Princeton University Chapel upon the Skinner/Mander instrument.
He plays the Angelus, Vision, In Memoriam, Poeme Heroique and some of the 79 Chorales.
He has not yet recorded the Tryptique or Esquisses (including that dreadful one in B flat minor), so it will be interesting to see where those will be recorded (if at all).
I too could understand that playing some of these more demanding works on an un-modified Cavaille-Coll could seem difficult.
I prefer Van Oosten's cycle - the organ at Sarasota on which Filsell records sounds rather harsh to my ears.


Timothy Guntrip

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Bach's Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele (BWV 654) has to be my favorite. But Franck's Organ Chorale No. 1 is just a tiny step behind. I put both of these on my two homemade albums done with Hauptwerk. The Franck opus was not easy to register, but well worth the time I put in.

[Since I'm editing my post, I'll add the Prière à Notre Dame from the Suite Gothique by Boëllmann. Use the tremulant sparingly, though.]

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Cole
http://heavyorgan.org

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soubasse32:

I thoroughly studied all of the available recordings [of Vierne #4] in preparation for learning it.

Do you have Els Biesemans' recent recording? See this page (including sound samples).

I see my comment has gotten me into hot water!   I should have said that I thoroughly studied all of the available recordings in my library!    That's still plenty (maybe 10?)...

Lots of comments to agree with - don't like the organ on the Filsell recording.  Van Oosten can be a little unemotional at times.  But I still like his Vierne IV...

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Soubasse32

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in particular the organ, which is one of the most beautiful in Belgium, in my opinion

Van Bever has build a lot of organs in Belgium (relatively speaking of course). And worked on a lot of others, enlarging and transforming them. If that is your liking of organs, then those by Schyven might interest you as well.

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Expert in non-working solutions

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Boellmann's Priere from the Suite Gothique is the most beautiful organ piece if you ask me.

And right behind it is Durufle's Prelude sur le nom d' Alain. The fugue is alright, but the prelude is my favorite.

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The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. - Johann Sebastian Bach
Baylor University School of Music

The Pastorale from Vierne's First Symphony is rather charming as well.

As of now, I think Buxtehude Preclude in C BuxWV 188 is the most beautiful, in my opinion at least.

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Nathan Wilcox

My answer would probably change from day to day (call me fickle), but I would say that the Boellmann Priere a Notre Dame and Reger's Benedictus have to be near the top of my list. I love the opening of the Reger and the contrast of the middle section which then fades away to nothing.

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Trevor Thurston-Smith (Leicester UK)