Don't end up like M. Vierne (the whole stroke/heart attack thing...it just isn't you). Enjoy Paris, see if you can visit with Daniel Roth, and have fun.
ala Tom Lehrer...Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air/Pollution, pollution, they smog and sewage and mud/Turn on your tap and get hot and cold running crud...
I think the French are a little better than that, or at least I think they are.
Now back in Malta, I thought I would take some time to mention the places I went. Did all the usual things you guys mentioned - croissants, cafe au lait (at an extortionate price), Kronenbourgetc.
The organs I visited:</P>
<UL>
<LI>St.Sulpice - Daniel Roth played some Boely and ended the mass with a terrific improvisation on the Te Deum. He then played a Franck transcription and two of the Esquisses Symphoniques of Falcinelli for the audition. I was very lucky to go up and talk to him afterwards and he was a thoroughly welcoming and warm character. </LI>
<LI>St.Etienne du Mont- we went in here out of curiosity and an organist was practicing the first movement of the Widor 5th. Wonderful sounding instrument.</LI>
<LI>La Madeleine - once again, we ventured in and someone was improvising in a rather Cochereauesque style. The chamades were particularly thrilling and I'd forgotten just how loud they really are. One tourist was visibly distressed by this aural experience, choosing to shield her ears with her hands.</LI>
<LI>St.Louis d'Antin - in the middle of a shopping marathon, we went in but the three hour prayer session was taking place, so we couldn't really walk around much, but there was an interesting looking smaller organ in the tribune.</LI>
<LI>Sacre Coeur - a general walk around the church. Shame one can't take photos.</LI>
<LI>Notre Dame de la Gare - since we were in the region, we popped in. Very quiet and dark inside, and quite barren of anything. Small Cavaille-Coll at the west end.</LI>[/list]
I also visited a lot of the music shops close to the Gare St.Lazare and managed to buy quite a few scores, including the Nibelle 50 Pieces which I believe soubasse32 has mentioned before. I've also returned with a great number of organ recordings. I managed to geta wonderful book "Les Orgues de Paris" at a cut price which has lovely photos and details of most notable organs in the city.
Naturally, I'm very upset to be back to normal life once again and am already looking forward to my next visit. [:)]
Congratulations on completing what must have been a superb tour! I'm green with envy.</P>
[quote user="tumult_in_the_praetorium"]La Madeleine - The chamades were particularly thrilling and I'd forgotten just how loud they really are.[/quote]</P>
This assumes you've heard the Chamades not too long ago, as I believe they are a fairly recent addition.</P>
I also visited a lot of the music shops close to the Gare St.Lazare and managed to buy quite a few scores, including the Nibelle 50 Pieces which I believe soubasse32 has mentioned before.
</P>
Indeed. [:)] Are you enjoying them, and have you found Salve Sancte Parens to be as wonderful as I've said?</P>
I was secretly hoping you would have stayed in Paris - I'm always looking for a place to stay! [;)]</P>
I heard the Madeleine organ about two years ago in a concert - I think the chamades were added in 2002. And wonderful they are - they add such grandeur to the overall tutti here.
Regarding the Nibelle book - I had a look through whilst still in Paris and saw that Salve Sancte Parens looked rather interesting on paper - so gave it a try last night. I'll probably play it on Sunday. This really is an excellent book full of tuneful pieces which are extremely pleasing to the ear.
I got myself a differentedition of the Liszt B.A.C.H. as I plan to get this back up to standard this year. Others I picked up are:</P>
<UL>
<LI>Demessieux: Twelve Choral Preludes - I'd been trying to get hold of this for a long time.</LI>
<LI>Batiste - 5 Compositions/Two Beethoven Transcriptions - I know he's a bit "Lefebure-Wely" but great tuneful music.</LI>
<LI>Dupre - In Memoriam, Op.65 - Rarely played and some of the movements are fairly decent.</LI>[/list]
I arrived home yesterday to find yet more music had been delivered - an S.S.Wesley album, Jongen's Chant de Mai, Peeter's Aria, Porter-Brown's Tuba Tune (great piece), a book of fanfares/processionals and another Dupre warhorse, the Suite Op.39, which is terrifyingly difficult.So I think I have enough to be going on with for the next twenty years. [:)]
The Chant de Mai is such adelightful piece - I have programmed it for many a recital. [:)]The essence ofJongenis capturedin thiswell-crafted little gem.</P>
Is the Peeters Aria the famous one?</P>
I'm afraid I don't play any of the other pieces. [*-)]</P>
[quote user="tumult_in_the_praetorium"]
<ul>[*]St.Sulpice - Daniel Roth played some Boely and ended the mass with a terrific improvisation on the Te Deum. He then played a Franck transcription and two of the Esquisses Symphoniques of Falcinelli for the audition. I was very lucky to go up and talk to him afterwards and he was a thoroughly welcoming and warm character.[/list]
[/quote]</p>
</p>
How interesting. He was in Ireland all last week for the organ festival, and at his recital on Wednesday night, this is pretty much exactly what he played.
</p>
The Chant de Mai is such adelightful piece - I have programmed it for many a recital. [:)]The essence ofJongenis capturedin thiswell-crafted little gem.
[/quote]
I bought this as to use as an alternative to Priere a Notre Dame. Looking forward to trying it!
[quote user="soubasse32"]</P>
Is the Peeters Aria the famous one?</P>[/quote]
It most certainly is - the one in G major. I'm just having a bit of a problem with the registration. At home it won't work because the 16ft Fagotto is too heavy to use with anything else for the solo melody. I can't couple it to the Great with the Clarinet (which would work) because then I have no where left to play the accompaniment. Play on Great with a 4ft an octave lower?
It might work better at church because I have both manuals under expression so I might experiment before the service on Sunday.
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