✥ BOËLLMANN - Suite Gothique (Marie-Claire ALAIN) ✥

[@EduardQualls]

Marie-Claire Alain [1926-2013] was a pinnacle of organ performance and pedagogy of the 20th Century. She is sorely missed.

[@annewandahl8420]

Eduard Qualls I actually met Marie Clair Alain once many years ago when she gave a koncert in my parish church. I still remember being amazed at how such a petite woman played organ. She played in extremely High heeled shoes in order to reach the pedals

[@dissilymordentroge5818]

Yes indeed , Marie-Claire Alain was at the very pinnacle of organ performance and pedagogy but she also had an unearing ear fo the necessary relationship between tempi and reverberation time. A sensitivity so often missing with todays organists one wonders if they spend most of their time listening through earphones fed from microphones placed far too close to their instrument.

[@michaelhoerig4430]

Amen! She was my teacher's teacher!

[@michaelhoerig5920]

One of the greatest organists of the 20th Century! My teacher studied with her. I can see my teacher when I listen to and watch her performance.

[@christophecognard296]

The Toccata of this Suite Gothique is in my opinion the greatest piece ever written for organ. Its sheer power, its darkness, its evocative capability. I still don't understand why it has never been used in any movie (or am I wrong?). There is no need to comment on Marie-Claire Alain or on the Cavaillé-Colle organ...

[@michaellind2388]

I first heard this at the age of 8 and was mesmerised - one of the most mysteriously exciting pieces every composed - and played to perfection here!

[@TurtleFL]

My first taste of it was Eberhard Kraus's rendition on a cassette called Virtuoso Organ. No idea which instrument it was on.

[@keescanalfp5143]

@@TurtleFL, it should be findable nowadays? perhaps in one of Kraus's well known churches in Regensburg.

[@mccxcccx7793]

Yes. There is the French organ....and then there is everything else!! Hand down!

[@davidm587]

What a genius . RIP Madame Alain .

[@charlesleyes870]

It's wonderful to see so many people here who really appreciate fine organ music and find instruments. Makes me happy.

[@Karlfalcon]

Having an organ work played on the very instrument it was composed for makes a huge difference.

[@mkervelegan]

Instead of on some tacky 1950s-vintage American electric toy?

[@dissilymordentroge5818]

Having Marie-ClaireAlain perform help too.

[@oron61]

Is it standard not to put new felt padding under the wooden parts so they don't clatter together in Europe?

[@continuobasso2622]

This work was composed for Organ, not some specific organ. This is a wonderful performance on a classic French organ, and we give thanks to M-C Alain for all her work.

[@ThomasDawkins88]

@@continuobasso2622 Boëllmann was at Saint Vincent de Paul when he wrote this, and I think that any organist-composer's work is influenced by the instrument they were playing at the time. Both it and Saint Sulpice are large Cavaillé-Coll instruments.

[@Gabry2138]

Marie Claire.... might God bless you forever! Thanks for being here....

[@danieleganter9547]

merveilleux j'ai me beaucoup cette oeuvre l'ayant joue pour un concours ainsi que beaucoup de autres morceaux de jehan ALain

[@Froggie24546]

MCA was a great performer , a great musician , and through her recordings I gained a huge love for organ music . Merci

[@XY_Dude]

FINALLY - an artist that does not fall in love with each chord so it becomes labored. Great job. Love it totally - a truly enjoyable rendition. MCA nailed it.

[@londonSambaDancer]

Lol Like some singers u mean?

[@TurtleFL]

That's right, Jehan Alain's sister does not muck it up.

[@francespeterson2707]

Happy 159th birthday to Maestro Léon Boëllmann today! I just discovered Madame Marie-Claire today! What sweet serendipity! This organ is one of the best I've ever heard and Madame? Well! She was magnificent! I stumbled upon Maestro Léon Boëllmann's birthday today while speaking about the Prière à Notre-Dame. Nice that both Maestro and Maestra reached out to me from beyond the veil. Thank you, God, for such magnificent musicians and the grandeur of beauty that You share with us!

[@peter81mus]

Merci pour cette mise en ligne avec l'organiste Marie-Claire Alain; je frémis toujours à l'écoute de la 4eme partie La Toccata!

[@ZitaMenyhart]

It is a great piece by Boellmann. Anytime I listen to it I almost cry, or already cry...

[@hermandemooij7766]

Many years ago I heard the first part in the cathedral of Eger( Hungaria). I was completely surprised. In Holland we playd it later by brassband, a special brass arrangement. Wow! Every time a wow experience! Thanks, mr. Boelmann!

[@xylopiano3]

I still remember how I first learned about this amazing piece. It was a couple years ago, and I went to a Halloween organ concert. I remember reading the program and seeing "Suite Gothique - Toccata" near the end of the list of songs, and thinking the title sounded so badass. I couldn't wait for that song to play, even though I had never heard of it before! And I was right to be excited, because when it got to the Toccata, the song blew me away from the very beginning! Besides Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, this was the only song played at that concert that I still remember.

[@TurtleFL]

My first time hearing it was decades ago. It's on a cassette I still have, called Virtuoso Organ with Eberhard Kraus at the keys, with four other masterworks by other composers. I don't know which organ he played it on, it's not in the cassette's notes.

[@organbuilder272]

It is not a "Song", It is a PIECE for organ in the Symphonic school of music first brought to the public by C. Franck. This is one of the finest examples of such music.

[@Abyssin92]

Une merveille absolue, cette interprétation de Leon Boellmann !

[@colinminton9190]

Superb performance of a remarkable piece on this wonderful organ by one the all-time great organists.

[@Abyssin92]

La Majesté du Christ reviendra à Notre-Dame en 2024 avec cette suite gothique.

[@johannessilver8653]

What a piece...so grand...and organ too.

[@victoriengaming5590]

a savoir que St Supplice est un des plus, us gros orgues de France totalement romantique, Marie Claire Alain qui a était professeur de mon père pendant 5 ans ( Pierre cambourian organiste titulaires des grands de St Vincent de Paul Paris) elle prends un tempo tout à fait résonna le et fait très bien sortir l orgue. Mon père se souvient encore de ces moments où il l écoutait ( à savoir il était rentré dans sa classe a 18 ans) hommage à Marie Claire Alain morte il y a peu

[@michaelfitzgerald1865]

It is a shame Boellman died at such an early age. What he might have brought forth after this piece could have been truly amazing.

[@douglasbruce3501]

+Michael Fitzgerald Practising in a cold church curtailed his life.

[@abelb5335]

+Michael Fitzgerald He also composed very beautiful pieces for cello.

[@vernonsmart]

I finally stumbled across this organ piece that my mother used to play as a solo. I never knew the name but hoped for many years that one day I would run across it. I especially remember the meditative third movement that starts at 5:24. Of course, it never sounded like this on the little church organ she played on at the Memorial United Methodist Church in Beverly, MA. Thanks for uploading it!

[@lukereilly207]

That low c sounds more like a tempo than a tone doesn't it.

[@gjlander100]

Enlightening performance of the Priere by Marie Claire. Her tempo is wonderful.

[@gerardbedecarter]

A beautiful performance.

[@limitstoprogress]

Amazing power of this organ, plus, of course, the superb performance of Madame Alain!

[@johannessilver8653]

Yes...this is so grand. But check also Roue Ouen organ the same....to me it sounds even more poweful. Cavaille-Coll organ as well.

[@louquatorze]

Quelle puissante délicatesse dans le jeu.Musique éternelle si il en fût

[@MrPeter3011]

The walls of the church must have trembled as she played this....marvellous.....and honour to her brother,the great JEHAN ALAIN......

[@sabinewindholz2348]

This piece of music I love the most. It seems to me to be able to feel like beeing in heaven, it seems to me, when listening to the first part of this piece.

[@estebansopha12]

What a powerful work of music.

[@peterbargmann7341]

Humbled when first enjoyed this heavenly instrument. Second hearing, could have sworn there were angels high up in the nave. On visits, heard Boellmann, Dupre, Mendelssohn, Charpentiere, Bach, Saint-Saens, Liszt (of all masters!), Reger.

[@bastiendelagneau7401]

Cette musique est juste épique ! c'est un véritable roman de chevalerie pour moi !

[@Buisness1]

Bring tears to my eyes of yesterday when the organ was KING! All the great ones and their instruments are now silent for the most part.

[@ilovehifi]

Hier wird absolute Perfektion für den Genießer geboten. In Sachen Kirchenorgel das Maß aller Dinge, 100 von 100 Punkten. Ich besitze eine sehr teure High End Anlage. Als Demo für "spiel mal Orgel" würde ich dies hier wählen, da ich mir nach dem ersten Hören spontan die CD bestellt habe. Absoluter Referenz Status!!!

[@ilovehifi]

@J. K. Nur um einmal dieses eine Detail zu nennen: Wie stabil, wie perfekt die Dame das Tempo hinbekommen hat, berauscht mich immer wieder. Viele Grüße vom Hifimann.

[@dhl7893]

I agree about all the chat and banter on tempo and style killing music. Each organist has a particular feeling on interpretation. But Boellmann's suite gothique is just a very great organ composition, perfectly played here, just like Bach's toccata and fugue in D minor is a work of genius for organ. No comparisons, no discussions - one is just transported into a world of pure and utter pleasure when listening to them played by great organists on the right organ.

[@michael80deering]

The 'Notre Dame' is just divine.

[@gyrocompa]

The picture is Notre-Dame indeed, but according to the description, it seems that this recording was made in Saint Sulpice...

[@deaganjones4666]

@@gyrocompa I believe he was referring to the Priere a Notre Dame because of its heavenly nature, being a prayer after all

[@gyrocompa]

@@deaganjones4666 Ah, OK !

[@hexwolfi]

People who listen to classical music these days are going to kill it with all of their banter about the correct tempo and technique...

[@charlesleyes870]

I think discussions about tempo etc. raise the level of interest and also different skills.

[@ExtremeUnction1988]

Charles Leyes agreed, but those “discussions” invariably descend into claims of I’m right, you’re wrong/stupid, ad hominem, like every where else on the internet. Sad.

[@marikeharmse849]

This brings back so many memories - the Toccata was one of my ABRSM grade 8 pieces.

[@Sman-dc1ow]

Goosebumps...

[@tony1961chl]

Se nota que el rey en ese lugar es el órgano,un hermoso gigante lleno de amor , Fiiiiii faiiii fooo fommmmm precioso e impresionante sonido ,gracias.

[@johnferguson8993]

I love her interpretation of this classic but the Priere always speaks to me.

[@jclehman50]

its music like this that allowed me to forgive the corrupt judges that did their hit job against me. the wheels of justice can turn slowly, but they are inexorable. praise god

[@passitelexk43]

Marie Claire Alain? ...SUPERBE!

[@chucklambooy8457]

She was one of the true technical masters of all time! This is a perfect example!!

[@charlesleyes870]

Oh yeah, the Priere at Notre Dame has wonderful tempo. Love it.

[@AirchimeLTDproductions174]

This is my favorite pipe organ, I've always wanted to hear this piece on the Cavaille-Coll Grand Organ of St. Sulpice. And I just have, the performance was nothing short of incredibly spontaneous, and transcendental! Love the Trompette Forte Pression, and Contra-Bombarde stops on this organ so so much!

[@winging-it-works]

i agree completely, a good version is hard to find, but this one i like a lot.

[@Npvsp]

Wondrous. Miracle.

[@andre-paulfreefrench6015]

Merveilleux....

[@alfredoa.potthoff6709]

best interpretation ever

[@dianeligtenberg1521]

I used this piece as a wedding march when I got married 52 years ago. (Choral).

[@lukereilly207]

I wanna do the same thing.

[@rasohatskiy_andriy.]

Excellent,maestro!!!!

[@bluestallion777]

Those low notes on the foot pedals 😍

[@johannessilver8653]

Yes, check this also in Roue Ouen. I think the Bombarde 32 growls even more there.

[@phillipecook3227]

I'm familiar with this lady's name from her duetting with trumpeter Maurice Andre. This is the first time I've heard her solo. Smashing piece btw.

[@caiusanonymous3794]

MAGNIFIQUE !!!👏👏👏

[@estebansopha12]

What a powerful peace!!

[@judithwhitehouse2149]

Best organ and best organist for this!

[@estellegonzalez8483]

❤️Wonderful!!!

[@michamos3359]

Great magnificent masterpiece, requiring at first, well prepaired instrument.

[@joelweber3462]

Superbe! What an organ and organist. French organs and Marie-Claire Alain and Olivier Latry: there is naught else.

[@charlesleyes870]

No. There are many more than these two. Just look around here on You Tube.

[@peteacher52]

Congratulations to the learned gentlemen at Gloggle and Ewechewb who decided to insert an ad for farming equipment before the first movement was finished. You squalid curpins.

[@sergeirachmaninoff8481]

say what

[@albertpeckham8708]

How wonderfully magnicent!

[@mel_tillis2]

Pretty!! I like that toccata!!

[@t.p.ggaming3884]

This is probably one of the only pieces I've found on this organ that includes the 32' Bombarde, It has that trademark Cavaille-Coll power (2nd only to the one at St Ouen)

[@steveegallo3384]

Whatever it is you're talking about, I SEE you and I RAISE you! Fantastic! Greetings from San Agustinillo!

[@MedievalRichard]

Splendid. MR

[@achitophel5852]

The Toccata blows me away.

[@mariekoenigsbeck7768]

I would like to give more than one like *.*

[@DevaJeunesse]

Paris orgue de Saint Sulpice...un grand orgue

[@19Edurne]

Un grand orgue... et des grandes orgues. Un des 3 mots en français qui sont masculins au singulier et féminins au pluriel (avec amour et délice)... 3 dans toute la langue française où le féminin l'emporte ;)

[@WINCHANDLE]

oui certainmente

[@theprof291166]

Rest in peace Marie-Claire Alain, and your brother.

[@charlesleyes870]

Amen !

[@spikeo12]

Fantastic!!

[@GlamRockCowboy]

The tempo of any organ piece has to be determined, at least in part, by the acoustics of the building in which a given instrument is located. Most European churches and concert halls have significantly longer reverberation times than do their counterparts here in the U.S. This is why so many American organists play the Toccata significantly faster than most European organists. On the other hand, I remember having a recording of this same Toccata played by Xavier Darasse that was very fast indeed, yet, somehow, sounded very clear and exciting. Maybe the voicing of the organ (which was a Cavaille-Coll, IIRC) had something to do with it. The proper combination of voicing and acoustics can make a HUGE difference in the final result, turning an otherwise mediocre performance into the thrill of a lifetime!

[@denovemportem]

Tom Nichol I must have misunderstood your words; are you by any means implying that this is a mediocre performance???

[@GlamRockCowboy]

denovemportem No, not at all! The late Madame Alain was certainly one of the foremost organists of her generation!

[@denovemportem]

Tom Nichol Indeed!!! :)

[@JustfineinChicago]

Tom Nichol I must agree with you, Tom. I grew up in Europe and am trained professionally as an organist, and for sure the sound physics of the church, cathedral church, or cathedral itself dictates how fast the music will be played. Not only the tempo, but the touch, ie., staccato legato, marcato. I am a student of the French School, specifically, and Americans play the repertoire of this school much to quickly.

[@karlrovey6580]

That is because we normally have to make up for dry acoustic spaces. I am lucky enough to get to play in a recital hall at college where I have to use the curtain in the back when I record due to the acoustics of the room. American architects need to make better acoustic spaces for churches and concert halls.

[@岡本隆夫-z2l]

昔々、家内とアラン女史の演奏会。プログラムに、この曲がありました。懐かしい限りです。

[@cesare307]

Bellissimo!

[@janiceEM1945]

Be still my heart!!

[@bradycall1889]

The beginning song was amazing!

[@rob0576a]

Magnificent!!

[@ecolenouvellescienceesprit]

The great priestress of high organ music

[@franmunoz4869]

Those Davids stars at the top in the circular windows...

[@dkbvi]

Thanks for the great recording!

[@EduardQualls]

BTW, the image is that of the vaulting above the high altar of Barcelona Cathedral: _Basilica Catedral Metropolitana de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia_ (Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia).

[@Mullikia]

Who on God's green Earth is thumbing this down?

[@JungleBytes]

Wow!

[@bburgess_keys]

Most modern organists play this way too fast, especially the menuet and toccata, This it the right tempo!

[@Silvernis77]

I prefer the minuet ever so slightly faster than this, but I do agree 100% about the toccata. It's hard to find a good performance of it that isn't rushed to the point of being a muddy mess.

[@general_hayes]

Silvernis77 I personally find myself going back and back to listen to Philippe Delacour playing the Toccata.

[@megaponful]

+muzluv33 i'm compelled to know who this legendary organist is.

[@twistoftime]

You're generally correct. However, one of the factors to consider is the nature of the space involved. In a cathedral like this one, a slower pace yields better results simply because the reverb time is at least three full seconds, perhaps longer. Any piece with "too rapid" pace turns the room into a huge bath of mud. In a completely dry environment a faster tempo doesn't hurt as much. In this wonderful room, this tempo is completely appropriate and yields a great performance. Having a wonderful instrument available doesn't hurt either.

[@JoshuaSobel]

Most likely Diane Bish. She has technique for sure, but the has the unfortunate habit of rushing...

[@dissilymordentroge5818]

Majesty, expression & faultless technique, we are yet to hear any of the recent crop of organists equal Marie-Clair Alain.

[@charlesleyes870]

Yeah they're arriving but they are all in France.

[@koskinen2246]

I'm currently rehearsing the menuet gothique as a qualification to some conservatories. I like Alain's version of the full suite, not too fast but just perfect. (Sorry, if my typing has mistakes, not native).

[@Doeff8]

Did you get access to a conservatory?

[@koskinen2246]

No I didn't but now that I think of it I'm better not being there. I've seen how, especially here, conservatories kill the creativity and the way of expression. I'm taking a longer route and try to find someone willing to give me private lessons so I could get in the Sibelius- academy much easier. But for now it's good thing to take everything slow...

[@davidmorrison2739]

I make plenty of mistakes, and I'm native.

[@normanchristie4524]

Koskinen these places are the death of expression. However, don’t ‘lock yourself out’ of the establishment. These people are powerful......

[@rycho3]

Super !!!!!!!!, Super !!!!!!!!!!!

[@schultzchristophe4374]

Dieu est grand ,bon et plein d'amour

[@charlesleyes870]

Yes, the same family.

[@SuperMiIk]

I love shit like this

[@helenelamor8811]

✥ BOËLLMANN - Suite Gothique (Marie-Claire ALAIN) ✥ МУЗЫКА ВСЕЛЕННОЙ...

[@organbuilder272]

Damn it! People should not be allowed to play music like this. You can you concentrate on work when sounds like this emmenate from the speakers and pictures of this organ are presented. That's not bad enough, for hours after the sounds echo through your mind. You are parallized (sp) thinking of what it would be like to stand int he building and hear it live. This is simply not fair. In fact it is a conspiracy fo the French Tourist bureau to get people to go to this place to hear it played live. I can't get any work done,. I have to stop my work and sit spellbound.

[@charlesleyes870]

Just bite your lip and be happy.

[@sabrinensis]

You speak in tongues! Complete and utter nonsense! Your grammar is shocking - are you actually an English speaker?

[@padraicfanning7055]

Paralyzed?

[@MrPeter3011]

Is the Organist really the sister of JEHAN ALAIN????

[@gloriachristo2442]

+Peter K. You're right. She is the foremost organist of the XXth century. An outstandingly gifted family, indeed :-)

[@organbuilder272]

+Gloria Christo She was ONE of the foremost organists of the 20th Century. She was one of perhaps two women who were gifted organists. There are organists that you probably have never heard of who were outstanding and unfortunately they are all deceased leaving behind a small group of gifted performers.There are few young organists who have the skills and technical expertise of the 20th Century greats.

[@davidgriffiths7215]

+robert shaw One of perhaps two women who were gifted organists.. Really? I wonder if that is chauvinism or ignorance. Off the top of my head and without doing any research I can think of Jeanne Demessieux, Susi Jeans, Joyce Jones, Catherine Crozier, Suzanne Chaisemartin, Gillian Weir, Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet, Jane Parker-Smith, Ann Marsden Thomas, Margaret Phillips, Catherine Ennis and Jane Watts. Even if you don't warm to her style Diane Bish is also hugely gifted. A few minutes spent on Google would probably quadruple my list.

[@organbuilder272]

+David Griffiths Notice I said GIFTER. Notice I said WAS. You can glean up hundreds of organists. There are about 50,000 of them here. That does not mean they are gifted in the same class as Alain. There isn't a women organist alive as good as Fred Swann, Edwin Lamare, Alexander Schreiner. Fox or Biggs.

[@fritzlangdienibelungen905]

+David Griffiths Thousands of gifted organists but one Boellmann.

[@HivusLibrevilleThiephyst]

The minuet played here is like calming OST for Games

[@KREN12623]

🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️♥️🔥♥️🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️

[@johanhobo]

GEWELDIG

[@markhall7646]

Ear candy. Epic.

[@nataleazzan7465]

suite meravigliosa

[@MegaCirse]

As you stroll through the meadows of the present, you can pick bouquets of crazy and improbable flowers, come back with sumptuous extracts from this sensitive and flayed musician and recognize that you sometimes save time ignoring so much of these redundant & futile contemporary new-age music for gain in strength & serenity¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@WINCHANDLE]

I like the tocatta tempo...whats the rush? Let the music speak and have its spine tingling effect. Heard St. S. C-C organ last summer and met Danial Roth. What a sweet heart! Not a fan of the ending of the Toccata. The chord progression sound like the end of a soap opera or movie. I guess 1950's composers picked that up. "tune in tomorrow...is it really over for John and Mary? what do you all think?

[@hypertube81]

I swear to God I hear the intro to Mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne in the beginning of this...and that's not a bad thing!

[@MrLoknar]

Pardon my ignorance but why does she accelerate at some places, for example here 11:22 , at the beginning of the toccata. I haven't heard any other organist do the same, and I must say I find it rather unsettling, though interesting.

[@thongtruong6640]

Waldemar That caught me by surprise as well! I’m not a fan of it, but I respect her interpretation.

[@matthijsvanwijhe864]

it was fashion in that time

[@goranklaren]

Waldemar The music isn’t written for a robot.

[@paulo3564]

Tempo is wrong. So fast. You're right.

[@thomashilton3641]

I like it slower.

[@ldoom8827]

Excellent transcription.