Cesar Franck's "Pièce Héroïque" played by Marcel Dupré

[@guyindiman8701]

This is actually the commercial Mercury recording from about 1959. I can tell because Monsieur Dupre accidently grazes the adjacent C-Natural key with the little finger of his right hand while playing the final B-Major chord. It was such an exciting performance that they decided to use it with the mistake intact. I have this disc in my library.

[@georgemurphy2579]

How do you know which fingers he used to make the error......were you standing over him?

[@solomonshepherd4824]

Thank you for pointing this out. I heard the C and thought that he may have done it on purpose to add chromatic colour, but a perfectionist like Dupre wouldn't have done that. I also really liked to hear how freely he plays, and wouldn't have expected this from someone who is primarily known for technicality.

[@solomonshepherd4824]

@@georgemurphy2579 The little finger of the right hand is the only one possible, because all other fingers are occupied somewhere else.

[@georgemurphy2579]

@@solomonshepherd4824 I play the work, for years now. It is alto (a.k.a. middle) C. Hi right thumb obviously caught it with the playing of the B Major chord. Dupre had large, dexterous hands. It was no mistake, believe me. I actually like it!

[@solomonshepherd4824]

@@georgemurphy2579 Makes it sound a bit like Karg-Elert. The only thing that puzzles me is that Dupre always taught to strictly follow the notation. Whatever, I like it, too. Greetings fellow organist!

[@euripidiesupman9755]

Back around 1985 or 86, I was working in Wilmington, Delaware. One weekend I visited Wanamaker's store in Philadelphia and was fortunate enough to meet Keith Chapman and sit next to the console while he played this piece during one of their noontime concerts. It was life-changing.

[@khingdheano]

Definitely Dupre. I had this recording back in the '70s and listened to it so many times it is engraved on my soul.

[@judithsochor9755]

khingdheano

[@MolnarPohdap]

I own the LP version of this recording, and I listened to it countless times for years. This is definitely Dupré playing at St Thomas Church in New York City.

[@georgefieldsjr.640]

all these Great organist composers...giving the organ in Heaven a Good Workout !

[@wupperfeld]

Many Thx for this document - wonderful !

[@gryphone100]

This is definitely the Mercury recording made at St. Thomas Church in New York City. There are two giveaways: the editing (there was a great deal of editing because of noise from the subway under the church) and the wrong notes in the third from last and next to last chords at the end.

[@Theoriginaltkg2902]

Quite right, I haven't heard that recording in years , but heard it so much as a child , its like riding a bike! I happened to walk to St Thomas Church a few years s ago on a Saturday morning after a visit to St Pat's across the street and some one was even rehearsing the Chorale in E major from the same album !

[@cromorno8749]

Infact, I don't think this is the St. Sulpice's organ.

[@TheOrganiston9th]

Always a favorite! Anyone familiar with E. Power Biggs’ Columbia recording? Also opens with a Poulenc track - on the other side, something in G minor, a beautiful symphony. The entire recording (1949) is VERY stirring and beautiful.

[@MartinSmithMFM]

Concerto.

[@M5guitar1]

This is my favorite tune.

[@gerardbedecarter]

Thanks for uploading this.

[@DIYerGuy]

If anyone is wondering where this recording was made and who the organist really is: It was indeed Marcel Dupre and it was recorded by Mercury records in 1957 and released on their Living Presence label. The original release was of course on vinyl disk. The original selections were subsequently rereleased on CD in 1992 after most of Mercury's original master tapes were converted to CDs. The instrument is the Skinner organ at St. Thomas Church 5th Ave. New York City. I have both the original vinyl disk and the CD of the recording. The Pièce héroique heard here is from that CD (or vinyl if you prefer) because, aside from Dupre's distinctive playing and interpretation which is superb, and of course knowing the recording and organ itself, the 2nd to last chord has the exact same mistake as heard in the uploaded recording here. Someone commented that it's probably not a church but rather a "hall". The acoustics at St Thomas are rather dry and not typical of most stone churches and the battery of organ pipes are in the alter area and do not speak directly out into the nave. As a result, most of the organ's sound stays within the alter area and there is little reverberation. The CD also contains the three famous organ chorales, as well as works by Widor. The CD is available as a single disk from Arkivmusic at: www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=4088

[@MartinSmithMFM]

alter - alter to altar!

[@CrummyNails]

one of my favorites

[@xylopiano3]

I like the fox in your profile picture. It looks like he's grinning like the Cheshire Cat!

[@wupperfeld]

Thank you for this wonderful document !!!

[@Blockedify]

This is the recording MD did in 58 at St. Thomas/NYC, along with the 3 Chorals. I'm quite certain.

[@gryphone100]

P.S. I don't mean to be critical of Dupré's playing. I love this recording and have had it in various incarnations since I was in high school.

[@passacaglia28]

I would fave this a second time if that were possible. What a hauntingly beautiful piece this is.

[@charlesdavis7087]

Marcel's technical fluency and compositional genius... live now in thousand of students around the world. The word "definitive" fits well. When he said, "This is the way; walk ye in it," carries meaning that transcends time. "Piece Heroique," indeed. Vive al Muse. CVD

[@HiringAPtAdvocate]

Peter Sarro, recorded in 1957 it would be on G. Donald Harrison's last A/S organ, Indeed he died one hot NYC evening during the haste to finish it for the 1956 National AGO convention. If you made a trip to St. Thomas you'd find that the acoustics have been greatly improved due to the coating of the porous material with which the church was made. The church has signed a contract [with Dobson, I believe] for an almost new organ with a similar case on the south wall bringing more of the organ's pipes into the main axis of the nave while others will still be in the choir area of that beautiful edifice. Some pipes will be retained, though few. Perhaps some church will gain some treasured ranks from years past. I know Riverside Church got some of the A/S ranks when G. F. Adams made changes. TY for this posting. I never got to hear the Harrison in person.

[@mrstevebournias]

not more pipes fewer

[@Tracequaza]

this is the best thing ever

[@fdsjdhasd]

I am stunned.

[@musicalhotcha]

There are several French TV broadcasts of Dupre available from the Association des Amis de l'Art de Marcel Dupre (AAAMD) in France. Difficult to obtain,but very instructive to watch.

[@advisorC101]

Such an incredible man!

[@ramjetrabbit]

I too have this recording. But I can't play it because I don't have my turntable hooked up anymore. Rats!!!!! I've been to St. Thomas in NYC for recitals many years ago. What a thrilling experience.

[@georgemurphy2579]

All available on CD .... go to Amazon

[@sailormann1]

@Blockedify concur: I have this recording on CD, Marcel Dupre performing at St Thomas NYC on the Mercury label, I believe. Recorded by a woman whose last name is Cozart, I think? She engineered alot of Mercury's recordings in the 50's... I think using a (then) unique three-microphone recording pattern. Similar to what is now reknowned as the Decca-Tree (3 fine Neumann mics flown on a tri-pattern). Maybe TMI, but yes, this is Dupre at St Thomas. Fine Aeolian-Skinner. J-D Harrison's last.

[@georgemurphy2579]

It was actually a single LARGE microphone in the center near the chancel. Dupre had problems recording the best organ recordings ever made. The subway underneath the church, and, the one LARGE microphone that unnerved him throughout the sessions.

[@japansekip]

Me too, also one of my favorites becouse of the organ. This one has a friendly sound and acoustic. Of course a fine player.

[@JFSnail]

It is from the St Thomas organ recorded by mercury Living Presence in 1957, re-released on CD by Philips no 434 311-2 :-) The organ heard here is as it was left by Aeolian-Skinner and the last organ worked on by G Donald Harrison. It was rebuilt by Gilbert F Adams in 1970 and remains the same today until they rip it out. Weird thing is, they say it would be cheaper to build a new organ than to repair the old one!

[@georgemurphy2579]

When you posted this it was still the Adams rebuild. Since five years ago the new Dobson has replaced the original instrument.

[@philippetallec2180]

J adore !

[@maxsnafu]

@Miraphone186Player That's because Murray studied with Dupre and wrote his biography. And this is indeed an old (1957!) recording Dupre made at St. Thomas church in NYC on their Aeolian-Skinner organ designed by G. Donald Harrison. When Dupre returned to Europe he decreed that the Americans were making the finest pipe organs in the world.

[@maxsnafu]

from 1957!

[@georgemurphy2579]

Michael Murray was Dupre's last student. His obituary was just posted the other day...RIP M. Murray.

[@davidlofgren6578]

A fantastic organist no doubt about that. But Franck himself played his own works more free. The Lemmens tradition from Lemmens to Widor and then to Dupré made a more strict Franck interpretation. Though I like his climax choral part close to the end where you get the sense of Franck and romanticism!

[@MrSergeiRachmaninoff]

Great Halloween Music!

[@MrTransalpin]

C'est magnifique de l' entendre sur le plus bel orgue de France conservé dans toute son authenticité: Le Cavaillé Coll de St Sulpice et son admirable acoustique ! Marcel Dupré: Quel génie ! Quel pédagogue ! Il a; même joué sur un orgue de cinéma à tuyaux !

[@kahuna514]

This is TOO perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@HiringAPtAdvocate]

Kevin this organ was destroyed decades ago. I first went to St. Thomas's in high school and it was already a different instrument. I have played a couple of recitals there and the subtle, lush sounds were long gone.

[@GrupoChucumite]

I have this recording in a 5 record set called a Treasury of Organ Classics.

[@davidhamilton1981]

Inspiration for Boellmann's Toccata from Suite Gothique?

[@Wennichmichnichtirre]

Probabely...but both "inspired" by Alkan´s "Symphonie", op. 39 No.4

[@MrQuebec]

Très beau document sonore.

[@hoppy318]

You mean Michael Murray sounds a lot like Marcel Dupre. Dupre is the original artist that most organists aspire to sound like and play like. He was probably the finest organist in the world during his lifetime. Not only are his written compositions masterworks for organ but his improvisations are still some of the finest ever performed, impromptu by any performer.

[@minedarea]

@Tajoumaru I can still hear it.

[@sailormann1]

Sorry- meant G-D Harrison e.g. G. Donald Harrison (not J-D Harrison--- sorry)

[@asdadadasdqweqeqeqwe]

f......Epic!!!

[@3NUNS]

Yes

[@vt8775]

The build up was insnae

[@christianguinier1763]

Quelle bonheur de pouvoir écouter un enrgistrement du maître de l'orgue !

[@claviergoren]

The master playing a masterwork!!

[@akelofgren9468]

I as Chopin was the greatest nowadays they just call me weakest lausest and so so what is the point with all when even moron is said to be bigger stronger more beautiful than me and l can no more do my duties musical or anything else

[@gammaltkonto8066]

Bra inspelning!

[@searchfgold6789]

So many artists who play as such. Do they shadow the music because they don't want to show off? It's weird.

[@1401JSC]

Mais Franck a écrit l'œuvre pour l'orgue du Palais Trocadéro, pas pour l'Orgue de Saint-Sulpice où dupré était titulaire. Serait-il de la volonté du Pater Seraphicus que l'on trouve d'autres sonorité que celles qu'il avaient expérimentées? The left hand note in bar 7 is too long, strange manipulations of the swell pedal bars 25-28, I don't hear much of the added reeds bar around bar 30....need I go on? this is a wonderful interpretation which does not even respect the score:

[@davidpender7417]

It's a rainy night and one can hear an organ being played at the bottom of a lighthouse. Yeah I know it's weird but that's my imagination.

[@chubbtm5]

Am I the only one who finds Dupre's recordings dull? I wait in vain for an inflection, a personality, and all I hear is the metronome. Having heard many recordings of Dupre's playing, I admire his keyboard command but I'm disappointed when it comes to the musical result.

[@MartinSmithMFM]

True, but this is Franck as written.

[@timothytikker1147]

Martin Smith but not Franck as Franck played it: by all accounts, his playing was very free. Franck's student Tournemire -- among others -- emphasized this in his writings, as well as his recordings.

[@mw11stuff]

5:10 - this is meant to be ff !!

[@mewsdo]

No, there's two of us. Maybe he was (over)reacting to the excesses of other performers of his time...

[@zzzxtreme]

is there any video of marcel's performance?

[@georgemurphy2579]

There are several French TV broadcasts of Dupre available from the Association des Amis de l'Art de Marcel Dupre (AAAMD) in France. Difficult to obtain, but very instructive to watch.

[@edwardhart5466]

Wonderful interpretation

[@hrgallie1]

If he played it in New York then maybe he was in a hurry. This phrasing and confidence all suggest a very experienced player. The tempo is very clean. He may have slowed down for the American public (slight touch of Schmalz). Yes detached but definitely there...I still think that if you play this piece too fast you will lose things oh and including your fingers.

[@philomela100]

Where was this recorded? Certainly not at St. Sulpice.

[@rrkdudas6848]

I think its in Boston

[@georgemurphy2579]

St. Thomas in NYC NOT that same instrument anymore...

[@3NUNS]

You must be a true musician.

[@fhill56]

Ooohh you mean THAT Marcel Dupre, I thought you meant THE Marcel Dupre...........

[@3NUNS]

Whom ? Franck oder Dupre ?

[@cp0bo593]

6:29

[@MartinSmithMFM]

B MInor - come on!

[@matthy31]

Not really. h moll (minor) is common in central to east europe, even scandinavia. History is doing its thing here

[@protrudingears2]

7:55 - error!

[@Blockedify]

G? J?? It's not worth worrying over. As the late Dr. Robert Baker, who I WAS NOT a great fan of, usta say, and he was RIGHT in this, "You're not Marcel Dupre and this is not St. Sulpice. You're NOT Cesar Franck and this is not St. Clothilde." Meaning that it is just way beyond pedantry to insist that an organist, indeed, AN ARTIST, must slavishly try to follow registration ideas set for a particular instrument, when just about every organ in the world is SO different from another.

[@Tajoumaru]

Talk about a serious digital remastering...nary a hint of analog hiss.

[@SuperRouzier]

j'ai confondu pièce et mar che...je préf ère la PIECE plus allante .rené

[@vleermuisje2]

Ik vraag me af of dit werkelijk Marcel Dupre is die hier speelt...... En het is zeker NIET het orgel van de St. Sulpice!

[@russellheydon2341]

just like all the rest perfect and lifeless ... oh did i say that surely not

[@organbuilder272]

SO you are suggesting that Dupre's rendition is lifeless? Are you mad, man? A french composer playing his predecessor's work - Lifeless... Tune your eras, boy. He should know how to play it a lot better than you can.

[@maxouf1]

Dear Robert, the comment you make to Russel is not an argument "he plays better than you can". Criticising some Messi's or Senna's moves never obliged anyone to play football or drive better than them. Dupre's playing is very "even", like a robot. Look at his teaching method. Now hear about Franck, he was a piano player at first. Look at some notes he wrote by himself in his scores when preparing the creation at the organ of Le Trocadéro : "sans presser", etc, he had this "fougue" that must be felt in your interpretation of his works, all the more the Pièce Héroïque. This piece has a piano style(and a high orchestra style of course) which very begining is exactly a citation of some Chopin's work. These repeated chords must not be played even/equal. Also hear some Dupre's records of Bach works, totally even and perfectly legato... We nowadays much better know of to interprete baroque style than they did from early XIXth to mid XXth century.

[@musichiere70]

I perfectly agree: Dupré was the best!

[@camitful]

THE BEST Piece Heroique !

[@pg3529]

oups errors at the end :P

[@Blockedify]

G? J?? It's not worth worrying over. As the late Dr. Robert Baker, who I WAS NOT a great fan of, usta say, and he was RIGHT in this, "You're not Marcel Dupre and this is not St. Sulpice. You're NOT Cesar Franck and this is not St. Clothilde. Meaning that it is just way beyond pedantry to insist that an organist, indeed, AN ARTIST, must slavishly try to follow registration ideas set for a particular instrument, when just about every organ in the world is SO different from another.

[@MartinSmithMFM]

Errors almost imperceptible. But a tad too slow.

[@guscox9651]

Lol why

[@MartinSmithMFM]

@@guscox9651 I guess because it has a natural speed which is 'heroic'. The triplet figures need to be easy, flowing, keep the iece moing forward. Of course acoustics can also influence tempo , as can the action of an organ. I won't listen to it again now, but I can imagine and hear the whole thing clearly. It is a strange work, I suppose a species of fantasia deep down.

[@MrEbertScientist]

An interpretation which adheres to a strict rhythm is no less musically valid than one which makes gratuitous use of rubato.

[@radoslavkhun299]

really? than why dont we use computers instead of the organists? In this case its not so terrible, Dupre plays it wery good, but there are some organist, who play really as machines...

[@SirReginaldBlomfield1234]

Pretty shit playing. He was already an old codger when he made these recordings and a very long way past his best which is obvious to those with ears to hear.