MARCEL DUPRÉ Cortège et Litanie

Performed live in recital by David Simon on the Newberry Memorial Organ of Woolsey Hall at Yale University on March 8, 2019.

[@robertcholmondeley113]

One of the greatest masterpieces by Dupré. Played on a fantastic organ too.

[@elizabethmorrissey2791]

It fills my heart with joy to listen to this music. My mother, Margaret Kane Schwimer, was an Organist all my life at Sacred Heart Church, Mt Carmel Church, and St Teresa's Church Staten Island, NY. She received her degree in Sacred Music from Manhattenville, College of the Sacred Heart in NYCity.

[@obaba1928]

Beautiful piece and excellently performed. A big applause also to the high quality sound - the mighty power and beauty is very well captured in this recording!

[@diegoiapaolo9848]

Beautifully done.

[@jameswalton3796]

I love this recording, thank you so much. I am going to start learning this piece!

[@DavidASimon]

Glad you enjoyed it, good luck learning the piece!

[@FNQorganist]

How did you go James? I did it as part of a Melbourne Conservatorium entry video audition over 4 years ago, and got an early entry. It's a beautiful work. All the best

[@jameswalton3796]

@@FNQorganist I didn't get off the ground with it, but I started learning this semester and I'll be playing it for my jury. It's such a lovely piece!

[@joespeciale5875]

Magnificent performance of a magnificent piece by an outstanding performer on a sensational EM Skinner instrument -perfect for this piece.

[@DavidASimon]

Thanks very much! -David

[@walterstout7014]

One of the most powerful pieces of the 20th century organ repertoire.

[@DavidASimon]

@@walterstout7014 Fully agree, it's a wonderful journey as both a player and listener

[@ghmus7]

Totally superb!!

[@maciejkramarski3727]

Great performance. Congratulations!

[@DavidASimon]

@@maciejkramarski3727 Thank you!

[@EmeraldPixelGamingEPG]

This piece evokes an extraordinary sense of emotion and heart, and I'm fortunate to have heard it twice now at St Albans Cathedral. Thanks David

[@robertbairdmusic]

Wonderful music!

[@omie5763]

Beautiful. Thank you.

[@bobh5087]

Many thanks for presenting this well-loved Dupré work. Hearing it recalls my undergrad organ studies and the excellent 3-manual Aeolian-Skinner organ where I performed this same piece some years ago. A pleasant, nostalgic walk down Memory Lane. 👍 ❤️

[@DavidASimon]

Thanks so much, Bob. It is such a wonderful piece and is a joy to play.

[@bobh5087]

@@DavidASimon I remember it being a challenge in the last half - especially the Pedal part... those "awkward" leaps. But with my prof's encouragement, and lots of practice, it gradually fell into place. There's more going on in the score than might be obvious to listeners. 😊

[@seanclean1625]

Mature, Beautiful, and Respected!!🎐🎼🎵🎟️🎫🏆🏅🎶🎛️🎚️

[@FlyingSi]

I think this is my favourite performance of this piece. The space you afford the music is so great. Thank you!

[@noflatscher]

Goose bumps!!! Thanks you so much for sharing

[@DavidASimon]

Thanks so much!

[@bkarosi]

Bravo!

[@DavidASimon]

Thank you. Was just enjoying your recording of es ist das Heil yesterday!

[@originaltommy]

David, my friend, this is wonderful in every way. You absolutely serve the music. Thank you for this. Not only is your playing fantastic but with the score there it's even better. I've shared this with my student and it will be an enormous learning tool for him. He's not ready yet but it's on file, as it were. Thanks again so much.

[@DavidASimon]

I really appreciate this, Tom. Best of luck to your student on his organ journey... he has a great teacher!

[@disdonc6012]

In parts similar to Prélude et fugue sur le nom d'Alain.

[@julienbrugger7327]

How is it possible that Dupré writes this high G in the pedal part at 4:32 ? Even now and especially in this time there were just a few organs that had this range in the pedal (not even st.sulpice) ? And how did you play it? Did you play it an octave lower oder you played it by the left hand? Or you had an organ with this pedal-range? But excellent playing i absolute love this recording. Congratulations and respect for this work!

[@DavidASimon]

Thanks for your kind comment! I think Dupré had the Wanamaker Organ in mind for this piece, which has a high G. The Skinner Organ at Yale is likewise a wonderful instrument with its lush string tone! DS

[@JoshuaSobel]

Dupré originally wrote two versions of this piece, one for piano solo, and one for a string ensemble. The latter was used in 1922 as incidental music for a play, and some sources claim that that was how it was originally intended (though I have my doubts). Then he wrote a version for organ and orchestra. The organ version came later, and I don't know what organ he had in mind. I do know, though, that even at the beginning, long before he eventually wrote down the organ solo version, he was playing it on the organ at St. Sulpice, which as you said, doesn't have the high G. He cheated with his left hand in that case, as you guessed. It is true that he played it in recital at the Wanamaker organ, but he had been playing the piece on organ before that. Regardless, this was an excellent performance on a great organ. Well done :)

[@zenasm.savage1999]

@@JoshuaSobel interesting! I highly doubted that St. Sulpice had a pedal super coupler with unison off which in theory could be momentarily flicked on.

[@scottw6704]

Never thought I would say this about Dupre, but I think I enjoy his more atonal-soundings better! Though this was expertly performed.

[@DavidASimon]

I've really grown to love his A-Flat Major Prelude and Fugue. Definitely not atonal, but much cloudier than his early work! Thanks for your kind comment. -David

[@zolee1977]

One word: b r i l l i a n t & m a g n i f i c e n t

[@jenesuispassanslavoir7698]

Such a beautiful piece, but you need hands like dinner plates to play it! I will have to make do with listening to this fabulous rendition, which is no kind of making do at all - though I do wish I had bigger paws!

[@noryment.2868]

Played as the prelude for MLK Funeral

[@keplergso8369]

A bit slow, especially "Cortège".