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Widor Allegro from 6th Symphony

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Widor Allegro from the
6th Organ Symphony (Opus:42 No:2)

 

The Widor Allegro is one of the greatest pieces of organ music by the French organist/composer Charles-Marie Widor.  It is the opening movement of the 6th Widor Organ Symphony.

Preview Widor Allegro MP3
played by the amazing Olivier Latry.

 

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Your Favourite Widor Allegro Version

Readers' Choice

I've compiled a range of videos of Widor's Allegro from the Widor 6th. You'll find all of the performances featured below the vote. There are others on YouTube but most are inferior to these, or didn't add anything special in my opinion. I'd be interested in your favourite so please vote below. I've also added space for you to add "listening notes" beneath each of the videos so if there is one you particularly like - or dislike - please record your comments there. In the interests of space, only the most recent comment is shown directly, but you can click on the link to see all of the comments about any version.

I'll be honest. My firm favourite is Olivier Latry on the Grande Orgue de Notre Dame de Paris.

If you would like to buy a recording of the Widor 6th Organ Symphony, I've linked to the Olivier Latry CD (of course :) ) below - but I've added some other MP3s as well so that you can find one you really like for your iPod.

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Diane Bish Plays the Widor Allegro

Diane Bish is a well-known American organist. I think her version is decidedly inferior to the version played on the great Cavaillé-Coll instruments.
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Marcel Dupre Plays the Widor Allegro

Parisian Cavaiile-Coll Organ

This is a very stately version by the venerable organist Marcel Dupré. It is played on one of the great Cavaillé-Coll organs but sadly doesn't specify. My guess is it's Notre Dame de Paris based on the tone and other recordings by Dupré, but I could be wrong and it could equally be St Sulpice. Dupre was Widor's student and disciple and succeeded him as organist at St Sulpice.
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Variation on Allegro by Jean Guillou

Great Organ van den Heuvel in Sait Eustache, Paris

This is a very different approach by the great French organist Jean Guillou. He plays only part of the Allegro and adds his own special Cadenza. In contrast to the other French renditions on here, especially Latry, Guillou has a very fast, light touch on the manuals.
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Olivier Latry Plays the Widor Allegro

Le Grand Orgue Notre Dame de Paris

Although I chose to feature Daniel Roth playing the Allegro on my lens about Widor's 6th Symphony, my personal favourite is Olivier Latry on the great Cavaillé-Coll organ in Notre Dame cathedral, Paris.
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Olivier Latry plays Widor on CD

(Or Widor Allegro as MP3)

I have made my personal favourite very clear - I like Olivier Latry on the Grande Orgue de Notre Dame de Paris ... Here he is playing Widor Symphony 5 (which includes the great Widor Toccata) and Widor 6. You can preview all of the tracks on the Amazon site and I recommend that you take that opportunity before they buy to make sure that you agree with my choice. If not then search for "Widor 6" to see what other versions Amazon has available and which you can preview.

You can also buy Widor Allegro as a cheap download (MP3) from the same link.
Charles-Marie Widor: 5e & 6e Symphonies pour Orgue aux Grandes Orgues de Notre-Dame de Paris

Charles-Marie Widor: 5e & 6e Symphonies pour Orgue aux Grandes Orgues de Notre-Dame de Paris

Amazon Price: $9.90 (as of 02/15/2012)Buy Now

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George McPhee Plays the Widor Allegro

Paisley Abbey

"Organstudent" writes in his commentary for this video as follows "George McPhee, organist and master of the choristers for 46 years and counting at Paisley Abbey, plays the first movement of Widor's 6th Symphony. The organ in the Abbey owes its pedigree to cavaille-coll who built an instrument there in 1872, now the much larger instrument still contains the french master's pipework and Walker tried to keep the rest of the organ in keeps with this French sound when they overhauled the instrument in 1968 (under ralph downes). The organ is now in urgent need to be overhauled". It's well worth watching this video over at YouTube as organstudent notes are very extensive and include a specification of the organ at Paisley Abbey. The quality is poor - it's a dub from vinyl - but I wanted to include it as it features one of the Cavaillé-Coll organs outside France
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Daniel Roth Plays the Widor Allegro

St Sulpice, Paris

Charles Marie Widor was, of course, the organist at St Sulpice in Paris so the Cavaillé-Coll organ of St Sulpice was clearly very much in his mind when he composed his Sixth Organ Symphony. So here it is played by Daniel Roth. It's interesting to compare it to the Olivier Latry / Notre Dame version. Daniel Roth seems to play it somewhat faster but I think the organ in St Sulpice lacks the "throat", for lack of a better term, of the great Notre Dame instrument, although the St Suplice instrument may be more "genuine" in terms of retaining its original sound.
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Ben Van Oosten Plays the Widor Allegro

St Oouen Church, Rouen

Here is another of the great Cavaillé-Coll organs, this time at St Ouen in Rouen and played by Ben Van Oosten. There's no doubt in my mind, the big Cavaillé-Coll organs really suit Widor.
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American Rendition

Wicks organ at St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The organist isn't specified but I wanted to include this as a contrast. The Wicks organ is a big instrument but notice how thin it sounds when compared with the Cavaillé-Coll organs. Not to my taste but some may prefer the less grandiose sound.
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More from Charles-Marie Widor

Allegro, Tocatta and Charles-Marie Widor in Context

Learn more about Widor and Organ Symphony No 6 in the pages about them. If you like Widor's Allegro, then you'll love the even more famous Toccata from his Organ Symphony No 5. It's wonderful, so do make sure you listen to it!
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  • Reply
    JoyfulPamela Jan 28, 2010 @ 3:44 am | delete
    Being in a long line of church musicians in my family, I've always known the wonderful sounds of organ. Thanks for your collection here. :)
  • Reply
    aj2008 Nov 16, 2009 @ 4:30 am | delete
    Organ music is not something I would normally listen to, but if I am visiting a church or cathedral then I love to hear it. You certainly manage to come up with some very focussed and interesting lenses Kate!
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