SAINT-SAËNS: Preludes & Fugues; Fantasies – Jan Lehtola, pipe organ – Alba

by | Oct 24, 2007 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews | 0 comments

SAINT-SAËNS: Preludes & Fugues; Fantasies – Jan Lehtola, pipe organ – Alba Multichannel SACD ABCD 225, 72:27 **** [Distr. by Albany]:

[Three Preludes & Fugues Op. 99; Fantaisie in E-Flat Major; Fantaisie in D Flat Major; Fantaisie in C Major Op. 157; Three Preludes and Fugues Op. 109]

Saint-Saens came into the French organ world about the time of the transition from the Classic to the Romantic periods. His birth date almost coincides with the building of the first pipe organ by Cavaillé-Coll in Paris, which soon expanded into the French symphonic organ movement exemplified by such as Franck, Widor and Vierne.

Saint-Saens was a fairly conservative composer and didn’t attempt to replicate the power and instrumentation of the symphony orchestra in his more modest works for the organ. His works had more gravity and seriousness, showing the influences of Bach, Mozart and Haydn.  However, some of his organ works hint at the Impressionist approach. The Op. 99 Preludes & Fugues show an affinity for Bach in their design and structure.  The Fantaisies in D Flat and C, however, delve into touches of a mysticism heard in later works of Liszt, without the clear-cut structure of the Preludes & Fugues.

It may seem odd to note the credits for this pipe organ, which is located in Mänttä, Finland. It turns out to be the only Cavaillé-Coll organ in Finland, and its rich and varied registrations come thru beautifully in the transparent 5.0-channel surround, which portrays a realistic impression of the church acoustics. Of all single-instrument sources, the pipe organ clearly benefits the most from hi-res surround.  Perhaps even more than from the addition of a subwoofer.  Most two-channel organ recordings (except for binaural) strike me now as a muddy mess after being exposed to four and five-channel organ recordings.

 – John Sunier

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