Widor's 8th Organ Symphony, originally composed in 1886, was continuously revised throughout his career, with the final version recorded here dating from 1929.
Compositional Technique
Widor's organ music is designed for the large symphonic organs of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, a renowned organ builder, usually found in major churches.
Composer Biography
Widor held the post of organist at the Cavaillé-Coll organ of Saint-Sulpice for 64 years, despite never officially becoming the titular organist.
Composer Biography
Charles-Marie Widor, the composer, studied with his father, then with François-Joseph Fétis (theory, composition) and Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens (organ) in Brussels.
Compositional Technique
Widor's first eight organ symphonies are structured more like French suites than traditional German symphonies, despite their title.
Instruments
The Cavaillé-Coll organ of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse, where this album was recorded, was rebuilt by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1889, reusing material from an earlier Daublaine & Callinet organ.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Widor confessed that he would not have written organ music if he had not experienced the 'seduction' of the sounds of the Cavaillé-Coll organ in Saint-Sulpice.
