Tournemire's 'L'Orgue Mystique' was inspired by his improvisations during Mass and was composed between 1927 and 1932.
Compositional Technique
L'Orgue Mystique merges the symphonic, impressionistic organ style with liturgy, featuring interludes, rondos, fantasias, paraphrases, fugues, chorals, and variations.
Performer Biography
Tjeerd van der Ploeg, the organist on this recording, has received a silver medal from the Société Académique 'Arts, Sciences et Lettres' for his contributions to French organ music.
Composer Biography
Charles Tournemire, an important innovator of the French romantic organ school, studied organ with César Franck and Charles Marie Widor at the Paris Conservatory.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Tournemire believed liturgy was the most important aspect of his role as an organist, basing his improvisations on Gregorian melodies for specific Sundays or feasts.
Cultural Impact
Tournemire's organ improvisations influenced many 20th-century organ composers, including Olivier Messiaen, who admired Tournemire's 'refined modal harmonies and flowing quality'.
Instruments
The organ used for this recording is a Mutin organ in Douai, France, built in 1922, which was originally intended for a concert hall in St. Petersburg.
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