Vierne, Poulenc, Langlais & Messiaen: French Sacred Choral Works

Featuring

Andrew Nethsingha
Guy James
Edward Picton-Turbervill
Joseph Wicks
Augustus Perkins Ray
Xavier Hetherington

Oliver Brown
Jason Cobb
Simon Ponsford
Jonathan Hyde
Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
Louis Vierne
Francis Poulenc
Olivier Messiaen
Jean Langlais

Did you know?

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Compositional Technique

The Messes solennelles by Louis Vierne and Jean Langlais, along with Charles-Marie Widor's Mass, omit the 'Credo in unum Deum' because its substantial text was often said or sung to plainchant by the congregation.

Recording & Production

This recording arranges the accompaniments for the Masses by Vierne and Langlais to be played by one organist at a single instrument, as few places in Britain can duplicate the original two-organ setup.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Francis Poulenc considered his religious music, which began after two life-changing events in 1936, to be his finest achievement as a composer.

Performer Biography

The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, one of the finest men and boys choirs globally, has been a cornerstone of the English choral tradition since the 1670s.

Composer Biography

Francis Poulenc, unlike the other composers on this album, did not attend the Paris Conservatoire and was active as a pianist rather than a titular organist.

Composer's Artistic Vision

The composers Louis Vierne and Jean Langlais, like Charles-Marie Widor, wrote for the specific musical forces found in French cathedrals, which typically employ two titular organists and a choir.

Composer Biography

Louis Vierne and Jean Langlais, two composers featured on this album, were both educated at the Institut national des Jeunes Aveugles; Vierne was partially blind, and Langlais was completely blind from birth.