Vierne: Symphonie No 1 | John Challenger, Salisbury Cathedral

Louis Vierne's first organ symphony, played on the Father Willis organ of Salisbury Cathedral.

Recorded back in the spring of 2021 when the cathedral was still closed to visitors, here is Louis Vierne's first symphony for organ. Completed in 1899, this symphony is a fine example of Vierne's earlier style, with the clear influence of Franck and Widor behind it. It's the only one of Vierne's six symphonies to be made up of six separate movements (rather than five), and unlike many of the later symphonies, it is not cyclic in style; rather, each of the six movements has complete thematic independence. The grand final movement is very well known, but the whole symphony itself is well worth a listen too.

0:00 [Contents]
0:32 Prélude
8:29 Fugue
13:45 Pastorale
22:02 Allegro vivace
26:33 Andante
33:31 Final