in search of french romantic music fro the average player

hi there,

I just recently acquired the Caen sample set so I am looking for advice on some not too difficult but still real French Romantic organ music.

I have some music of Franck but that's a bit too difficult for this average player

so I you have some advice regarding these matters, pls let me know

Kind regards

Hans

Check out the Dupré: Antiphons, Op. 18
and Vierne: 24 Pièces en style libre, Op.31

I was able to learn some of these.

MikeDC

Other suggestions:
- Louis Vierne: Allegretto, opus 1 & Triptyque, opus 58
- Alexandre Guillmant: The Practical Organist (50 short works for church services)
- Léon Boellmann: Suite gothique, opus 25
- Joseph Bonnet: 12 pièces, opus 5 & 12 pièces, opus 7
- Théodore Dubois: 7 pièces & 12 pièces
- Eugène Gigout: 10 pièces pour orgue & 12 pièces pour orgue

Hello famduppies62,
You can try some of those composer's works :

Théodore Dubois
Léon Boëllamann
Louis Lefébure-Welly
Eugène Gigout
Alexis Chauvet
François Benoit (or Benoist)
Ambroise Thomas
Edmond Lemaigre
Renaud de Vilbac
Clement Loret
Fernand de la Tombelle

They are not as famous as César Franck but some of their music are nice and easier...

works available here : http://imslp.org/wiki/

Have to toss in the name of Joseph Jongen, partucularly his Four Pieces (op 37). They are melodic, have flow, and yet not impossibly difficult.

Jongen did write some nice (and moderately easy) stuff. He is however from Belgium and not French.
Iain

...He is however from Belgium and not French. Iain

And so was César Franck!

Hello Hans,

There is some Franck which you may find more approachable. It's "L'Organiste" - a collection of short works on two staves which he wrote at around the same time as he was composing the three Chorales - just weeks before his death.

The music was written on two staves as it was intended for performance on harmonium. When transferring this music to the organ it's important to remember that the harmonium had a split keyboard, with the split point between E and F in the middle octave. The preface to the Kalmus edition explains this well.

http://www.amazon.com/LOrganiste-Kalmus ... 0769242421

There are two volumes (Op. 29 and Op.30) entitled "Heures Mystiques" by Leon Boëllmann in similar style.

http://www.amazon.com/Boellmann-Heures- ... +Boellmann

Macel Dupre composed his "79 Chorales" (Op. 28) with the beginner organist in mind.

http://www.amazon.com/Seventy-Nine-Chor ... pd_sim_b_2

Hope this helps.

Andrew

I had forgotten that Cesar Franck (1822-1890) began his life in Belgium, though he spent much of his working life as a musician (and composer) in Paris. Joseph Jongen (1873-1953) held major posts in Belgium from 1902 (according to Wikipedia) and was an important figure in the Belgium musical world in the first half of the 20th century. They are from different eras and this is reflected in their music.

If you want to try some of the easier Jongen organ music, look at the OUP book edited by John Scott Whiteley. http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780193754942.do#.UlEWA6NwaUk

Iain

Hans - in my earlier reply mentioning Jongen, I forgot to include Dom Paul Benoit, O.S.B. His work is very nice and I used many of his pieces for years in various denominational church settings. He was organist at the Abbaye Saint-Maurice & Saint-Maur de Clervaux. His Fifty Elevations on Modal Themes are easy, many based on Gregorian melody, and very contemplative. I have been curious as to what instrument he had at his disposal in the Abbey.

John

Well people ,thanks for all yourgood advice

I will look into all composers

kind regards

Hans

PS : Feel free to name more composers if you want to

I quite like the collection "Service Music from France" published by Kevin Mayhew

Kevin Mayhew has quite a bit of good music from many different places, unfortunately he does not give any recommended registration in any of his books that I have. It makes it very hard for an organist to know what the composer had in mind. On some of them I have not bee able to figure out anything that I like, which can make things frustrating.

Gentlemen,

Can I just say that once more I´m impressed by the helpfulness and knowledge of this forum! I´ll benefit from your advice as well.
Many thanks.

Ernst

here's something you can try right now;
http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnk ... elodie.pdf