Widor's cycle of organ symphonies sits at the heart of his compositional achievement. They are vivid and innovative - none more so than Symphony No. 8 in B major, which takes performer and listener alike to the limits of the genre: it's glittering sonorities, lyric intensity and technical power offer a tour-de-force of organ writing. The artfully woven Symphonie romane, the last of the ten, utilizes a Gregorian chorale in music of increasing splendor, melancholy and, finally, sublime peace. Christian von Blohn graduated from the Musikakademie Saarbrücken in 1987 with a first-class degree in Church Music and also with a degree in Music Education, majoring in the organ. Since 1993, von Blohn has been deanery music director for the diocese of Speyer and currently provides musical supervision for the two St Ingbert parishes of St Hildegard and St Josef. He recorded Vol. 3 in this series (8.574206), featuring Symphony No. 7, Op. 42, No. 3 and Symphonie gothique, Op. 70, released in September 2020.
1 * Organ Symphony No. 8 in B Major, Op. 42, No. 4
2 I. Allegro Risoluto
3 II. Moderato Cantabile
4 III. Allegro
5 IV. Variations: Andante
6 V. Adagio
7 VI. Finale: Tempo Giusto
8 * Symphonie Romane, Op. 73
9 I. Moderato
10 II. Choral: Adagio
11 III. Cantilène: Lento
12 IV. Final: Allegro
Widor's cycle of organ symphonies sits at the heart of his compositional achievement. They are vivid and innovative - none more so than Symphony No. 8 in B major, which takes performer and listener alike to the limits of the genre: it's glittering sonorities, lyric intensity and technical power offer a tour-de-force of organ writing. The artfully woven Symphonie romane, the last of the ten, utilizes a Gregorian chorale in music of increasing splendor, melancholy and, finally, sublime peace. Christian von Blohn graduated from the Musikakademie Saarbrücken in 1987 with a first-class degree in Church Music and also with a degree in Music Education, majoring in the organ. Since 1993, von Blohn has been deanery music director for the diocese of Speyer and currently provides musical supervision for the two St Ingbert parishes of St Hildegard and St Josef. He recorded Vol. 3 in this series (8.574206), featuring Symphony No. 7, Op. 42, No. 3 and Symphonie gothique, Op. 70, released in September 2020.
