An Organ Blaster Sampler

Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Joseph Jongen (Composer), Charles-Marie Widor (Composer), Antonio Soler (Composer), Cesar Franck (Composer), Olivier Messiaen (Composer), Joseph Rheinberger (Composer), Andre Campra (Composer), John Cook (Composer), Camille Saint-Saens (Composer), Edo de Waart (Conductor), Jahja Ling (Conductor), Robert Woods (Conductor), Eugene Ormandy (Conductor), San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra), Michael Murray (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Michael Murray
• Orchestra: San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra
• Conductor: Edo de Waart, Jahja Ling, Robert Woods, Eugene Ormandy
• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Joseph Jongen, Charles-Marie Widor, Antonio Soler, Cesar Franck, et al.
• Audio CD (February 10, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B000003CXP
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,750 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #9 in Music > Classical > Instruments > Keyboard > Organ
  • #12 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Historical Periods > Baroque (c.1600-1750)
  • #13 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Short Forms > Character Pieces

Track Listings

1. Toccata And Fugue In D Minor

2. Toccata

3. Toccata

4. The Emperor's Fanfare

5. Beaucoup Plus Largement

6. Dieu Parmi Nous

7. Finale

8. Rigaudon

9. Fanfare

10. Maestoso

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Majestic Power!, July 20, 2003

By 

David M. Fox (Port Orchard, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Organ Blaster Sampler (Audio CD)

Corey is right - this is an outstanding organ CD, one of the best I've heard. Murray plays some of the largest and most powerful organs on Earth, and uses the reed stops more than the usual organist to produce great effects and a wall of sound that are majestic in the extreme. The selections are all great virtuoso showpieces, and track #6 by Messiaen (Dieu parmi nous from La Nativite') is especially demonstrative of the great contrasts available in a large organ. The horizontal trumpets in this piece are predominant and very bright, contrasting with the snarling bass of the pedal organ.

A word of caution - this CD requires a capable stereo (think subwoofer) to sound its best. Trust me - if you listen to this CD on a good stereo and if you like organ music, you'll sit there with a big grin on your face and tears in your eyes as you listen to this CD.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Performance by Murray, November 8, 2001

By 

Corey Bartell (Pennslyvania USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Organ Blaster Sampler (Audio CD)

This is by far one of the best organ CD's I have ever listened to. The variety is very good overall. From the state trumpets at St. John's to the mighty organ of First Congregational Church, Murray provides nice registration on all of the organs sampled. The Finale from Saint-Saens No. 3 is awesome with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy,s direction. Murray provides his own notes on the organs and the pieces in the booklet that is included. This is some fine organ music!!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For those who like BIG organ works, September 3, 2005

By 

Alan D. Eastman (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: An Organ Blaster Sampler (Audio CD)

This CD concentrates on the big, showy organ pieces that organists love to play. As an organist myself, I find that such numbers are usually more fun to play than to hear. Fortunately, this CD is very listenable, and makes the case for both playing and listening to these works. I'd buy it again; maybe more telling, I'm looking for some of the music, so I can go play it!