Customer Reviews

Les Orgues Historiques (Historic Organs) [Box Set]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought the original CD release of this collection many years ago. This is a new release with different images used. The original LP of this collection is what literally launched the Harmonia Mundi music label. These are old analog recordings, but they sound fantastic on the CD format. Do not be afraid that they will have lots of noise etc on them, because they do not. It shows that if you know what you are doing, old analog recordings can sound great on CDs. A great range of different organ sounds are on this vast collection....Reed stops are a particular favorite of mine, and this collection does not disappoint in that area. An organ lovers gold mine. I am not an organ playing expert, but I did take organ lessons as a teenager from an organ expert in Pittsburgh, David Pressau. (He was in the past organist at the large First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, and is currently an organist at another church in Pittsburgh. He is also currently a teacher at the Pittsburgh High School for the Performing Arts.... sort of like the movie "Fame" but in real life.) Mr. Pressau taught me long ago to appreciate good organ music, and this CD collection has that in abundance.

As another reviewer has pointed out, this collection is a re-issue of a set originally published on vinyl. The packaging is interesting; the CDs have been made to look like small version of vinyl disks. There's an excellent booklet accompanying the CDs.

The one warning I would give is that the pieces in this collection were chosen to show off the instruments rather than for their musical interest or variety. As such, they will probably be of more interest to a Baroque music specialist than to a casual listener. To someone without the proper background or historical understanding, many of the pieces will seem repetitious, uninspiring -- and the wonderful subtleties of the organ voicings will not register. Certainly nothing you'd whistle on your way to work.

However, if you are a member of the target audience, you will find much to enjoy in this box set. In its own way, it really is a treasure.