Elevation Op.39 No.1

The first work in Dover's verison of Alexandre Guilmant's L'Organiste pratique, 50 works for the parish organist, is this lovely elevation in F major requiring nothing more than Fonds of the organ. A version of the score can be found here: http://hz.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/6/68/IMSLP130513-WIMA.8a13-Guilmant_Op.39_Elevation.pdf

I decided to try it on two Cavaille-Coll's - La Madeleine followed by my new sampleset, Caen, running the stereo wet version (starting at 2:30)!

Caen organ is special for me. About a decade ago, my parents used to live in France and I went to visit them one day. We went to the Abbaye-aux-Hommes in Caen and I walked through the doors, turned around and saw this huge organ, with two impressive carved figures 'holding' the pipe towers up. It was an awesome moment. I probably didn't know of Cavaille-Coll or any real Romantic French organists at this stage, it was just a large organ (1 of many I visited in northern France during my parent's time in France).

The CD I purchased from there was played numerous times, becoming so scratched little of it plays today. I couldn't believe it when I saw that there was a Hauptwerk sample set for it a few years later. I finally decided to fork out for it and it is wonderful. Close to the recordings of the organ, except the reeds aren't quite as mental in the sample set.

Hope you enjoy.
John