Written in 1902 and published shortly after, Louis Vierne’s Second Symphony for Organ is a masterpiece of the French Romantic repertoire, dedicated to the renowned organ builder Charles Mutin. Composed while Vierne was titular organist at Notre-Dame de Paris this symphony was notably praised by Claude Debussy.
Sometimes described as an "homage to Franck," the Choral follows the tradition of those by his beloved teacher, César Franck. While the theme is Vierne's original creation, it is cleverly constructed from the two main themes of the first movement (Allegro) heard in reverse order.
The movement begins with the solemn choral melody, heard first, solo, in the pedal and answered by a harmonised version on the Recit. This is in marked contrast to the dark and turbulent nature of the preceding Allegro Risoluto
The movement builds through dramatic textures, showcasing Vierne's signature chromaticism and rich harmonic language, reaching a "grandiloquent and majestic" climax (as described by Jeremy Filsell) marked by an ecstatic reappearance of the chorale theme.
This movement serves to transform the "germinal ideas" introduced in the first movement, a technique that would become a hallmark of Vierne's five-movement symphonic style.
The first movement, Allegro Risoluto can be found here (with the same performer and instrument):
https://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/63880
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