Thread: Do you have any favorite works for Organ & Orchestra from the 1980s & 1990s?

Concertante-type pieces for Organ and Orchestra are not frequently encountered.

Searching through my music collection, I've found that almost all the Organ (and Organ-related) works with orchestra that I have on disc are from the 1980s & '90s.

I'm listing 7 such titles, though I'm certain there's more out there to discover.

TC members: feel free to add any similar works to this thread for discussion and/or vote on which pieces you are familiar with (or appreciate the most).

I also love the Schönberg's variations, op. 40
But I guess this is older.

Martin

Organ and orchestra is such an unhappy combination. The strings invariably sound weedy and inadequate in the company of the organ which has to rein back anyway to avoid drowning the orchestra.

Is it not significant that the greatest composer for the organ in the twentieth century (Messiaen) wrote nothing for organ and orchestra?

And something tells me, Prodromides, that you know perfectly well that noone else has heard any of the works you cite. So...

I voted "other" because I have grown very fond of Aaron Copland's Symphony For Organ And Orchestra {First Symphony}, and was rather surpried not to see it included in this poll. I also wonder why Camille Saint-Saens Organ Symphony {Third Symphony} was omitted.

Originally Posted by samurai

I voted "other" because I have grown very fond of Aaron Copland's Symphony For Organ And Orchestra {First Symphony}, and was rather surpried not to see it included in this poll. I also wonder why Camille Saint-Saens Organ Symphony {Third Symphony} was omitted.

Do you have any favorite works for Organ & Orchestra from the 1980s & 1990s?

filler text

Originally Posted by Jeremy Marchant

Organ and orchestra is such an unhappy combination. The strings invariably sound weedy and inadequate in the company of the organ which has to rein back anyway to avoid drowning the orchestra.

Is it not significant that the greatest composer for the organ in the twentieth century (Messiaen) wrote nothing for organ and orchestra?

And something tells me, Prodromides, that you know perfectly well that noone else has heard any of the works you cite. So...

Thanks for stopping by, Mr. Marchant!

Yeah - organ with orchestra is not an ideal relationship. Nonetheless, some of my favorite works with organ are chamber pieces (such as those written for trumpet and organ, or organ accompanied by a brass ensemble) moreso than solo organ.

True, Messiaen was a master of the organ (and of colour). Messiaen also did not write a concerto for Ondes Martenot & Orchestra, either - yet this does not mean I don't enjoy listening to such Ondes concerti (like the one written by Marcel Landowski).

On the subject of Landowski, his Symphonie Concertante for organ and orchestra was recorded and released (however fleetingly) on EMI Classics. A significant amount of recordings on Landowski works have surfaced on the Erato label throughout the decades, so I would hope that I'm not the only person on the globe (plus not the only member here @ TC) who has purchased these albums.

All of the works I mention above have been issued onto CD; there's still a possibility that some TC member somewhere has got one of more of the above just as I do...

The recording on the Orfeo label of Ernst Krenek's 2nd Concerto for Organ has been deposited into YouTube:

Gunther Schuller's concerto for organ and orchestra, which surfaced on an album from New World Records, is being listed as available from iTunes:

http://www.newworldrecords.org/album...album_id=80492

The middle Adagio movement in this organ concerto by Thierry Escaich has been posted in YouTube:

Here's a nice review of the Chandos disc containing Otaka's Fantasy (a CD I had gotten for its selections of music by Toru Takemitsu):

http://www.musicweb-international.co.../Takemitsu.htm

It's a shame that not many people even share your interests, but it's a great introduction for me to explore modern organ concertos, so thanks for that.

Hindemith composed an Organ Concerto towards the end of his life. I do like it but it's not my favourite concertante work of his.

Originally Posted by Prodromides

Messiaen also did not write a concerto for Ondes Martenot & Orchestra, either

Yes, but there are prominent soloistic parts for ondes martenot in a number of Messiaen's works, including Trois petite liturgies, Turangalila and St Francis.

...recorded and released (however fleetingly) on EMI Classics...

You've had one respondent to your poll. Please post some works we've heard of (and not the Saint-Saens horror!)

The OP's dates spec is untenable. Mozart accomplished the juxtaposition admirably, at a young age.

The SS Sym3 really doesn't count; the organ has an obbligato part, if that.

Well, no, I'd not heard of the pieces...but I did do some research on YT, & have now found the Krenek (which will never become a favourite!), and Landowski's Ondes Martenot concerto, which is just fine. Also now listening to the Escaich adagio, which is lovely !
So, can't contribute to your poll, but do thank you for throwing up some research avenues !