Gthrush,
allow me to put in my two cents....just some background, I am a guy who was raised on organ music on my Dad's huge Bozak speakers with McIntosh tube gear (60's vintage) and loved it so much I studied the organ for nearly 20 years! (God bless him for giving me the gift of music, and damn him for the disease of audiophilia...)
That having been said, let me add to the other messages by elaborating on recordings; I am not so sure that it is just a system that can not reproduce such a massive instrument, but that it is also hard to record. The best organs are in huge cathedrals - where do you put the mike(s) and how do you capture the space?
Anyway, I agree that many of the mentioned recordings are excellent - and they are probably some of the best for overall quality of recording, dynamic range, and overall detail - all the things you wanted (for some of the best low pedal notes the Rutter Requiem on Reference Recordings --check out #9-- is great, if you have a good sub or true full range). BUT....you said you wanted to really enjoy the sound of the organ. Pomp and Pipes and all of those ARE great, but they are played and recorded on organs used as accompanying instruments. You need to listen to a REAL organ.
Some of the best organs ever built were built in the 1800's in France by Aristide Cavaille Coll. There are many recordings of them. It is these - in addition to the others mentioned - that I highly recommend. Understand that many concert hall organs (like the Meyerson and many built in modern churches) are built on a foundation of an average air pressure of 3 inches. Your Theater organs (built to play for silent movies, now a much dying art by the way, and in large theaters that were extremely damped with velvet curtains, seats, and rugs) were centered around upwards of 25" of air. They get by very well with 20-25 ranks of pipes (yes they are unified, but we won't go into that!), much like the Cavaille Coll organs (though there were very large ones too) vs. 100's of ranks on some of the others. Anyway, what you get is a HUGE, round sound. I believe the beauty of the organ (in listening) is not just the weight of the pedals but the massive sound that is produced in such organs at the middle octaves (8' pipes).
Don't let my lengthy discourse dissuade you from heeding my recommendation (and here are some finally!):
1. Louis Vierne 24 pieces de fantasie - Olivier Latrie at Notre Dame, Paris - BNL 112742 A/B (check out Carillon de Westminster)
2. Durufle - same organist at St. Etienne du-Mont a Paris (by the way not sure who built this organ, but Cavaille Coll was a restorer) - BNL 112508 (check out #10)
3. Frank complete works - Michael Murray at St Sernin de Toulouse - Telarc (that's right) CD-80234
Also, it is not one of the aforementioned builder's instruments, but if you want some serious BASS check out Jean Gillou's OTHER good Dorian recording, "Organ of St. Eustache" Dor-90134. And actually if you contrast this recording with the other 3, you will see my point. This is a modern organ, and all the 8' pipes and above seem completely outweighed by the bass. Could be the recording, who knows.
And at the risk of carrying on way too much, let me just add that the 1st recommendation (Notre Dame) is truly awesome, because the recording gives you a good feeling for the IMMENSE size of the place. If you have been there, it is a dark, long, and hugh cathedral with very high ceilings. Unlike modern churches, the organ is WAY up there. Anyway, when you first play a track, before the organ comes in you just hear "AIR." Turn the lights out, let your system take you into the place, and enjoy...
Many of these disks are hard to find - the only place you might find them is at the Organ Historical Society in Richmond, VA. Not sure what their website is, but you can get to it through www.pipedreams.org
As for vinyl, if you can find it, one of the best records (and hard to find, probably out of print) was E. Power Biggs playing French Organ Music (I think at St. John the Divine in NYC, but not sure - - sorry, don't remember the label, but if you can find it, awesome performance and decent recording).
Enjoy!
allow me to put in my two cents....just some background, I am a guy who was raised on organ music on my Dad's huge Bozak speakers with McIntosh tube gear (60's vintage) and loved it so much I studied the organ for nearly 20 years! (God bless him for giving me the gift of music, and damn him for the disease of audiophilia...)
That having been said, let me add to the other messages by elaborating on recordings; I am not so sure that it is just a system that can not reproduce such a massive instrument, but that it is also hard to record. The best organs are in huge cathedrals - where do you put the mike(s) and how do you capture the space?
Anyway, I agree that many of the mentioned recordings are excellent - and they are probably some of the best for overall quality of recording, dynamic range, and overall detail - all the things you wanted (for some of the best low pedal notes the Rutter Requiem on Reference Recordings --check out #9-- is great, if you have a good sub or true full range). BUT....you said you wanted to really enjoy the sound of the organ. Pomp and Pipes and all of those ARE great, but they are played and recorded on organs used as accompanying instruments. You need to listen to a REAL organ.
Some of the best organs ever built were built in the 1800's in France by Aristide Cavaille Coll. There are many recordings of them. It is these - in addition to the others mentioned - that I highly recommend. Understand that many concert hall organs (like the Meyerson and many built in modern churches) are built on a foundation of an average air pressure of 3 inches. Your Theater organs (built to play for silent movies, now a much dying art by the way, and in large theaters that were extremely damped with velvet curtains, seats, and rugs) were centered around upwards of 25" of air. They get by very well with 20-25 ranks of pipes (yes they are unified, but we won't go into that!), much like the Cavaille Coll organs (though there were very large ones too) vs. 100's of ranks on some of the others. Anyway, what you get is a HUGE, round sound. I believe the beauty of the organ (in listening) is not just the weight of the pedals but the massive sound that is produced in such organs at the middle octaves (8' pipes).
Don't let my lengthy discourse dissuade you from heeding my recommendation (and here are some finally!):
1. Louis Vierne 24 pieces de fantasie - Olivier Latrie at Notre Dame, Paris - BNL 112742 A/B (check out Carillon de Westminster)
2. Durufle - same organist at St. Etienne du-Mont a Paris (by the way not sure who built this organ, but Cavaille Coll was a restorer) - BNL 112508 (check out #10)
3. Frank complete works - Michael Murray at St Sernin de Toulouse - Telarc (that's right) CD-80234
Also, it is not one of the aforementioned builder's instruments, but if you want some serious BASS check out Jean Gillou's OTHER good Dorian recording, "Organ of St. Eustache" Dor-90134. And actually if you contrast this recording with the other 3, you will see my point. This is a modern organ, and all the 8' pipes and above seem completely outweighed by the bass. Could be the recording, who knows.
And at the risk of carrying on way too much, let me just add that the 1st recommendation (Notre Dame) is truly awesome, because the recording gives you a good feeling for the IMMENSE size of the place. If you have been there, it is a dark, long, and hugh cathedral with very high ceilings. Unlike modern churches, the organ is WAY up there. Anyway, when you first play a track, before the organ comes in you just hear "AIR." Turn the lights out, let your system take you into the place, and enjoy...
Many of these disks are hard to find - the only place you might find them is at the Organ Historical Society in Richmond, VA. Not sure what their website is, but you can get to it through www.pipedreams.org
As for vinyl, if you can find it, one of the best records (and hard to find, probably out of print) was E. Power Biggs playing French Organ Music (I think at St. John the Divine in NYC, but not sure - - sorry, don't remember the label, but if you can find it, awesome performance and decent recording).
Enjoy!