Organ Works X: Improvisations (1928) / Transcriptions (1894 / 1901 / 1932)

Vierne Organ Works X: Improvisations (1928) / Transcriptions (1894 / 1901 / 1932)

Louis Vierne (1870-1937) studied privately with Cesar Franck and was appointed titulaire organist at Notre-Dame (Paris) in 1900.  Numerous concert tours throughout Europe and the USA made him well-known outside France. 

Vierne’s organ works are masterpieces of organ music and are firm favourites in the virtuoso organ repertoire.  In particular, Vierne raised the form of the organ symphony to a stylistic peak. 

Besides being a productive composer, he also gained a reputation as a brilliant improviser at his place of employment, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and throughout the world.

In 1928 Vierne, one of the best-known organists of his day, made one of the earliest organ recordings, playing Bach works and his own improvisations in Notre Dame.

Three improvisations released in 1929–30 were transferred to musical notation in 1954 by his pupil Maurice Duruflé.  Another previously unpublished improvisation which was recently rediscovered among Vierne's posthumous papers was reconstructed and published in musical notation in 2005 by Duruflé’s pupil Jean-Michel Louchart (b. 1946).  These four improvisations join Vierne's transcriptions of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, César Franck and Serge Rachmaninoff in this volume, bringing our complete edition of his organ works to a close.

- Evaluation of all available autograph manuscripts, first printed editions and previously unpublished letters 

- Editorial clarification superseding the long-standing international correction lists 

- Critical Commentary (Fr/Eng/Ger) and foreword (Fr/Eng/Ger) with detailed performance practice tips 

- Numerous illustrations and facsimile pages