Sanctus from Messe Solennelle - Louis Vierne (Choir and Organ Tutorial)

Louis Vierne's Messe Solennelle, from which the ORNC choir performs the Sanctus in this tutorial episode, is typical of the late French Romantic genre, and has some similar characteristics to Widor’s big mass (Vierne was Widor’s assistant at the Paris Conservatoire). It involves both of the organs typically installed in big Parisian churches, namely the Grand Orgue (the big one usually mounted above the west door), and the Orgue du Choeur (the choir organ, used for accompanying singing at the altar end).
The mass was written in 1899 and first performed at St Sulpice in 1901, with Widor on the main organ and Vierne on the choir organ.
There would normally need to be two organists for this work, but it’s possible to make it work on one instrument with a few compromises, as Jonathan explains in this video.
Choir director, Ralph Allwood, starts out by asking Jonathan Eyre to discuss some of the challenges involved in playing the accompaniment. Jonathan shows the two separate organ parts and says that one has to shift between them at different times, putting in the material that seems most interesting. The choir organ would normally be very close to the choir, making it much easier to support the singing directly, as it is currently at the ORNC with the temporary Viscount instrument.
The Grand Orgue would typically be “in another post code” in many French churches, Jonathan jokes, making it hard work to accompany the choir. The delays involved would be substantial and the organist at the far end wouldn’t be able to hear the choir very easily. That’s the main reason these big French masses tend to have the Grand Orgue filling in the sections between the choral episodes, as a sort of dramatic interlude.
There’s the question of what to do at the end of the movement. Jonathan and Ralph briefly discuss whether something approaching full organ can be used in the last few bars. There is general agreement that the work can take it, so that the organ provides a full throttle roar under the final “Hosanna in excelsis”.
Find out more about this tutorial here:
viscountorgans.net/sanctus-fr...
About the Choir & Organ tutorial series:
This choir and organ tutorial series emphasises the partnership between director and organist, showing how the roles complement each other when creating excellent church music. The organist for this series is Jonathan Eyre, and the series is illustrated with a number of classic examples from the repertoire.
The works include the mass movements, Gloria and Sanctus, classic anthems such as Elgar’s monumental “Give unto the Lord”, and a section from Fauré’s Requiem. Each episode brings out a different aspect of choral performance and organ accompaniment, in most cases including a detailed rehearsal during which Ralph Allwood leads the choir through to a full rendition.
There is a well-established production team for these tutorial sessions, and it was a pleasure once again to bring it together for a recording session at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich on a bright day in January. James Atkinson, with his assistant Andy Heathcote, was responsible for the excellent camera work, this time employing a full six cameras to capture every detail of the action from a variety of angles. Adrian Lucas masterminded the sound recording, while Francis Rumsey acted as session director.
The organ used during these recordings is a Viscount Regent 356, a physical modelling digital instrument, which was installed in the chapel a few years ago to stand in for its ailing but historically significant pipe organ. The location of the console near to the choir at the front of the chapel makes for relatively easy interaction between conductor and organist.
Find out more about the choir and organ tutorial series here: viscountorgans.net/choir-and-...

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6:40 Sanctus from Messe Solennelle Starts