I played this choral on my senior recital in 1976. It was at a time when organ builders skipped the Vox Humana on organs. This instrument is nice. Nathan Laube is a brilliant young artist.
Franck has almost always given me a sour taste in my mouth, but this outstanding performance paired with a beautiful organ and top-notch recording has made me love this piece!
My take on this is........When I play......I economize my body movement as much as possible......BUT......that is because I need to read every note.....I always have to have the score in front of me. But this man has the score memorized and I guess he can just enjoy it and flow with the music. Certainly cannot complain about the interpretation!!!!!!
Very well-played on a nice sounding organ. Moreover, it's so nice to hear high-quality audio on a you tube video. Many of the posters on you tube should be ashamed at the poor sound quality of organ recordings!
Great way of putting it. Althought around the turn of the century in France, it was in vogue to not make an extraneous movements. I believe there is a video on youtube somewhere of Louis Vierne playing a Bach chorale like a statue. Not that I would ever play like that (and I agree, Nathan Laube is a great musician), but just saying.
I agree that his playing sounds fantastic. On the point of his manual technique, however, an idea occurred to me. It might be possible that he straitens his fingers because it is the only way to reach the correct notes. After all, Franck had enormous hands, and it often showed in his music, while it seems that Mr. Laube's hands might be a bit on the smaller side.
I think it's very beautiful performance. I just listened to it. I didn't watch. So whether he moves or not makes no difference to me. I wish others would do the same.
The fact that use of the Vox Humana fell out of favor was a blessing. This stop was designed and voiced so poorly on many pipe organs. My church Casavant had it but I never used it. It was that bad!
It's very unfair and shallow-minded to criticize the organist's head mannerisms. Let me tell you - my head is perfectly still when playing the organ. That is because I am not nearly as gifted as this man - I have to read sheet music in order to play!
I know what you mean. I was taught to hold very still and make the least amount of "Liberace" kind of hand movements possible. But Nathan, I think, has perfect recall and probably perfect pitch, too. Hate him. So does Cameron Carpenter. The highest complement I can give either of them is: I hate you both. And wow... each of these being are a tremendous, radiant blessings living in our world today. CVD
Hey if a musician's body language while playing annoys you better not watch Keith Jarrett play live. That will really piss you off. And eve he sings along with his fantastic extemporizing. The world's greatest jazz improvisor in my opinion. Anyway who cares it's the music that's important.
@robertgift and others: Emotive performers (and there are quite a number of wonderful organ and piano performers on UA-cam who are at least this emotive) add to my enjoyment. Stone statue musicians are like stage actors reciting Shakespeare without moving any muscles except their mouths -- now THAT is distracting!
I have played for 40 years and also have done a number of concerts.. The sound of the music performered is far more important than the mannerism of the organist.. CLOSE our eyes and LISTEN>>> Hint hint....
Controlled upper body motion adds to expression on a resistive keyboard instrument like the piano, but it is pointless on the organ. What really annoys me, however, is his manual technique, often straightening out his fingers with his wrists raised like he's poking the keys down - but his playing sounds fantastic, so I'm willing to overlook it!
@dougjensen Since others and I play this without all that movement, it appears artificial, exaggerated. Imagine what he would look like playing BWV 577 (Gigue fugue)
@meknight77 That is a load of rubbish. Instead of pretending that he is a bird half way between a hen and an ostrich, he should be listening to himself play !
This is a very "passive" performance and it is lamentable that this person passes up SO MANY opportunities to make some real music. Also, the mannerisms he displays, which are MOST DISRUPTIVE to even enjoying watching this video, suggests that his teacher or teachers should be publicly executed for not stopping them.
The is the most beautiful of all the Franck chorales. Thanks for such a thoughtful interpretation.
There is such feeling and life to his playing. Wonderful Nathan just wonderful!
This is magnificent. Period.
What depth of expression from the composer and performer!!!!!!
OH get over yourselves... he is brilliant... and in touch with the music.
Absolument somptueux !!! Merci .
I wish the WHOLE piece was here... JUST when it starts to get REALLY good...
Really lovely. Bravo.
I played this choral on my senior recital in 1976. It was at a time when organ builders skipped the Vox Humana on organs. This instrument is nice. Nathan Laube is a brilliant young artist.
What a Harmonic Flute.
Beautiful!! Very Lyrical
Franck has almost always given me a sour taste in my mouth, but this outstanding performance paired with a beautiful organ and top-notch recording has made me love this piece!
Does this work of Franck displease you? ua-cam.com/video/7W_bPTJaWa4/v-deo.html
Wonderful interpretation! Cesar Frank would be happy to hear this very expressive version.
I love the camera pan throught the swell and all over the Vox Humana.
Very good !
My take on this is........When I play......I economize my body movement as much as possible......BUT......that is because I need to read every note.....I always have to have the score in front of me. But this man has the score memorized and I guess he can just enjoy it and flow with the music. Certainly cannot complain about the interpretation!!!!!!
Very well-played on a nice sounding organ. Moreover, it's so nice to hear high-quality audio on a you tube video. Many of the posters on you tube should be ashamed at the poor sound quality of organ recordings!
Gorgeous.
schade, dass es keinen Kopf-Absteller gibt... Wunderschön registriert und gespielt!
Great way of putting it. Althought around the turn of the century in France, it was in vogue to not make an extraneous movements. I believe there is a video on youtube somewhere of Louis Vierne playing a Bach chorale like a statue. Not that I would ever play like that (and I agree, Nathan Laube is a great musician), but just saying.
I agree that his playing sounds fantastic. On the point of his manual technique, however, an idea occurred to me. It might be possible that he straitens his fingers because it is the only way to reach the correct notes. After all, Franck had enormous hands, and it often showed in his music, while it seems that Mr. Laube's hands might be a bit on the smaller side.
And where might we see your playing to get an Idea of what "good technique" is... in your opinion?
I think it's very beautiful performance.
I just listened to it. I didn't watch. So whether he moves or not makes no difference to me.
I wish others would do the same.
The fact that use of the Vox Humana fell out of favor was a blessing. This stop was designed and voiced so poorly on many pipe organs. My church Casavant had it but I never used it. It was that bad!
Is the solo a floating division? Three expression pedals: choir, swell, and solo?
It's very unfair and shallow-minded to criticize the organist's head mannerisms. Let me tell you - my head is perfectly still when playing the organ. That is because I am not nearly as gifted as this man - I have to read sheet music in order to play!
I know what you mean. I was taught to hold very still and make the least amount of "Liberace" kind of hand movements possible. But Nathan, I think, has perfect recall and probably perfect pitch, too. Hate him. So does Cameron Carpenter. The highest complement I can give either of them is: I hate you both. And wow... each of these being are a tremendous, radiant blessings living in our world today. CVD
all the comments I read... say things like... STUNNING... Hiss playing is always very "inspired" and dramatic... how can he NOT move...!!!!
I would prefer a room with some more resonance, it is too dry, Otherwise an excellent performance!
Hey if a musician's body language while playing annoys you better not watch Keith Jarrett play live. That will really piss you off. And eve he sings along with his fantastic extemporizing. The world's greatest jazz improvisor in my opinion. Anyway who cares it's the music that's important.
@robertgift and others:
Emotive performers (and there are quite a number of wonderful organ and piano performers on UA-cam who are at least this emotive) add to my enjoyment. Stone statue musicians are like stage actors reciting Shakespeare without moving any muscles except their mouths -- now THAT is distracting!
I have played for 40 years and also have done a number of concerts.. The sound of the music performered is far more important than the mannerism of the organist.. CLOSE our eyes and LISTEN>>> Hint hint....
I would like to know how the sound is improved by waving the head to and fro !
Controlled upper body motion adds to expression on a resistive keyboard instrument like the piano, but it is pointless on the organ. What really annoys me, however, is his manual technique, often straightening out his fingers with his wrists raised like he's poking the keys down - but his playing sounds fantastic, so I'm willing to overlook it!
@robertgift : So is "Body 'german'" !
Wonderful performance!
(Body "english" is distracting)
Fromemory is the best way to play!
@robertgift You do not have any way to know whether this or any other performer is "exagerating for show, you are not a mind reader.
Are you kidding?
@dougjensen Since others and I play this without all that movement, it appears artificial, exaggerated. Imagine what he would look like playing BWV 577 (Gigue fugue)
@meknight77 That is a load of rubbish. Instead of pretending that he is a bird half way between a hen and an ostrich, he should be listening to himself play !
This is a very "passive" performance and it is lamentable that this person passes up SO MANY opportunities to make some real music. Also, the mannerisms he displays, which are MOST DISRUPTIVE to even enjoying watching this video, suggests that his teacher or teachers should be publicly executed for not stopping them.
Nathan looks about teenage!