Search - Hicken :: Symphony Gothique

This extraordinary CD...

Julian Kerrell-Vaughan | Hong Kong | 02/03/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I was a child I and my family used to spend summer holidays with my mother's great-uncle and aunt in St.Omer. One of the several memories of those far off times that still manages to give me feelings of heady elation were the Sunday High Masses at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, renowned not only for its superb glass, one of the finest carillons in the North of France and the purity of its architecture, but for its Cavaille-Coll organ. During Mass a sister of the Soeurs de Charite, who had been an opera singer before taking the veil, used to sing - Gluck, Paisiello, Durufle, Faure et alia, 'voce plena', but with enchanting modesty hidden behind a grille, and accompanied by that extraordinary organ. This was the Church Triumphant and purest theatre. At the end of Mass we would sit transfixed as the vast instrument in its baroque case resplendent with carved angels, King David and St Cecilia played monuments of the French romantic school. Back home in England, where a combination of English austerity, lack of imagination, funds and few beautiful churches contributed to Masses of almost astounding dryness, we treasured the moments until we again took the ferry across the Channel.



I came across David Hicken's CD last year in a sale at HMV in Hong Kong. Odd that I should have to travel across the world to Asia to find anything that approaches the majesty, beauty and excitement of those Sunday Masses of forty years ago. His playing is magnificent and the repertoire imaginative. This deserves six stars or more!"

This is magnificent!

Julian Kerrell-Vaughan | 05/25/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is without doubt, the finest organ CD I have heard in many years! David Hicken's superb and masterful perfomance of these interesting organ pieces makes this CD a "must have" for all who love to hear organ playing at its best."