Search - Widor, Oosten :: Organ Symphony 3 & 4

Widor's Third and Fourth Organ Symphonies--the contents of Volume Two of Ben van Oostens survey of the composer's complete organ music--contain the usual assortment of characteristic movements: there's a March, a Toccata, a Minuet, a Scherzo, and a couple of Fugues, in addition to pieces in more or less free form. As is always the case with this composer, the music is so fluent and well-crafted that you won't believe that it's organ music at all. For everyone but organists, this is good news indeed. Ben van Oosten performs this music on the same Cavaille-Coll organs that inspired the composer to write it in the first place, and his interpretations have the ring of authenticity. They are also superbly recorded. --David Hurwitz