Recital - Vierne

French organist and composer Louis Vierne was nearly blind from birth. He was organist at Notre Dame in Paris from 1900 until his death in 1937. He passed away while giving his 1750th organ recital! The third organ symphony was written during a difficult period of Vierne’s life: he was recently divorced, his mother died, four days later his friend and fellow organist Alexander Guilmant died, and he had been passed over for the position of Professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatory. The Adagio is inspired by the chromaticism of Wagner and Franck. The melancholic harmonies, reminiscent of Wagner’s Tristan, are heard on lush 8-foot foundation stops with celeste. The mournful minor harmonies finally give way to a more serene major to close the piece.