York Minster's Grand Organ - Toccata (Symphony for Organ No 5) Charles-Marie Widor 

As did I 40 years ago at St. Matthew's, Ottawa, where I had heard it as a boy chorister. It was a discovery for my new bride, who was raised in the United Church of Canada, and it was a pleasant surprise for her. My Québécois groomsmen knew it, but it surprised the Baptist New Brunswicker in their company. It always brings back many happy memories.

The pipe organ is the nearest instrument to the human voice!

@@rogerneal6329 That's a fascinating way of looking at it!

Music and an instrument to shake your soul.

There are a few other eminent players that are of a similar standard. This is excellent but not by any means unique.

Absolutely ❤

One top flight rendention is by Katelyn Emerson...and the one from the 1920s by the Composer himself, all found currently on U Tub. Another Great Performance is played on the organ in the chapel of St Stanislaus Institution by Janez Rus in December 2011. The mentor was doc. Dalibor Miklavči And Posted under the Channel..... janezrus8

Marc...there are numerous factors involved here. Player, instrument, building acoustics, mood, etc... No piece of music is ever performed in exactly the same manner each time it is executed. Lest we not forget also the hours and hours of discussions on interpretation that surround these performances. Jeanne Demessieux is said to have played the definitive rendition at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. But again, it is purely subjective. I agree that we do have a winner here!

LOVELY, however not a favorite of this particular piece of beautiful music.

I agree- I have had the pleasure of visiting the Minster and even playing the absolute beast of an organ! It sounds incredible and fills the building very well.

@@at0mcollision We've visited the York Minster in 2007 and while taking in the all inspiring grandure someone played the organ very gentle and soft and despite the recognision of the piece then played, I still can't name it, but is was awe inspiring. Hopefully we'll be able to visit again and be lucky enough that the voice of the organ reaches out again.

@@pst3615 the York organ has a massive dynamic range- the echo dulciana on the solo is almost inaudible with the box shut, but on the other hand it has what's probably one of the loudest organ stops in the world!

@@at0mcollision Just listen to this, a small town organ with back then a very promissing young man who has earned his name in the ranks.

I am sure you will do one day.

@@johnyates2157 Thank you John I am wishing for it.

your wish has been granted

Then get on a plane, Leeds Bradford is probably your nearest airport lol

I would put you up I live in the east Midlands .

...or even Toccata😏

@@mrkiplingreallywasanexceed8311 fixed it.

Amazing!!!!!! Absolutely fabulous job rendered here, THANK YOU!

I once heard this played in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. The organist had been requested to 'give it some welly', he did, he gave it 'rock all' - I am amazed the cathedral is still standing!

@@davidllewelyndavies2724 Widor wrote these stunning footnotes on the pedal board for a reason, to add the thunder to back the incredible piece. Nothing annoys me more than listening to the many organists who do not take full advantage of using them as they were intended, thereby significantly downgrading this inexplicably magnificent piece 🙏🕊✝️🕊🛐🕊🙏

You are so right-organists rush this to be competitive-it is meant to be enjoyed -not rushed!!!!!

He also correctly observes the dynamics. This wonderful composition is too often performed TOO fast and TOO loud.

fully agreed

Спасибо за искренность! Вы- счастливый человек! Самые добрые пожелания вашей семье!

It’s, in my opinion the tempo for eternity and everywhere

So many times I've heard this piece played at a speed that neither the instrument or acoustics could sustain; this was played at an optimum speed. Well done.

Yes perfect. Listen that guy at Christ Cathedral is California play it. It's terrible, way to fast.

This masterpiece is performed in a magnificent way.THankyou.I hear him regularly at services each Sunday

Well he's had more time with it.

@@rowanlidbury Pardon? More time with what?

on this organ it is movingly majestuous ! (IMHO)

100% agree. Fantastic interpretation, the articulation in the coda is particularly effective and really draws attention to something new happening when most other organists are just going through the motions at that point. English organs are a bit like German organs when it comes to French music, the mixtures are just a bit too metallic and bright and although the English reeds are a bit more fiery, they just don't have the brutal roar of the Appel d'anche where everything comes out. Cavaille-coll organs are something else entirely. Even though he played around with fourniture/cymbale vs a single Plein jeu, there is always a beauty and a delicacy to the sound. The montres are robust but still with that breathy "flutey" quality and he often reused old Cliquot reed pipes which gives some real fire. You can't beat music played on the instruments for which it was written!

If you're after a French Cavaillé-Coll organ version, there's an excellent one of Jonathan Scott playing it on the organ of Manchester Town Hall

He was pretty good in Whitesnake too.

ZadoK.

The organ part in Zadok is less taxing than the Widor !

Me too.

Or Jeremiah Clarke, even....🧐😎🙂

Stolen Catholic Church.

I was able to feel similar 32 foot pipes in Tampere Cathedral when this masterpiece was performed. One really should be available instead of listening this via computer headphones. My body was shaking almost during those pipes on.

The equally impressive instrument at Hereford Cathedral allows you to stand next to its 32ft pedal reeds and I made a great recording on my mini disc (old technology but very capable) of Roy Massey playing the Widor 5 for a wedding. The addition of these reeds at the conclusion of the toccata is absolutely fabulous and although lacking a little finesse gives a truly up close and personal experience of these acoustic wonders in action and providing the bassus profundi like nothing else.

I have been at York Minster when this piece was played. One's internal organs vibrate in harmony with some notes. There are harmonics that seem to be subsonic, and the neural reaction of one's whole body sends delicious shivers from the centre of the back out to the neck, arms and legs. I felt like I was *inside* the music as well as the brain of the composer. My pancreas did a delighted little gavotte on my liver . . . . afterward, I and several other people wafted out of the building looking like we'd just had a good trip on psychedelics. . . . . .

You do know that the organ was built in London at the New Rotunda works of Henry Willis and sons don't you? The work was destroyed in the blitz of I think 1941 or 1942. True London craftsmen lol later on Willis's settled in Petersfield in Hampshire until going to the wall in the mid 1990's. The Willis name was taken over and a firm in Liverpool started using the name ( Willis's did have a shop in Liverpool as well to work on the Anglican Cathedral organ, but I don't know when it closed.

After all it's not meant to be a race to the finish, is it?

right...I've seen/heard it played at 'breakneck speed'. it ABSOLUTELY RUINS IT. There IS a clip of Widor himself playing it (mistakes and all, bless his heart) and he does it rather slowly.

Same here at my wedding in 1977.

Our's too in 1974!

I first heard it played at Princess Margaret's wedding. My Father was an organist.

And practices a lot.

eight times, and it's getting better!

The final of widor 5 isn't by any means the most technically demanding either. It is simple chordal arpeggios with a slow theme in the pedal.

as a former organist (I haven´t had the opportunity to play for many years as I live in Spain) you are absolutely right. To have all four limbs going at the same time, sometimes all in different directions is no mean feat. You also have to read not just two , but three staves of music.

@@yourenglishclasses But there are so many cathedrals in Spain, aren't there? It seems as though you'd have lots of opportunities to play. That's a shame.

@@JennyJeong425 Unfortunately there are no cathedrals anywhere near me. We do have tow parish churches though. I don´t know if they even have organs.......

@@praestant8 the majesty of the Toccata lies in its subtlety and restraint when it's played at the right tempo to match the reverberation of the building and the sound washes around and back - you get a totally immersive experience. When it's played fast it is exciting to hear but it's a totally different experience.