Widor: The Organ Symphonies, Vol. 1 Joseph Nolan

• Charles-Marie Widor (1844 - 1937): Organ Symphony No. 6 in G Minor, Op. 42, No. 2:
• 1 I. Allegro 09:05
• 2 II. Adagio 07:23
• 3 III. Intermezzo 06:16
• 4 IV. Cantabile 05:41
• 5 V. Finale 06:35
• Organ Symphony No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 42 No. 1
• 6 I. Allegro vivace - Più lento 10:21
• 7 II. Allegro cantabile 08:03
• 8 III. Andantino quasi allegretto 08:24
• 9 IV. Adagio 04:33
• 10 V. Toccata: Allegro 06:11
• Total Runtime 01:12:32

Info zu Widor: The Organ Symphonies, Vol. 1

Organ Symphony No.6 in G minor, Op.42, Organ Symphony No.5 in in F minor, Op.42 Volume 1 in a new collection of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L'église de la Madeleine, Paris. Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain - his ‘Organ Symphonies’ were genre-defining in their influence.

Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues - including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom (SIGCD114) and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris (SIGCD167). The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief-organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.

“These performances are full of spontaneity yet for all Nolan’s brilliance he allows the requirements of the composer always to take priority. The sympathy and expression that Nolan gives to this music and the assurance of his results will undoubtedly give this recital a special place amongst organ collectors” (Musicweb International)

"Nolan’s interpretations are musically first-class ... organ enthusiasts should certainly acquire this disc for the sake of Nolan’s admirable musical intelligence." (International Record Review)

"Nolan hovers over all like some musical demiurge, fleet of feet and fingers as he negotiates the massive chords and filigree passagework of faster movements such as the closing Vivace of Symphony No 6; thoughtful and sensitive yet smouldering with creative tension in slower movements" (Limelight Magazine)

"Gothic music meets Gothic organ here in performances that encompass a broad expressive spectrum from quiet meditation to dramatic thunder and lightning." (The Times)

Jospeh Nolan, organ

Joseph Nolan
Hailed by Australia’s ABC Classic FM as an ‘extraordinary musician’ and BBC Radio 3 CD Review as a ‘virtuoso’, Joseph Nolan enjoys a reputation as an organist and musician of international repute.

Joseph holds the unique distinction of being the first British/Australian organist to have been recorded commercially on the organs of Buckingham Palace Ballroom, London, St Sulpice Paris, and in September 2015 at St Etienne Du Mont in Paris, the church and organ of Maurice Duruflé: all for award-winning UK record company, Signum Records.

A pupil of two legendary figures in the musical world, Marie-Claire Alain and Dame Gillian Weir, Joseph’s studies were supported by scholarships from the Countess of Munster Trust, Hattori Foundation and Royal Philharmonic Society, following Joseph being awarded First Class Honours for his BMus final recital at the Temple Church, London. Upon completion of his organ studies in London and Paris, Joseph was appointed to Her Majesty's Chapels Royal, St James' Palace in 2004. Joseph broadcast with the choir on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM, as well as performing as an organ soloist with the Royal Academy of Music Chamber Orchestra at the Thanksgiving Service for Princess Diana at Wellington Barracks. Joseph performed on many occasions at Buckingham Palace, most notably giving the inaugural recital of the refurbished Ballroom organ to a distinguished invited audience.

As a recording artist for Signum, Joseph's discography is unique with solo organ discs having been also recorded on the majority of France's most prized organs including St Sulpice and La Madeleine in Paris, St Ouen Rouen, St Sernin Toulouse and St François de Sales Lyon.

Joseph has recorded the complete organ works of Charles-Marie Widor on many of these instruments to universal critical acclaim, described as ‘utterly authoritative’ by Gramophone Magazine and The Australian Newspaper. They have been awarded multiple five-star awards in BBC Music Magazine, International Record Review, as well as receiving an 'Editor's Choice' in ABC Limelight Magazine. MusicWeb International awarded Volume 4 of the Widor cycle 'Recording of the Year' in 2014, as well as describing the cycle as 'shaping up to be the Widor cycle of the decade'.

Joseph has also performed extensively across several continents and his work has been broadcast on most radio networks including BBC Radio 3, USA Pipedreams and ABC and UK Classic FM. He has worked as organ soloist and accompanist with The King’s Singers at the Bad Homburg International Festival and with internationally acclaimed trumpeters Alison Balsom, Crispian Steele-Perkins and David Elton. Joseph is also accompanist to the West Australian Principal Flautist, Andrew Nicholson.

Joseph made his debut with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra at Perth Concert Hall playing Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony for the opening of the WASO Classics concerts. This concert was recorded and broadcast on ABC Classic FM.

Joseph is also an acclaimed choral conductor and was invited to take up the post of Organist and Master of the Choristers at St George’s Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia in March 2008.

Joseph conducts the nationally renowned choirs of the Cathedral, who since his arrival are now regularly in demand on ABC TV and Radio, and have worked with The Hilliard Ensemble, the Academy of Ancient Music, and I Fagiolini. They have been described as ‘elite, faultless and world-class’ by The Australian and The West Australian.

As Artistic Director of the Cathedral’s Concert Series, Joseph programmes core repertoire such as Bach's St Matthew Passion (which received a five-star review in The West Australian) and has brought new works and premieres to Australia. These include the Australian premieres of Pachelbel's Vespers and Alexander Levine's Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, and the West Australian premiere of Monteverdi's Vespers with authentic instruments.

Joseph was made an Honorary Fellow of The University of Western Australia for services to music in Perth and internationally in 2013.

In April 2016, Joseph was awarded the medal of Chevalier (Knight) in the Order of Arts and Letters by order of the French Minister of Culture and Communication, in recognition of his services to French Music.

Booklet für Widor: The Organ Symphonies, Vol. 1