Grand Choeur Dialogue-Gignot @ St. Quen

[wljmrbill]

Slower than most but you can actually hear the notes . I believe many times this is played to fast for good enjoyment of the composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9suezChCKtk

[Dorsetmike]

Yep, agree on the tempo, however it does sound a bit "heavy", not sure if youtube has degraded the recording somewhat or what, the Trompete sounds reasonably crisp but the full passages do seem to be almost too much for either the recording equipment or the youtube playback. Marvellous sounding instrument though. I had a listen to some of the other renditions on youtube, as you say often played too fast, one version I heard the start of was at a full gallop, didn't stay with that!

I also listened to some other works on the St Ouen organ, the acoustics would seem to preclude playing pieces fast there and possibly may also have some bearing on my comments re the sound of the full passages.

I do think that our judgement of a work is often coloured by the first performance of it that we hear, for me that is on a Cd recorded at Wimborne Minster, a short sample of the opening measures attached.