Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet
PRIORY PRCD 669 AB 2 CDs
(1) 73' 08"
(2) 59' 27"

Charles Tournemire's "L'Orgue Mystique" is a phenomenal opus, composed between 1927 and 1932, and draws inspiration from over 300 different Gregorian Chants. He created 51 liturgical offices, each of five movements, to be played at given times during a particular service, be it a mass or a feast day, though Tournemire suggested they could be played beyond their sacred context.

Here Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet, on two CDs, captures the essence of those offices in 17 of these wonderfully atmospheric works, played principally on the Organ of La Sainte Trinit, Paris, with two upon the Organ of La Basilique du Sacr-Coeur de Montmartre, Paris. Tournemire's own Organ, of course, is down the road at La Basilique du Sainte-Clotilde, but the two instruments here sound resplendent with Dufourcet's improvisatory technique never in question. Dufourcet's programme explores chants framed within the notions of a Postlude, Paraphrase, Fantasie, Dyptyque and Alleuia, giving a startling resum of styles to be found within these profound and deeply affecting movements. Registrations are full of deep colours, even with the lightest of pipes, while the resonance of the Sainte Trinit Organ simply lingers with relish and is reflected magnificently in Priory's recording.

This is a reading of powerful perception by an exceptionally talented organist who is currently Titular Organist of the Cavaill-Coll Organ of Notre-Dame-des-Champs in Paris. I cannot commend it highly enough
DA