It's Not British, but...Karol Mossakowski and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice, Paris

It is many years since I heard the organ of Saint‑Sulpice in Paris. It was not at a service or a recital but an organist “practising.” The piece was Vierne’s Carillon sur la sonnerie du Carillon de la chapelle du Chateau de Longpont (Aisne) which is the ninth number in Book 2 of the Vingt-quatre pièces en style libre. The organist may have been Jean-Jacques Grunenwald.

The instrument is one of the most significant in Europe, if not the world. This large five manual organ was originally built in 1781 by François‑Henri Clicquot. After a less than successful rebuild between 1835 and 1845, it was remodelled and expanded by the legendary Aristide Cavaillé‑Coll. This instrument retains the five manuals and has one hundred stops. It is a symphonic organ that unites French classical tradition with a Romantic aesthetic. It remains one of the few instruments by Cavaillé‑Coll not to have electric action. The liner notes give the all-important specification.

The recital begins auspiciously with an inspiring performance of Dupré’s landmark Trois Préludes et Fugues, op. 7. This collection was sketched during the summer of 1912, whilst Dupré was preparing for the Grand Prix de Rome (which he later won with his lyric scene Psyché). Although given a performance at the Salle Gaveau, Paris in 1917, they remained unpublished until 1920. They are widely regarded as establishing the composer’s reputation. Each is dedicated to a recently deceased French organist: No. 1 in B major to René Vierne (younger brother of Louis Vierne, killed in WWI), No. 2 in F minor to Augustin Barié, and No. 3 in G minor to Joseph Boulnois (also killed in WWI).

An anecdote recounts that when Charles-Marie Widor first saw the score, he declared that the first and the third Preludes were “unplayable.” Indeed, even a cursory glance at the sheet music reveals formidable technical challenges: rapid tempos, intricate passagework, and demanding pedal parts. The first P&F (my favourite) is a regular “warhorse.” This is followed by the more restrained No.2 which some have suggested nods towards Claude Debussy, who was still living at this time. No.3, in contrast, has a magical “spinning wheel” Prelude and a ferocious Fugue that retains much of the momentum of the opening movement. This performance on the organ that Dupré once played is inspiring and exemplary.

Charles-Marie Widor’s Trois nouvelles pièces, op. 87 (1934), represents his final, reflective contribution to the organ repertoire, written at the age of ninety. These serve as a serene "swan song," dedicated to three of his former American pupils: Albert Riemenschneider, Charlotte Lockwood, and Frederick Mayer. If the listener is expecting the fireworks of his earlier symphonies for the organ, they will be disappointed. Widor has used a neo-classic economy to generate the mood of the three imaginatively titled movements: Classique d’hier, Mystique, and Classique d’aujourd’hui. He has used chromatic harmonies, sometimes creating an impressionistic mood. Karol Mossakowski brings out the structural elegance uncluttered by overt virtuosity (nevertheless, the last piece is no cinch) of this music with this pensive farewell to the French Symphonic tradition the Widor himself helped create. Absolutely beautiful.

I listened to Jean-Jacques Grunenwald’s Diptyque liturgique (1956) and am still processing this massive “soundscape.” The two movements of the Diptych provide a huge contrast. The Preces is meditative and prayerful, punctuated with intense moments, whilst the Jubilate Deo radiates joy and vivacity. The entire work reflects Grunenwald’s synthesis of the French Symphonic organ tradition with the more “mystical textures” of his era as evinced in the music of Jehan Alain and Olivier Messiaen. It also acknowledges the “renewed prestige of improvisation” found in the French School at this time. Commissioned for the 150th anniversary of St. James’ Episcopal Church on New York’s Upper East Side, it feels particularly well structured:  a nod to the fact that the composer was both a master architect and the successor to Marcel Dupré at Saint-Sulpice.

The final track on this disc is by another celebrated titular organist at Saint-Sulpice, Daniel Roth. His Fantaisie fuguée sur "Regina caeli" (2007) is based on the Gregorian Marian antiphon traditionally sung during Eastertide. It creates a balance between the improvisatory tone of the Fantaisie and the rigorous construction of the “dancing” Fugue. Firmly rooted in the French Symphonic style, it calls for a wide range of registration and “orchestral” effects. Despite Roth’s modern harmonic language, the work never loses sight of the ancient plainsong melody.

Karol Mossakowski is a Polish organist specialising in both interpretation and improvisation. He has won several important awards including the Prague Spring Competition and the Grand Prix de Chartres. In 2023, he was appointed as titular organist of Saint‑Sulpice, sharing the duties with Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin. He has performed internationally, including Tokyo’s Musashino Hall, Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional and many European cathedrals. Mossakowski is also noted for his imaginative silent‑film improvisations including a notable accompaniment to Dreyer’s Jeanne d’Arc, released on DVD by Gaumont after the Lyon Festival Lumière performance. His recordings include Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Jongen’s Symphonie Concertante.

The liner notes by Vincent Genvrin provide a good introduction to the recital. As noted above, there are details of the organ’s history along with a full specification. A resume of Karol Mossakowski is also provided. The well-illustrated booklet is presented in French, German and English translations.

This new disc by Karol Mossakowski’s successfully explores the grandeur of the Saint‑Sulpice Cavaillé‑Coll organ with a well-thought-out programme spanning Dupré, Widor, Grunenwald and Roth, each composition illustrating a different facet of the French symphonic tradition. The recording honours a remarkable lineage and the organist now entrusted with it.

Track Listing:
Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)
Trois Preludes et Fugues, op.7 (1912)
Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)
Trois nouvelles pièces, op.87 (1934)
Jean-Jacques Grunenwald (1911-82)
Diptyque liturgique (1956)
Daniel Roth (b.1942)
Fantaisie fuguée sur "Regina caeli" (2007)
Karol Mossakowski (organ)
rec. 22-24 April 2025, Saint-Sulpice, Paris
Aeolus AE-11491

With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first published.