24 Pièces en Style Libre pour Orgue - Louis Vierne

Performed by Ben van Oosten in the Cavailé-Coll Organ.

Livre I
I - Préambule. Moderato: 0:00
II - Cortège. Allegro maestoso: 3:14
III - Complainte. Andante moderato: 6:13
IV - Épitaphe. Lento: 9:33
V - Prélude. Andante sostenuto: 14:20
VI - Canon. Molto moderato: 18:05
VII - Méditation. Adagio: 20:37
VIII - Idylle mélancolique. Andantino: 24:42
IX - Madrigal. Moderato: 28:19
X - Rêverie. Moderato: 31:18
XI - Divertissement. Allegro: 36:10
XII - Canzona. Andante cantabile: 38:24

Livre II
XIII - Légende. Andantino: 42:54
XIV - Scherzetto. Scherzando: 46:30
XV - Arabesque. Adagio: 50:06
XVI - Choral. Andante: 57:01
XVII - Lied. Cantabile: 1:01:54
XVIII - Marche fùnebre. Maestoso: 1:06:23
XIX - Berceuse. Andantino: 1:16:36
XX - Pastorale. Allegretto: 1:20:53
XXI - Carillon. Allegro: 1:25:52
XXII - Élégie. Moderato espressivo: 1:29:49
XXIII - Epithalame. Adagio sostenuto e molto espressivo: 1:34:05
XXIV - Postlude. Quasi fantasia. Largo - Vivace - Largo - Allegro non troppo vivo e sostenuto: 1:39:45

The "24 pieces in free style" for two-manual organ or harmonium was written in 1913 and published a year later in two volumes. Vierne's masterly skill is equally manifest in the genre of smaller-scale forms. All the characteristics of his style are represented in these miniatures. As with Vierne's 24 Pièces de fantaisie, these pieces (following the example of J.S.Bach with "Das Wholtemperierte Klavier" and Chopin's 24 Préludes) progress through the 12 major and 12 minor keys. Each piece is dedicated to a young friend or pupil of the composer.

The Préambule is a gentle introduction. An imitative writing style alternates with chorale-like passages. With the Cortège, The basis of the piece is furnished by powerful chords accompanied by a pregnang rising bass figure, whose rhythmic movement intensifies as the piece takes its exciting course. The Complainte starts with an expressive melody, which is heard in octaves below a pedal point in both hands on the Grand-Orgue, alternating with presentations of the theme on the Récit, the last time in inversion.

The Épitaphe is a poetic, four-part chorale on soft foundation stops, the accompanying voices becoming more agitated in the second half. The Prélude starts with a calm, rising melody, in syncopated rhythm, which is accompanied by simple harmonies, at times also syncopated, with the lower voice moving in contrary motion. The harmonies quickly become more complex, returning finally in the repise (pianissimo) to the simplicity of the opening. The Canon is an academic canon at the octave, played on a colourful registration.

The Méditation is another expample of Vierne's expressive writing in a registration of Grand-Orgue and Récit. The Idylle mélancolique starts with a falling quaver figure, providing the point of departure, appearing also in inversion in the course of the piece. The triplet at the opening of the Madrigal lends this short, four-voiced piece a continous rhythmic élan that is relayed in all the voices. The Everie is, again, a typical example of Vierne's highly expressive melodic writing and colourful harmony.

The Divertissement is a virtuoso piece that begins on full Récit with the swell box closed, building up finally to full organ. Vierne was a master of the scherzo-like pieces of this short (compare with the scherzos of the organ symphonies). The Canzona starts with an expressive melody in the soprano soars above a pedal point on the dominant in the tenor. Short quavers alternating between bass and alto surround the pedal point and forma chromatic line. A middle section on Grand-Orgue, in which the main theme is treated in inversion, is followed by the repise of the main theme.

In the Légende, a pentatonic melody in iambic rhythm (short-long) of the recitative-like introduction is continued and developed in a four-part texture. The Scherzetto is a further example of scherzo form, marked by Vierne's ironic humour. The piece is in three parts (A-B-A). The lively A sections are separated by a calm and chromatic B section (trio). The Arabesque is in a ternary form too. Above a sustained chord, in which only the middle voice moves, slowly and chromatically, an expressive free arabesque is heard. In the melody the whole-tone steps draw the listener's attention. The middle section is related to the first one both rhythmically and melodically.

In the Choral, the rhythmic, austere character of the opening figure provides a contrast to the lyrical, four-part chorale that appears in alternation with it. The Lied is a true "song without words". The melody is first heard in the lower voice and then passes through the other voices to return finally in its original form. A calm coda ends the piece.

(Description continued in the comment section)

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