The Power of the Organ, Vol. 2 Melanie Barney

• Die Walküre (La Walkyrie)
• 1 Der Ritt der Walküren 05:29
• Tristan und Isolde (Tristan et Isolde)
• 2 Vorspiel (Prélude) 10:55
• Danse macabre, Op. 40
• 3 Danse macabre, Op. 40 08:34
• Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, Organ:
• 4 I. Adagio 10:06
• 24 Pieces de fantaisie, Op. 54 - No. 6.
• 5 Carillon de Westminster 07:22
• Pieces de fantaisie, Op. 53 (Suite No. 2)
• 6 V. Clair de lune 09:18
• Organ Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 14:
• 7 VI. Final 06:41
• Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36, Enigma - Variation 9
• 8 Nimrod 05:11
• Organ Symphony No. 5 in F minor, Op. 42, No. 1:
• 9 V. Toccata: Allegro 05:51
• Total Runtime 01:09:27

Info for The Power of the Organ, Vol. 2

Classical organ music is generally appreciated by true connoisseurs and by music lovers. This album presents the instrument in a contemporary and youthful light that will appeal to a wider audience. The audacious choice of repertoire and the use of a modern organ contribute to showcase it as a concert instrument, rather than simply a religious one. The program features classical pieces from the symphonic organ repertoire, as well as spectacular transcriptions of famous orchestral works. The idea is to attract a larger public with transcriptions of famous pieces that are rarely interpreted on the organ, whether in concert or on a recording.

Mélanie Barney brings together some of the greatest transcriptions for organ. Camille St-Saëns’ Danse Macabre (1874) and The Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner (1854) are grandiose transcriptions rarely performed. Another masterpiece of Wagner’s on this album is the Vorspiel (Prelude) from the opera Tristan and Isolde (1857-1859), transcribed by John E. West. While reflecting on her choice of repertoire for this album, Mélanie Barney heard the Prelude to Tristan and Isolde during a screening of Lars von Tier’s film Melancholia. Ever passionate about symphonic music and film scores, the organist was seized by the emotion of this piece playing along fixed images that are slowly put into motion, revealing the end of the world as the planet Melancholia approaches Earth. Some transcriptions necessitate several sound planes and rigorous research regarding the registration of the organ in order to recreate the original sound of an orchestra. Such is the case for the famous Adagio of the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, op.78, of St-Saëns (1886), transcribed for solo organ by Fred Tulan, as well as Nimrod (1898-1899), the famous 9th Symphonic Variation Enigma, of Edward Elgar, transcribed by Robert Gower. The Finale of the First Symphony for Organ, op.14 (1898-1899) and the Carillon de Westminster (1927, Fantasy piece) of Louis Vierne are great classics of organ composition on this album, as well as Clair de Lune, another of Vierne’s Fantasy piece composed in 1926. The famous Toccata of the 5th Symphony for Organ, op.42, no.1 (1887) of Widor, a virtuoso piece, grandiose and festive is the perfect conclusion for The Power of the Organ 2.

Melanie Barney, organ

The organ of the Saints-Anges Gardiens church in Lachine, Quebec, was built by Casavant Frères in St. Hyacinthe and completed in 1920.

This recording was done with the Neumann U-67 tube, schoeps M222 (tube), microphones connected to tubed preamplifiers and linked directly to a DCS 905 analog to digital converter with a 24-Bit/192 kHz resolution with the DCS Scarlatti clock. A Pyramix Mykerinos (Masscore) recorder completed the recording arsenal.

Melanie Barney - Organist
Melanie Barney is a graduate of the Conservatory of Music in Montreal. In 2001, she obtained her graduate degree II (control) and the first prize with distinction in organ with Jean Le Buis. It was perfected with Pierre Perdigon, Georges Bessonnet, Alan Morrison and Jean-Guy Proulx. Recipient of several scholarships, such as foundations Wilfrid-Pelletier, Friends of the Arts and McAbbie Canimex she also won a scholarship from the Faculty of Music at UQAM for Bachelor of Education. In 2001 and 2002, she won the national final in organ at the Canadian Music Competition and the Young Artists Auditions in 2003 Radio-Canada. .... An accomplished musician, soloist and accompanist sought, Melanie Barney occurred in France, Germany, Belgium and the United States. She was founder and artistic director of the Organ Concert Series & Co. for 5 years, from 2000 to 2005. A versatile artist, is as a pianist she co-founded in 2009 all Danza, which has mostly tangos and gypsy music. Titular organist of Notre-Dame de Lourdes in Verdun in 1998, it remains an active concert on the Canadian music scene. .... She has participated in numerous recordings with choirs, orchestras and chamber music as well as LAUDEM Publishing and the Festival Orgue et Couleurs, whose first CD is titled Génération.orgue. In 2009, she recorded the Planets by Gustav Holst label Fidelio with the brass quintet Buzz. Melanie Barney is currently undertaking studies in Management of Cultural Organizations at HEC Montreal.

Booklet for The Power of the Organ, Vol. 2