César Franck; Charles-Marie Widor - Works for Organ & Orchestra (Christian Schmitt; Fabien Gabel)

Information

Composer: César Franck; Charles-Marie Widor

• Franck - Grande pièce symphonique, Op. 17, FWV 29 (arr. Zsigmond Szathmáry)
• Franck - Les Éolides, Op. 26, FWV 43
• Widor - La nuit de Walpurgis, Op. 60

Christian Schmitt, organ

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Fabien Gabel, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: CPO

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This recording presents a unique orchestral exploration of César Franck’s Grande Pièce Symphonique, realized by Zsigmond Szathmáry at the suggestion of Christian Schmitt. By reimagining the organ’s symphonic richness through the orchestra, the work gains new dimensions while preserving its grandeur. The program continues with Franck’s tone poem Les Éolides (The Daughters of Aeolus), highlighting his mastery of orchestral color, and concludes with a rarity: Charles-Marie Widor’s Walpurgis Night. This vivid, dramatic piece, seldom recorded, stands alongside the great Romantic depictions of witches’ dances, offering listeners a compelling journey through French symphonic imagination.

Christian Schmitt (b. 1976, Erbringen, Saar) is a German concert organist recognized for his mastery of Romantic and contemporary repertoire. He studied church music and organ at the Saar University of Music, later training in Boston with James David Christie and in Frankfurt with Daniel Roth, completing his soloist exam in 2007. Schmitt has performed in major venues worldwide, collaborating with leading conductors such as Daniel Barenboim and Paavo Järvi, and singers including Magdalena Kožená and Thomas Hampson. His 40+ recordings include acclaimed releases on Deutsche Grammophon and an ECHO Klassik-winning Widor album. A professor at Codarts Rotterdam since 2021, he also serves as consultant for organ projects and develops innovative digital organ technologies.