Saturday, July 24, 2010

Loud 19th Century French Romantic Organ Music

I'm back in business!

So I'm celebrating!

I spent last evening at the 19th century galleries of the Met Museum helping students with an assignment.
While there, I finally read the label copy of a large painting by Henry LeRolle of an organ rehearsal in the Church of Saint Francis Xavier in Paris that I've always liked. I really should read these things more often. I might learn something.
It turns out that the organist in the painting is the composer Ernest Chausson who was LeRolle's brother-in-law.
It's too bad that I can't find a bigger reproduction than this, because on the left, LeRolle looks out at us. To the right of him is the sculptor Auguste Lenoir. To the left of LeRolle, behind him in the shadow is the young composer Claude Debussy. The women, including the singer, are all LeRolle's sisters. The elderly woman with Chausson is LeRolle's mother.

I've always loved the big clear composition, the way it conveys the idea of the singer's voice filling the vast space of the church.






So to accompany the painting, and to celebrate being back in the picture business, here is some loud spectacular French Romantic organ music in a big Parisian church.


5 comments:

susan s. said...

I love this stuff!!! See my latest status update on FB. I did it just for you!

JCF said...

the way it conveys the idea of the singer's voice filling the vast space of the church

But what fills up the vast space of her bustle behind her rear end? O_o

[Not to harp on Your Kind, Doug . . . but was it gay men (fashion designers) making women look ridic then, too? :-X]

Counterlight said...

What the hell do I have to do with 19th century fashions?

You really think the skinny starving boy body with big tits look of today will not look just as ridiculous 100 years from now?

Women's fashions may be designed by gay men, but what succeeds and what doesn't out there on the street is determined by the desires of straight men. That's why I have nothing to do with it.

I feel an angry and totally irrelevant comment thread coming on.

JCF said...

Bring it! ;-/

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