Vierne Discography

Here are some recommendations and lists of available (or out of print) recordings of works by Louis Vierne, including those from whose liner notes I quoted or cited:
*old vinyl recordings; may not have been reissued on CD

Click here to go directly to a listing of Vierne's known works by Opus number

Some web links and Contacts

Vierne Discography

Organ works (beginning with those mentioned on Eric Mystic's Louis Vierne web page, followed by other organ works)

Complete Organ Works

Six Symphonies for organ, complete

First Symphony, Op.14

The Final

Second Symphony, Op.20

The Allegro

The Choral

The Scherzo

Third Symphony, Op.28

Fourth Symphony, Op.32

Fifth Symphony, Op.47

Prelude

Sixth Symphony, Op.59

Scherzo

Final


Pieces of Fantasie, Suites 1-4, Op.51, 53-55

Carillon of Westminster, from Suite 3

Andantino, from Suite 1

The Bells of Hinckley (Les Cloches de Hinckley), from Suite 4

Cathedrales, from Suite 4

Claire de lune, from Suite 2

Dedicace, from Suite 3

Etoile du soir (Evening Star), from Suite 3

Feux Follets (Will o' the Wisps/Jac-o-lanterns/Foolish Spirits), from Suite 2

Gargoyles and Chimeras, from Suite 4

Hymne Au Soleil (Hymn to the Sun), from Suite 2

Impromptu, from Suite 3

Naiades (Water Nymphs), from Suite 4

On the Rhine (Sur Le Rin) from Suite 3

Toccata, from Suite 2

24 Pieces in Free Style, Op.31

Arabesque, #15

Berceuse, #19

Carillon de Longpont, #21

Complainte, #3

Divertissment, #11

Epitaphe, #4

Legende, #13

Meditation, #7

Prelude, #5

Scherzetto, #14


Other organ works

Allegretto, op. 1

Tantum ergo, pour choeur et orgue, Op. 2 (1886)

Prélude funèbre, op.4

Communion, op. 8

Verset fugue on "In exitu Isreal" for organ

Maestoso in C# Minor, a.k.a. Triumphal March for brass and organ, transcribed from Mass Solennelle, op. 16

Messe Basse, Op. 30

Meditation for organ

Prelude for organ

Prelude in F Minor (1914)

Three Improvisations, #s 1 & 3

Triptyque for organ, op. 58

Messe basse pour les défunts, op.62

Transcriptions for organ by Vierne of works by others

Cinq pièces de C. Franck (1901)

Rachmaninoff: Prélude en do-dièse mineur Op. 3 no 2 (1932)

Johann Sebastian Bach: Sicilienne (1894) *


Orchestral works

Symphony in A Minor, 1908 (Op.24)

March Triomphale Op. 46 (1921) (to the memory of Napoleon I) (organ, brass & timpani)

Poem for piano and orchestra, op. 50


Maestoso in C# Minor, a.k.a. Triumphal March for brass and organ, transcribed from Mass Solennelle, op. 16 (see also other organ works; choral & vocal works)


Choral and vocal Works

Complete

Songs

Ave Maria, pour choeur et orgue, Op. 3 (1886)

Solemn Mass (Messe Solennelle) in C# minor for choir and two organs, op. 16 (see also organ)

Trois Mélodies, Op. 18, No. I: L’heure Du Berger

3 Motets

Motet: Tantum ergo (Op.2)

Stances D'amour et de Rêve, Op. 29, No. I: Les Chaînes

Spleens et detresses, Op. 38 (Poems by Verlaine-- 10 pieces)

Five Poems of Baudelaire, Op. 45

Poème de L'amour, Op. 48

Cantique à Saint Louis de Gonzague, pour choeur, ténor et orgue (1926)

Les Angeles, for voice & organ or orchestra, Op.57 (1930-31)

4 Greek Poems, Op. 60

Les roses blanches de la lune



Piano works

Complete

Two Pieces for piano, op. 7

Suite bourguignonne for piano, op. 17

Three Nocturnes for piano, op. 34

Twelve Preludes for piano, op. 36 (some say Op.38)

Le Knell, op. 39, no. 2

Silhouettes d'Enfants for piano, op. 43

Solitude (Loneliness) for piano, op. 44

Ainsi Parlait Zarathoustra, Op. 49



Chamber music

Pieces for viola and piano, op. 5

Largo and Canzonetta for oboe and piano, op. 6

Quartet, Op.12

Sonata for violin and piano, op. 23

Rhapsody for harp, op. 25

Sonata for cello and piano, op. 27

Quintet for piano and strings, op. 42

Soirs etrangers (Evenings Abroad) for cello and piano, op. 56 (five pieces)


Contacts

An excellent catalogue and source of recordings by Vierne and other organ music is available from the Organ Historical Society at P.O.Box 26811, Richmond VA 23261 USA
Phone: 804-353-9226, Fax 804-353-9266.
E-mail: catalog@organsociety.org
Web page: www.ohscatalog.org

This discography page was last updated May 24, 2009. It certainly may be incomplete.

Any other questions? E-mail me at here

Some web links

Classical Net Home Page
Back to Top of Discography
Back to Eric Mystic's Louis Vierne page
Louis Vierne webpage Another great Louis Vierne web page by the late Den Ruiz, druid of netreach
Wikipedia article on Vierne
Louis Vierne works from CD Universe
Answers.com on Louis Vierne Organ Historical Society offers many CDs listed here and is a great source of rare recordings. Music Boulevard's listing of available CDs of Vierne's music; over 80 titles!
JAV Recordings has lots of great organ CDs by Vierne and others
Bach, Chakras, Tarot: How Bach's Toccata in F opens onto all the great esoteric mysteries
Mystic Music Home Page
site author Eric Meece homepage
Horoscope for the New Millennium
Robert Carty Home Page


List of known works of Vierne by opus number


(plus a few with no known number yet)

(Rating by Eric Mystic, of one to five stars, is noted for pieces I know well so far)

1. Allegretto for organ (1894)
2. Tantum ergo for organ and choir
3. Ave Maria for organ (c.1890)
4. Funerial Prelude for organ (1896)
5. Two Pieces for Viola and Piano (1895)****
6. Largo & Canzonetta for Oboe & Piano (1896)****
7. Two pieces for piano (c.1895)
8. Communion for organ (1899)****
9. Feuillets d'album, for piano (lost)
10.Two songs : Elle (P. Gobillard) and En Prison (Verlaine) (lost)
11. Three songs a) Beaux papillons blancs (Th. Gautier) b) Donc ce sera par un clair soir d'été (Verlaine) c) Qu'as-tu fait de la jeunesse? (Verlaine) (1896)
12. String Quartet (1894)***1/2
13. Three songs : a) Chanson d'automne (Verlaine) b) Lied d'amour (Carly Timun) c) Extase (V. Hugo) (1899)
14. Symphony #1 for organ (1898-99)*****
15. Ave Verum for organ (1901)
16. Messe Solennelle (1900)****
17. Suite Bourguignonne for piano (1898-99)
18. Three songs a) L'heure du berger (Verlaine) b) O triste, triste était mon âme! (Verlaine) c) Le Rouet (Leconte de Lisle) (1897)
19. Dors, chère Prunelle (Sleep, dear Prunella), song (C. Mendès) (1898)
20. Symphony #2 for organ (1902-03)*****
21. Motets? (may be 3 vocal works; lost)
22. Praxinoë, lyric legend for orchestra, solo voices and choruses (Ambroise Colin, librettist) (1903-05)
23. Sonata for Violin and Piano (1905/07)****
24. Symphony in A Minor (1908)***
25. Rhapsody for Harp (1909)****
26. Three songs a) Soleils couchants (Verlaine) b) Nox (Leconte de Lisle) c) Adieu (Villiers de l'Isle-Adam) (1903)
27. Sonata for Cello and Piano (1910)***1/2
28. Symphony #3 for organ (1911)****
29. Stances d'amour et de reve (vocal) (poem by Prudhomme)
30. Messe Basse (Low Mass) for organ or harmonium (1912)
31. 24 Pieces in Free Style (1914)****
32. Symphony #4 for organ (1914)****
33. Psyché, symphonic poem for voice and orchestra, or piano (V. Hugo) (1914)
34. Three Nocturnes for piano (1916)
35. Les Djinns, symphonic poem for voice and orchestra, or piano (V. Hugo) (1912)
36. Twelve Preludes for Piano (1914-15) (some say this is Op.38)****
37. Eros, symphonic poem for voice and orchestra, or piano (the Countess de Noailles) (1916)
38. Spleens et detresses; poems of Verlaine (vocal) (1924)
39. Cloches funèbres (funeral bells), two pieces for piano 1. Cloches dans le cauchemar (Bells in a nightmare.) 2. Le glas. (The Knell) (1918)
40. Romance (vocal), originally published in 1907. Transcribed for horn by T. Doney.
41. Dal Vertice, lyric ode for tenor and orchestra, or piano (on poem of G. d'Annunzio) (1917)
42. Quintet for piano & strings (in honor of my beloved son Jacques) (1917)****1/2
43. Silhouettes d'Enfants for piano (1916)
44. Solitude for piano (1918)
45. Five Poems of Baudelaire (vocal) (1924)
46. March Triomphal for brass, timpani and organ (in honor of Napoleon I) (1921)
47. Symphony #5 for organ (1922-23)***
48. Poeme del'amour by Richepin (vocal) (1924)
49. Ainsi Parlait Zarathoustra for piano
50. Poem for Piano and Orchestra (1926)***
51. Pieces of Fantasie, Suite 1 (1925-26)***1/2
52. Ballade for violin and orchestra (1926)
53. Pieces of Fantasie, Suite 2 (1927)****
54. Pieces of Fantasie, Suite 3 (1927)****1/2
55. Pieces of Fantasie, Suite 4 (1927****1/2
56. Evenings Abroad, for cello and piano (1928)****
57. Les Angeles, for voice & organ or orchestra (1930-31)
58. Triptych for organ 1. Matines (To Maurice Duruflé) 2. Communion (A l'abbé Doyen) 3. Stèle for un enfant défunt (In memory of Jean de Brancion). (1929-1931)
59. Symphony #6 for organ (1930)****1/2
60. 4 Greek Poems (1930)
61. Ballade du desespere for tenor and piano or orchestra (1931)
62. Low Mass for the Dead, for organ (1934-36)

Other works with no known opus number:

For more details, visit the catalogue of Vierne's works complied by Bernard Gavoty at the Vierne page by the druid at netreach.
Louis Vierne works from CD Universe
Back to Top of Discography