Obscure Music Mondays: Widor's Symphony for Organ & Orchestra

Charles-Marie Widor was a powerhouse writer for the organ, writing many symphonies for organ alone that took advantage of the varied voices to give a full symphonic form. It was in 1880, however, that he was approached by the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom to create a work for Organ & Orchestra. Out of that request came Widor's Symphony for Organ & Orchestra, Op. 42, which was based on Widor's solo Organ Symphonies No. 2 & 6.

An opening organ solo begins the majestic work, before we experience the grand entrance of the orchestra, at full volume, joining the organ. The interplay between solo organ & orchestra continues throughout the first movement, before a much more reserved second movement, consisting of a more subdued organ accompanied by only strings. Cornets and Trumpets herald the opening of the lively third movement, where the organ is opened up even more for a grand finish to this dramatic work.

After premiering in the UK in 1882, it took a number of years before the work was premiered in the US, where it was featured in one of many concerts held by the Philadelphia Orchestra in Wanamaker's Department Store with the grand Wanamaker organ. This 1919 concert, conducted by Leopold Stokowski was one of the few performances of this grand work. We were fortunate to be able to work from a copy of Stokowski's score from this performance to prepare a new edition of this work in it's original form as intended by Widor.