Charles Marie Widor

                       
Widor, Charles Marie, 1844-1937.

Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889. The French organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, reviver of the art of organ building, was a friend of the Widor family; he arranged for the talented young organist to study in Brussels in 1863 with Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens for organ technique and with the elderly François-Joseph Fétis, director of the Brussels Conservatoire, for composition. After this term of study Widor moved to Paris, where he would make his home for the rest of his life. At the age of 24 he was appointed assistant to Camille Saint-Saëns at Église de la Madeleine.
In January 1870, with the combined lobbying of Cavaillé-Coll, Saint-Saëns, and Charles Gounod, the 25-year-old Widor was appointed as "provisional" organist of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, the most prominent position for a French organist. The organ at St-Sulpice was Cavaillé-Coll's masterwork; the instrument's spectacular capabilities proved an inspiration to Widor. Despite his job's ostensibly "provisional" nature, Widor remained as organist at St-Sulpice for nearly 64 years, until the end of 1933. He was succeeded in 1934 by his former student and assistant, Marcel Dupré.

Symphonies, organ, no. 9, op. 70, C minor    Symphonie gothique, no. 9 Symphonie romane, no. 10/ Charles Marie Widor.   New York : Classic Editions, [195-?]    Clarence Watters, organ (1st work) ; William Self, organ  (2nd work)   Recorded on the Trinity College Chapel Organ, Hartford,  Conn. (1st work) and the All Saints Church Organ, Worcester, Mass. (2nd work)

Here the legendary organist Charles Marie Widor plays his most-famous work, Toccata from 5th Symphony.  http://youtu.be/J8vz1D_L_OE
       

Charles-Marie Widor - Symphony for Organ No. 5 Pierre Pincemaille
http://youtu.be/35NSttLsGRA

Henry Hokans at the organ of All Saints Church.    Gregorian Institute,  [1964?] William E. Rice Memorial Organ   Langlais, J. Suite medievale (en forme de messe basse).--   Dupré, M. Resurrection.--Widor, C. Moderato (Symphonie  Romane).--Duruflé, M. Prelude, adagio and chorale   variations on the theme Veni Creator.   Henry Hokans, organ. 

Widor's Matteus Final from Bach's Memento played by Peter Van De Velde, Antwerp

 A Festival of French organ music.   Columbia,  [1962]    Columbia masterworks works by Widor, Saint-Saëns, Franck, Gigout,  Vierne, Alain, and Dupré. E. Power Biggs playing the organ at St. George's Church.   New York City.

Dupré, Marcel, 1886-1971.   Preludes and fugues, organ, op. 7, no. 3, G minor.  Prelude and fugue in G minor,  op. 7.  Triptyque, op.    51.  Mercury [1958] Olympian series With: Widor, C. M. Symphony, organ, no. 6, op. 42, no. 2,   G minor. Allegro. Salve Regina Played by the composer on the organ of St. Thomas's Church, New York City. Recorded Oct. 15-16, 1957.

Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix, 1809-1847. Sonata no. 4, in B-flat major, for organ, op. 65.Columbia [1958]    Columbia masterworks Widor, C. M. Symphony, organ, no. 6, op.42, no. 2,  G minor.  Selections.
Albert Schweitzer, organ.