John Weissrock

Recital at Notre Dame (Paris)

On August 14, 1988, John Weissrock gave a recital at Notre Dame in Paris. John recorded practice sessions and the recital itself on a Sony Walkman Pro. The tape of the recital itself is for the most part not usable because the battery ran out of power. Fortunately the practice sessions of August 12 and August 13 can be assembled into a virtual recital performance. Please click below.


Program:

  1. Charles Marie Widor: Symphony No. 6, Allegro (first movement) — 0'02"
  2. Marcel Dupré: 15 Versets sur les Vêpres du commun de la Sainte Vierge, nos. 10 ("My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord") and 15 ("Gloria") — 8'39" and 11'45"
  3. Alexandre Guilmant: Sonata No. 5, Op. 80, 5th (last) movement: Chorale and Fugue — 13'35"
  4. Richard Purvis: Toccata Festiva on "In Babilone" (hymn tune) — 20'58"
  5. Gerre Hancock: Air — 24'43"
  6. Leo Sowerby: Pageant — 29'03"

At the end of the final run-through, John gave an impromptu performance of Messiaen's Transports de Joie (Outbursts of Joy), from the Ascension Suite. It was around 12:45 AM on Sunday, August 14. The Messiaen was not on the program. On this mp3, it begins at 39'44".

The individual pieces are available on YouTube.

John Weissrock