Complainte

from Vingt-quatre Pièces en style libre by Louis Vierne

Background

Dedicated to Albert Perilhou.

 D-flat Major
 2 pages
 3-4 voice texture

Registration and Organs

The following registration indications are given in the score:

G. Fonds 8 doux, Nasard
R. Flutes 8', 4'
Ped. Fonds doux 8', 16'
Tirasse G.

On the Great you will want just the softest 8' stops. On the Swell you will want an 8' and a 4' flute. On the Pedal you will want a soft 8' stop and a soft 16' stop, probably both flutes. You will want to start with the Great coupled to the Pedal, and the Swell box closed. Whenever you see the letter "G" on the score, play the manual parts on the Great. When you see an "R", play the manual parts on the Swell. Whenever "Ped." appears below the staff, play the lowest notes on the pedal. When "Man." appears, play all the notes on the manuals.

Toward the end of the piece, while playing the last section that is played on the Great, open the Swell box. Then for the last section on the Swell, remove the Great to Pedal coupler. About four measures from the end you will need to effect a diminuendo by smoothly closing the Swell box.

Fingering and Pedaling

 Two eight-bar sections of manuals only
 Pedaling throughout the rest of it
 A lot of extended tying in various voices
 Use of expression pedal for one diminuendo

Articulation and Phrasing

"Legato playing is best suited to the organ for, by the very nature of the instrument, the evenness of all notes in the same register quite naturally calls for precisely connecting these notes one after the other."

Vierne stressed to make certain that the inner voices are legato and that the pedal be played legato as well. He advised "playing the black keys 'on the very edge to facilitate, when practical, sliding onto the naturals.'"

Ornamentation

Replace this text with any specific information on ornamentation

Tempo and Meter

 3/4, Andante moderato, quarter note = 50

Scores and Editions

File:24 Pieces en style libre, No. 3 - Complainte.pdf

Recordings

Replace this text with any specific information on recordings

Free Online

Ben van Oosten at Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts, Paris

Pay to Listen

A Notre-Dame de Paris: Organ Works by Vierne, Pierre Moreau, $0.99 MP3 Album

Other Resources

Replace this text with any information on other resources pertinent to performing these works

Notes

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