The artistic director of the Palace of Arts’ organ concerts, László Fassang takes us on an interesting journey as he presents characteristic works from the three hundred year old French organ tradition. Departing from Nicolas de Grigny, whom Bach admired, and was regarded as Louis XVI’s finest organist, we reach the central section of the programme with representatives of the French Romantic organ school. The first is César Franck, himself of German and Belgian descent, who was able to exploit hitherto unsuspected possibilities of the instrument. He inspired Louis Vierne who was able to expand the limitations of organ sonority to almost infinite breadth. It is no surprise that he called his large-scale organ pieces symphonies. These examples are the best examples of how the Queen of Instruments is able to compete with the orchestra in terms of richness of sound colour. Another novelty on the programme is a transcription of Saint-Saëns’s Dance Macabre. Franz Liszt described the French composer as the greatest organ improviser of the era. Liszt and Prima Prize winner, László Fassang is a celebrated expert and performer of the French organ school. Following his graduation from the Budapest Academy of Music, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire with, amongst other teachers, the organist of Notre-Dame, the legendary Olivier Latry, and he was awarded his organ diploma and also a diploma in organ improvisation. Like his great French predecessors, improvisation plays a very important role in his activities. He will be giving us a demonstration of his capabilities in the second half of the concert.

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