First and Last
Organist Christopher Houlihan, described as “the next big organ talent” by the Los Angeles Times, releases his next solo album, First and Last, on Azica Records. The album features César Franck’s “Grande Pièce Symphonique,” Op. 17, from Six pièces d’orgue (1860–62) and Louis Vierne’s Symphonie No. 6, op. 39 (1930).
Sharing his inspiration behind the album, Houlihan says, “Within this genre, there are no two pieces that better represent the trajectory of this style than Franck’s Grande pièce symphonique
and Vierne’s Symphony No. 6— essentially the first and the last French Romantic organ symphonies.”
First and Last Track List
César Franck (1822 -1890) – Grande Pièce Symphonique, Op. 17 from Six pièces d’orgue (1860-1862)
1. Andantino serioso [4:03]
2. Allegro non troppo e maestoso [7:00]
3. Andante - Allegro - Andante [8:16]
4. Allegro non troppo c maestoso [2:49]
5. Beaucoup plus largement [4:10]
Louis Vierne (1870–1937) – 24 Pièces en style libre, Op. 31
6. Berceuse, no. 19 [4:13]
Louis Vierne – Symphonic No. 6, Op. 59 (1930)
7. I. Introduction et Allegro [10:13]
8. II. Aria [7:27]
9. III. Scherzo [4:26]
10. IV. Adagio [9:51]
11. V. Final [7:31]
Total Time: 69:59