Variations sur un Noel (L'Art de l'improvisation 1977) - Pierre Cochereau, transc. François Lombard

Описание: Pierre Cochereau was organist at Notre-Dame de Paris from 1955-84 and was described by his mentor Marcel Dupré as “a phenomenon without equal in the history of twentieth-century French organ music”. One cannot but marvel at the fact that this music was originally improvised! In 1977, Cochereau recorded “L’Art de l’Improvisation”, a double LP box set, to serve as a presentation of his instrument at Notre-Dame, which he loved so much and had seen restored, very much to his own design. The LP was subsequently transferred to CD on the Solstice Label. These variations formed one of the four parts of the recording (the others being a suite in eighteenth-century style, a Triptique Symphonique and a Messe Dominicale).

Theme: a radiant, diatonic harmonisation of the original C17th theme, played on the ‘Grand Plein Jeu’ - in other words all the foundations and mixtures. For those with synesthetic inclinations, this is probably a scintillating, bright yellow.

Variation 1: Flûtes. The theme is hinted at in a fragmentary arabesque on all the 8’ Flutes, slightly detached so as to reflect the articulation of a real flute. The rhythm is deliciously and purposefully irregular, with quaver groups in 3’s, 4’s, 5’s and 7’s, and the final cadential progression is rather like a subconscious homage to the great 'Variations sur un Noel’ of Cochereau’s teacher, Marcel Dupré.

Variation 2: Nasard. An ornamented, neo-classical version of the original melody, with the dialogue interspersed between two contrasting mutation melanges on the Great and Choir. The Pedal maintains a detaché harmonic bass function, rather like a homage to J S Bach.

Variation 3: Tutti. Cochereau was always the master of the boldly rhetorical gesture, taking the listener totally by surprise. Here the theme is stated on the tutti of the instrument, like a vivaciously incandescent firework display, garnished by highly evolved extended tonality, but never too far away from home base.

Variation 4: ‘Chamade’. This variation features the 16ft/2ft Regal en Chamade (2ft below treble C/16ft above) which Cochereau added to the Notre-Dame organ in 1970. The first line of the theme is treated in imitation, played on the pedal, surrounded by the sort of ecstatic French harmony which is always Cochereau’s trademark. The Pedal Divide makes its presence known for the last chord! I always think this movement represents the emotional kernel of the entire piece.

Variation 5: Fonds. A turbulent agitato variation featuring all the Foundations (16, 8, 4, 2) coupled. A densely-packed texture, full of movement, with rising harmonic plateaux and an opulent, highly chromatic filigree combined with soaring melodic lines.

Variation 6: Scherzo. Impetuous and virtuosic, and with a harmonic and textural disintegration at the end, with a diminuendo culminating on a succession of open fifths...

Variation 7: Canon à six voix. An imitative neo-classical Ricercare, with the first line of the theme bounded around between squawking reeds and blood-curdling Cornets.

Variation 8: Fileuse (Spinning Wheel). A classic Cochereau trademark, with all the Flutes coupled in a veritable cascade of fluffiness.

Variation 9: Fanfare. This variation promotes the articulative snap and immense pizzazz of three contrasting reed choruses, underpinned by the ferocity of the Pedal reeds (32, 16, 8, 4). In this variation Cochereau draws concentric circles around the dominant minor (perhaps mirroring the harmonic contour of the original carol). I often wonder if he planned this in advance, or whether it was subconscious and totally impulsive - I suspect the latter…

Variation 10: Adagio. In general Olivier Messiaen and Pierre Cochereau thrived in different rather harmonic and coloristic universes, but this is a clear homage: an almost weightless ambience, with the pointillistic right hand texture imitating individual shafts of light, and supported by a wondrous Flute Celeste backdrop which always seems to move the spirit heavenwards. The theme is played on the 2ft Pedal Cornet.

Variation 11: Trio et Pont. The theme is stated in its entirety on a 4ft reed on the Pedal, beneath a bristling and rather manic hemi-demi-semiquaver RH texture and walking 16’8’ bass in the LH. A short bridge (an extended dominant preparation, rather like Poulenc) leads to:

Variation 12: Final. A highly-charged saltarello on the ‘demi Grand Choeur’ leads to a crescendo and takes us through ascending harmonic plateaus in a quasi-Ravelian fashion, before a final tutti statement of the theme on the Tutti. The raw energy of this music is inescapable.

François Lombard, the brilliant, keen-eared organist of St Pierre in Calais, has created an excellent transcription of the work, so that other performers and listeners can appreciate the genius of Cochereau, the improviser. I have made just a very few amendments to François’ excellent work.

This music suits the Aeolian-Skinner organ at St John the Divine like the proverbial glove