János Pálúr Presented by Liszt Academy

The “organ symphony” is a specific genre primarily associated with France, flourishing at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It is not an orchestral work, but a multi-movement solo organ piece written with symphonic aspirations, aiming to exploit the dynamic capabilities and varied tonal colors of the “symphonic-style organs” built at that time. One of first significant representatives the genre was Charles-Marie Widor, who served as the organist at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris for nearly 64 years. Among his numerous outstanding students was Olivier Messiaen, who also served for more than six decades at the nearby church of Sainte-Trinité. In addition to organ playing and classical composition, Messiaen also focused on Indian, ancient Greek, and Gregorian music, as well as ornithology – all of which had a significant impact on his artistic work.