SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No.3 “Organ Symphony” plus works by GUILMANT, VIERNE & WIDOR Philippe Bélanger, organ Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal Yannick Nézet-Séguin SACD2 2540 Ingenious developments in organ-building in France in the 19th century gave rise to a repertoire of colorful, grandiose, and virtuosic music.   At the time, musical life was focused on the few musicians who both held the posts of organist at prestigious centers, and were also composers.   Guilmant, Vierne, and Widor wrote a considerable amount of music for the organ, while Saint-Saëns, though a prolific composer, wrote only a few works for organ.   His Symphony No. 3 (“Organ Symphony”) was an attempt at the modern and avant-garde, with a major part for the organ and with a piano played by four-hands used as an orchestral instrument. Philippe Bélanger, the young musician who holds the post of official organist at the Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, recorded this disc on the Oratory's imposing five-manual Von Beckerath organ.   For the “Organ Symphony”, the orchestra was positioned below the organ loft and, with the help of cameras for synchronization, recorded simultaneously with the organ.   The presence of the orchestra beside the splendid organ within an acoustically rich and generous space allows this work to resound in its full, solemn dimensions. CAMlLLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Symphonie n° 3 en do mineur, op. 78, «avec orgue» [36:03] Symphony no. 3 in C minor op. 78 ("Organ Symphony") 1er mouvement   1 • Adagio - Allegro moderato [10:30]   2 • Poco adagio [10:30] 2e mouvement   3 • Allegro moderato - Presto [7:18]   4 • Maestoso [7:45] ALEXANDRE GUILMANT (1837 1911)   5 • Marche sur «Lift Up Your Heads» de Handel [7:20] LOUIS VIERNE (1870 1937)   6. Carillon de Westminster [7:04] CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR (1844 -1937)   7 • «Allegro vivace» de la Sixième symphonic pour orgue [9:37] ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879