A pupil of Cesar Franck and Widor, Louis Vierne (1870-1937) was an influential organist, holding posts in such venues as the Notre Dame in Paris, where he was widely celebrated. Vierne’s works are characterized by complicated counterpoint, dense harmonies, and an exalted atmosphere. His Piano Quintet, featured on this disc, was inspired by the death of Vierne’s child, and displays an overwhelming emotional intensity. “Spleens et detresses” is a work based on poems by Verlaine. The song cycle exudes a feeling of mystical emotion.
