Roman Perucki is one of the best Polish organists. His recital at the National Forum of Music will be an excellent opportunity to enjoy his interpretations of three French works belonging to the canon of the organ repertoire.  

The concert will begin with the performance of a work by Louis Vierne, considered one of the greatest French composers who have written for the organ. The Carillion de Westminster op. 54 no. 6 is a cheerful fantasy in D major, the basis of which was a melody played by the famous London Big Ben, which is part of the Palace of Westminster. Vierne performed this composition for the first time in November 1929 at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. According to one of the artist’s students, the new piece was liked by the people gathered in the church, and now it is eagerly played by organists.

The author of the second piece in the programme, Léon Boëllmann, is a somewhat forgotten composer. He is remembered mainly because of the attractive four-movement Gothic Suite op. 25 from 1895. Its movements are the majestic Introduction – Chorale, the rhythmic Menuet gothique, the slightly melancholic Prière à Notre-Dame and the motoric, energetic Toccata.

The last piece in the programme of the recital will be the Organ Suite op. 5 by Maurice Duruflé, who can be certainly deemed the heir to Vierne’s and Boëllmann’s legacies. The movements of this work are the Prélude, Sicilienne and Toccata. Although the composer recorded many of his works, he was often very critical of them. For unknown reasons, Duruflé hated the brilliant, dynamic third movement and never recorded it, although he did so with the first two movements of the suite.