Jean-Willy Kunz au Grand Orgue Pierre-Beique

By Jean-Willy Kunz

Item Number: NX.ACD2-2747

In selecting the program for his first solo recording, Jean-Willy Kunz was naturally drawn to music by composers from his native France including Jehan Alain, Charles-Marie Widor, Marcel Dupre, and Louis Vierne, while a work by Quebecois Maxime Goulet provides a contemporary flavor. These are paired with the great Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J.S. Bach. A highlight of this recording is Kunz's transcription of Camille Saint-Saens' Le Carnaval de animaux, which he first performed in 2014 for the inauguration of the Pierre-Beique organ. Kunz's transcription demonstrates the organ's ability to render a wide range of orchestral colors and textures. The organ at Maison symphonique de Montreal was designed and built for teh OSM by the renowned organ builder Casavant in collaboration with architects Diamond Schmitt and Aedifca. The large scale opus 3,900 organ boasts 109 registers, 83 stops, 116 ranks and 6,489 pipes, and holds its own in orchestral works.