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French organists as French pastries: A THREAD
1. Widor - Croquembouche
Wrapped in caramel and oozing cream, sadly this pastry lacks substance beneath its admittedly delicious surface. Wildly popular at weddings for some reason.
1. Widor - Croquembouche
Wrapped in caramel and oozing cream, sadly this pastry lacks substance beneath its admittedly delicious surface. Wildly popular at weddings for some reason.
2. Vierne - Éclair
Densely filled and with an appealing glaze, many people just cannot get enough of this pastry. Although be careful you don’t eat too many, otherwise you might keel over at the organ console.
Densely filled and with an appealing glaze, many people just cannot get enough of this pastry. Although be careful you don’t eat too many, otherwise you might keel over at the organ console.
3. Guilmant - Croissant
This is your mass-produced, bread-and-butter, gets-the-job-done pastry. Filling but ultimately not all that memorable.
This is your mass-produced, bread-and-butter, gets-the-job-done pastry. Filling but ultimately not all that memorable.
4. Fauré - Madeleine
Proustian in nature, dunk this little cake in a cup of tea and be transported back to fin-de-siècle Paris, where Fauré was titulaire at l’Église de la Madeleine.
Proustian in nature, dunk this little cake in a cup of tea and be transported back to fin-de-siècle Paris, where Fauré was titulaire at l’Église de la Madeleine.
5. Clérambault - Kouign amann
No one has ever heard of this pastry and I have absolutely no idea what it tastes like. Similarly, has anyone ever actually played any Clérambault?
No one has ever heard of this pastry and I have absolutely no idea what it tastes like. Similarly, has anyone ever actually played any Clérambault?
6. Dupré - Chouquettes
Amazingly tender and extremely light, you might superficially think this is more style than substance. But you’d be wrong. Dupré may be unafraid to sugarcoat his harmonies, but when he lets rip, you’ll know about it.
Amazingly tender and extremely light, you might superficially think this is more style than substance. But you’d be wrong. Dupré may be unafraid to sugarcoat his harmonies, but when he lets rip, you’ll know about it.
7. Saint-Saëns - Crêpe
Is a crêpe a pastry? Did Saint-Saëns write much organ music? Who cares! The crêpe is the totemic symbol of France, and the Organ Symphony is the ultimate warhorse of the repertoire.
Is a crêpe a pastry? Did Saint-Saëns write much organ music? Who cares! The crêpe is the totemic symbol of France, and the Organ Symphony is the ultimate warhorse of the repertoire.
8. Demessieux - Rose des sables
A tough nut to crack, this one, but dig beneath the surface and you’ll find some fantastically crunchy textures.
A tough nut to crack, this one, but dig beneath the surface and you’ll find some fantastically crunchy textures.
9. Tournemire - Religieuse
This is the most enigmatic and quietly devout of pastries. The kind of pastry you can imagine producing a massive 15-hour cycle of liturgical organ music.
This is the most enigmatic and quietly devout of pastries. The kind of pastry you can imagine producing a massive 15-hour cycle of liturgical organ music.
10. Franck - Brioche
A French viennoiserie, some people think this pastry is stodgy and turgid, but that’s plain wrong. Dense late romantic counterpoint, but with a remarkably springy texture.
A French viennoiserie, some people think this pastry is stodgy and turgid, but that’s plain wrong. Dense late romantic counterpoint, but with a remarkably springy texture.
11. Marie-Claire Alain - Crème brûlée
Yes, I know. It’s a dessert not a pastry. But come on, this is Marie-Claire Alain we’re talking about! Quintessentially French, widely travelled, could easily crank out 3 complete Bach cycles without breaking sweat.
Yes, I know. It’s a dessert not a pastry. But come on, this is Marie-Claire Alain we’re talking about! Quintessentially French, widely travelled, could easily crank out 3 complete Bach cycles without breaking sweat.
12. Messiaen - Macaroons
The extrovert’s pastry. This is the kind of pastry that loves showing off. Available in lots of colours, loved by synesthetes the world over.
The extrovert’s pastry. This is the kind of pastry that loves showing off. Available in lots of colours, loved by synesthetes the world over.
13. Langlais - Mille-feuille
A real virtuoso showstopper, this. So wild as to be almost psychedelic. The craziest harmonies you’ll hear this side of Paradise.
A real virtuoso showstopper, this. So wild as to be almost psychedelic. The craziest harmonies you’ll hear this side of Paradise.
14. Duruflé - Chocolate soufflé
An absolute classic. Melt-in-the-mouth harmonies, and leaves the most glorious aftertaste.
An absolute classic. Melt-in-the-mouth harmonies, and leaves the most glorious aftertaste.
15. Lefébure-Wély - Vacherin Glacé
This pastry is made of ice cream and Lefébure-Wély’s Sortie sounds like a runaway ice cream van. That’s it, that’s the tweet.
This pastry is made of ice cream and Lefébure-Wély’s Sortie sounds like a runaway ice cream van. That’s it, that’s the tweet.
