Widor & Vierne [CD]

After coming to prominence as resident organistof the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Iveta Apkalnahas most recently been to the Far East, where in2018 she inaugurated Asia's largest concert organin Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She has now recorded hernew album on the organ at the NationalKaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying). It isan impressive instrument: Almost 10,000 pipes inover 120 registers, located in a twin organ. On theright-hand half of the stage is the great symphonicorgan, which recreates the aesthetic timbre of theFrench Romantic style. And on the left there is thesmaller "echo organ", oriented on the GermanBaroque repertoire. On this new album, IvetaApkalna has compiled a programme that unitesthe two organs by placing the focus on the FrenchRomantic style and making a brief foray to thefather of organ music, J.S. Bach.