Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937), the greatest French organist of his day, called the ten solo compositions in this two-volume edition "organ symphonies" to reflect both their secular spirit and the orchestral wealth of the timbres of the new French organs. Cast in the distinctive new form he developed, the symphonies usually consist of six or seven short movements of widely varying moods and textures, filled with lively and elegant marches and scherzos, lush pastorals and other musical forms not usually associated with organ music. Most were written specifically to exploit the capacities of the modern Cavaillé-Coll organ, especially the rich-toned five-keyboard instrument at St-Sulpice in Paris.
Widely regarded as the culmination of French romanticism on the organ, Widor's symphonies include some of the most frequently performed and recorded works in the modern organ repertoire. Presented here in two inexpensive, well-made volumes, they offer a splendid resource for organists and all music lovers.