Reuchsel, Eugène: Evocation de Louis Vierne

aux Grandes Orgues de Notre-Dame de Paris

1. The sunny rose-window sparkled with a million lights above the Grand Organ from which its splendid resonances burst forth. 2. His artist’s soul sings the hope of his deliverance from the tenebrae. 3. The genial light shines in his blind man’s eyes. ...Vierne at his organ in Notre-Dame! Who could not be moved by this great and touching picture? Who has not vibrated at the view of this intimate understanding between the being and the object, between the spirit ant the matter? The one feeling its registers, caressing the ivory of its keys, manoeuvring its stops, the other-the console (brain of the organ)-oofering itself entirely to the inspiration of the Master. It is truly here that Louis Vierne is found in his element. One should have followed his facial expressions, even before he put his hands on the keyboards, one should have seen on his face the legitimate pride that he brought out of the royal instrument, which he commanded... Extract from a book on Louis Vierne, by Maître Norbert Dufourcq, president of "Friends of the Organ", organist at Saint-Merri, in Paris.