Mattias Wager – Hymne À L’Univers: Mattias Wagner Plays The Grand Organ In Stockholm City Hall (SACD hibrid)

Ten years after the release of “Organ Treasures,” Mattias Wager has released another spectacular organ album, “Hymne À L’Univers”. Spectacular in more ways than one: First, Wager has chosen a thematically fascinating repertoire of works by Johan Alain, André Jolivet, Joseph Ermend Bonnal, and Maurice Duruflé from the 1930s. In doing so, he impressively demonstrates the boundless possibilities that many composers sought to realize in the period before World War II and their irrepressible creativity.

Even if the selection seems very specific at first glance, it is by no means intended only for repertoire specialists. Secondly, sound engineer Jan-Eric Persson took the opportunity to record the organ at Stockholm City Hall – for the first time ever! The instrument is very popular because the annual Nobel Prize award ceremony takes place in this very hall. Completed in 1926 and equipped with 10,400 pipes, this organ is by far the largest instrument of its kind in Scandinavia and, given its gigantic size, one of the few instruments in the world capable of rendering even the finest nuances of the most demanding organ literature. As Mattias Wager is the long-standing organist at Stockholm City Hall and knows the instrument like no other, the conditions for this Opus 3 Records production are ideal. „Mattias Wager has made a wise choice of venue: Concert halls rarely have the acoustics required for this type of music, but here the atmosphere is quite impressive – perhaps mainly because the organ is mounted on the ceiling – and the timbres of the instrument are expressed with great clarity through the textures. 5 stars!” (Rupert Gough in Choir & Organ, March/April 2014)

The outstanding Hybrid SACD from Opus 3 Records contains a booklet with detailed information about the recording technology and microphones used.

Opus 3 is an independent Swedish music label dedicated to recording timeless acoustic music such as jazz, blues, folk and classical. Founded in late 1976 by sound engineer Jan-Eric Persson, the label has made it its mission to reproduce voices and instruments as naturally as possible. To achieve this, Opus 3 selects recording environments with good natural. The label’s recording techniques were developed specifically for acoustic music and were originally based on the use of tube gear and “Blumlein” miking. In 2001, Opus 3 switched to digital eight-track technology and later to 16 channels – in the brand-new mixing and mastering studio designed and set up by Sweden’s leading acoustic engineer Lennart Nilsson to mark the label’s 30th anniversary. Apart from a few digital intermediate steps all processing is still done exclusively analog.

We recommend the use of „L’Art du Son” CD/DVD conditioner for even more sonic improvement.

Lista pieselor

Jehan Alain (1911 – 1940):

“Trois Danses”

1. Joies

2. Deuies

3. Luttes

Josef Ermend Bonnal (1880 – 1944):

“Paysages Euskariens”

4. La Valllée De Béhor Léguy

5. Le Berger De Ahusguy, Au Matin

6. Cloches Dans Le Ciel

Maurice Duruflé (1902 – 1986):

7. Scherzo, Op. 2

André Jolivet (1905 – 1974)

8. Hymne À L’Univers