Wayne Marshall: The Breton Rhapsodies
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A special message from the Producer Jake Purches of Base2 Music.
Four years in the making, this remarkable recording reflects the challenges of working with the internationally acclaimed conductor, pianist and organist Wayne Marshall, whose demanding schedule often required production meetings and editing sessions across Europe. Recorded in 2022, as the world was emerging from the restrictions of the pandemic, these sessions took place at the magnificent National Forum of Music in Wrocław, Poland, immediately following one of Marshall’s recitals. The venue’s spectacular Klais organ was only two years old at the time and still settling into its acoustic environment, requiring careful tuning attention throughout both recording nights. Captured using Sennheiser MKH 8020 microphones — renowned for their extraordinary frequency response extending from 10 Hz to 100 kHz — the sessions were recorded at an ultra-high resolution of 354.8 kHz/24-bit via the hall’s Merging Technologies recording system. The microphone array combined close omni and cardioid captures at the organ, supplemented by DPA 4006A flank microphones and rear-facing cardioids to create a truly immersive 5.1 surround experience.
As with all Base2 Music productions, special attention was given to preserving the organ’s full dynamic and frequency range. The surround master includes a dedicated subwoofer channel while maintaining full-range information in every channel, allowing listeners with capable systems to experience the immense power of the instrument’s 32-foot wooden pipes, whose lowest fundamentals descend to an astonishing 16 Hz. The result is a recording that captures not only the grandeur and detail of the organ itself, but also the breathtaking acoustic of the hall, conveying a genuine sense of being present in the space.
At the heart of Breton Rhapsodies is Camille Saint-Saëns’ vivid and imaginative Trois Rhapsodies sur des Cantiques Bretons, Op. 7, a work inspired by traditional Breton melodies and rich in colour, character and atmosphere. The programme is complemented by music from César Franck, Léon Boëllmann and contemporary Canadian composer Andrew Ager, offering a fascinating journey through French and French-inspired organ repertoire. Produced and mastered to the highest audiophile standards, the album is available in both stereo and immersive surround formats, delivering the full majesty, colour and scale of this exceptional instrument in one of Europe’s finest concert halls.