Credits:

Gillian Weir

Description:

Celebrating the 80th birthday of the world-famous female organist, the 22-CD box set "Weir is an organ prodigy on a par with Heifetz on violin and Casals on cello," said John Amis, the renowned British broadcaster. On the occasion of the 80th birthday (January 17, 2021) of Gillian Weir, the leading female organist, a 22-CD box set will be released to chronicle nearly 50 years of her brilliant career. Included are all recordings made for the Argo label, selected recordings for other labels, and, most notably, 10 CDs of previously unreleased BBC broadcast recordings selected by Weir himself. The first 12 CDs are studio recordings, and the next 10 CDs are previously unreleased BBC broadcast recordings. The extensive repertoire includes the complete organ works of César Franck and the complete works of Olivier Messiaen at the time of the 1979 recording. Gillian Weir, a female organist born in New Zealand in 1941, participated in the prestigious St. Albans International Organ Festival in 1964 while still a second-year student at the Royal College of Music.The final piece performed was a masterpiece by Olivier Messiaen, a composer of great promise who at this time was still little known outside of France. The drama of the music and the moving performance shocked the audience and the international experts on the jury. Weir won the competition and became a world-renowned performer, highly acclaimed for his musicianship, virtuosity, and intelligence as a concert organist. His international reputation as a performer is evident in the many awards and recognitions he has received, including more than a dozen honorary degrees, the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1989, and a DBE in the 1996 New Year's Honors list for outstanding contributions to music. Universal Music/IMS