Cesar Franck - The Great Organ Works Vol 1, Eric Lebrun

GRAND symphonic organ works, pounding fugues and pondering fantasies, all wrapped up in one CD.

Many know the name Cesar Franck but would be hard pressed to tell you what he wrote, with most people's knowledge (mine included) of organ works starting and finishing with the likes of Bach and Widor.

But Franck penned some masterful pieces for this most religious of instruments.

Here Naxos has drawn together five compositions, of which the Prelude, fugue et variation Op 18 is probably the best-known.

It is all pretty stirring stuff, with resonating chord structures and the requisite "twiddly" bits.

Organist Eric Lebrun, who left the Paris Conservatoire with five first prizes, certainly knows his way around his chosen musical instrument.

Like good driving, it is really just an extension of the artist and Lebrun switches from the lighter sound of the Fantasie in C Major Op 16 to the Grand Piece Symphonique Op 17 with the fluid excellence of a master.

It is difficult to describe the flavour of these works. But at the end of the day I think religious is the key word.

Can a suburban CD player really do justice to music which should be performed in church, where it has the chance to soar and echo around impressive stone architecture?

I'm not sure it can. It appears incongruous among the occasional tables, lamps and TV of most living rooms. My advice is to take a Walkman and go and sit in a pew somewhere.

(Naxos 8.554697)