Andrew-John Smith’s clever programming alternates the Three Preludes and Fugues, Op 99, with the three Fantaisies and other works. Wisely, he begins and ends the CD with the loudest and most extrovert pieces, namely the E flat major Prelude and Fugue and the E flat Fantaisie. In between there are long stretches of quiet, introspective music, and listeners may long for the more dramatic compositions of Franck, Vierne or Widor. However, at his best Saint-Saëns has an originality and charm all his own; possibly no other French organist-composer could have produced the delicate beauty of the B major Prelude or the Bénédiction nuptiale.

It’s clear from his highly detailed booklet-notes plus his polished and stylish performances that Smith is an enthusiastic advocate of Saint-Saëns. What prevents this CD achieving its fullest impact is a cautious approach by player and sound engineers to the cavernous acoustic of the church of La Madeleine. The potential loss of detail leads Smith to adopt tempi which are sometimes slower than the composer’s moderato and sans lenteur markings. Meanwhile the 1846 four-manual 58-stop Cavaillé-Coll organ is recorded close-up, and although we gain clarity we lose the sense of grandeur with a large instrument ringing around a massive edifice.

On the plus side, Smith’s warm and sympathetic rubato is a constant delight, and his inspired choice to make the recording on an instrument played regularly by Saint-Saëns means that listeners can relish the authentic Gallic tones of the splendid La Madeleine organ.