Vierne's Messe solennelle is a magnificent work full of spine-tingling harmonies and sumptuous melodies. The luxuriance of this score is further enhanced by the sound of two organs pealing off into the vast spaces of the Sacre-Coeur. It is that monstrous building which dominates this recording, since no concessions seem to have been made for its cavernous, music-devouring acoustic. Seemingly in one of the building's darker recesses, well away from any microphone, lurk the massed choirs of three Parisian churches. Perhaps distance, on this occasion, lends enchantment, for on the rare occasions when the organs' echoes fade away sufficiently for the choirs to be audible, one detects a poorly-blended, dull sound, infected with flat intonation and a tenor line which is horribly reminiscent of an English village church choir on an off Sunday. I suppose this is very much the sound Vierne could have expected when he wrote the work, but as a musical experience this recording leaves rather a lot to be desired. On the other hand, as an aural experience it is spectacular!
The acoustic obviously tells on the SacreCoeur's Lebanese organist, Naji Hakim. At a whisper under six-and-a-half minutes this must be the slowest performance of ''Tu es petra'' on record. However, his own work, The embrace of fire, displays his talents, both as a formidable organist and as a master improviser (although fully written-out, the piece has a strongly improvisatory character) as well as the full resources of the church's recently restored Cavaille-Coll organ to dramatic effect.'