In 1900, Louis Vierne became organist at Notre Dame in Paris, beating 500 other applicants for the post with one of his organ symphonies and a fine Solemn Mass in a city renowned for the skill and social position of its organists.
Vierne's career was dogged by poor eyesight and, during a period of treatment in Switzerland,
Marcel Dupre took over - the two men never spoke to each other again. But Vierne died as he would have wished, at the console of his beloved instrument during a recital. The programme includes recordings of Vierne playing the Notre Dame organ.