Album Notes

This large and lavish instrument of 4,950 pipes was installed in 1912. Mrs. Mercedes Anchorena, a wealthy woman who lived in Buenos Aires, travelled to France and personally brought the instrument from the Cavaillé-Coll factory to Buenos Aires. Legend has it that Senora Anchorena’s only specific request was that this instrument must be larger than the instrument at the church down the street, which her friend had funded. Monsieur Mutin was reported to have said, “that, Senora, we can do.” The pipes have not been changed since its installation, providing a wonderful way to hear the zenith of French organ building at the turn of the last century. The natural buildling acoustic is 3 seconds.

James Warren, was raised near Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mr. Warren began keyboard studies at age five, was a church organist at 16, played the double bass in orchestras, and has sings in and conducts choirs. He is academically trained in Engineering, Music and Business, and resides in San Francisco, California.

He has played organ recitals at Notre Dame de Paris, St. Paul’s Cathedral (London), la Madeleine in Paris, and has recorded two compact disks in the UK for Regent Records, at Salisbury (“All Through the Night” in 1998) and Coventry (“How Brightly Shines the Morning Star” in 2002) Cathedrals. Having spent almost 50 years as organist and choirmaster in church and cathedral settings, Mr. Warren believes deeply in the power of excellence in church music as a profound and moving form of spirituality.