Early on in its existence, Charles-Marie Widor's Symphony No. 6 in G minor for organ, Op. 42, No. 2—or at least two movements of the work—led a kind of dual musical life. This "symphony" (Widor used the word in its general sense of "concordant sound" to designate a series of solo organ pieces) was published along with the other three works of Op. 42, in or around 1880. Widor extracted two of Op. 42, No. 2's movements, arranged them for organ and orchestra, added an arrangement of a movement from the second of the Op. 13 organ symphonies, and called the resulting hodgepodge work a Symphony for organ and orchestra; it was first performed in 1882 by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and then, save for the odd performance here or there, essentially forgotten. The original organ work, however, remains a favorite among organists.

Like its immediate predecessor (No. 5 in F minor), the Organ Symphony No. 6 in G minor is in five movements. The immense power of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at the church of St. Sulpice is invoked at the opening of the Allegro first movement, while its capacity for lyricism and devout (though in this case not specifically religious) introspection comes to the fore in the following Adagio, a movement in which Widor's increasing interest in chromaticism is very much evident. A scherzo-like intermezzo and a cantabile of great fluidity make up the third and fourth movements. After the ruffled D flat major sonority at the end of the fourth movement, the G major plagal gestures—triple-forte, no less—at the opening of the Vivace finale have a near-primal power.

© Blair Johnston, All Music Guide