Music For Organ And Orchestra: Festival Prelude For Organ And Orchestra Op. 61 - Organ Concerto In G Minor - Toccata Festiva, Op. 36

Released by Columbia Masterworks in 1966, this compilation serves as a premier showcase for the organ as a symphonic instrument. The record features legendary organist E. Power Biggs collaborating with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein and The Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. The selection highlights mid-20th-century American and European traditions, pairing Barber's Toccata Festiva—a work commissioned by the Curtis Institute of Music—with concertos by Strauss and Poulenc that emphasize the instrument's dramatic versatility.

The album reflects a golden era of orchestral recording where label leaders like Columbia sought to document virtuoso performances of complex, large-scale compositions. E. Power Biggs was instrumental in the mid-century revival of the pipe organ, and his technical precision was highly regarded by conductors of the stature of Bernstein and Ormandy. Upon its release, the record was recognized for its high-fidelity capture of the organ’s expansive dynamic range, remaining a staple for audiophiles and classical music collectors interested in the post-war symphonic repertoire.