Trio Psaume 42 / Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele

Gaël Liardon (1973-2018) was a Swiss classical keyboard player, composer and academic. Born in Lausanne, he studied harpsichord, organ and continuo playing with Pierre-Alain Clerc and Jovanka Marville, piano with Freddy Balta, and improvisation with Rudolf Lutz. He has been organist of the church of Villamont, Lausanne, from 1995. In 2009, he obtained a diploma of teaching theory at the Geneva University of Music, with distinction. He taught music pedagogy at the Geneva Conservatory. In 1997, he created the Festival de Musique Improvisée de Lausanne and also participated in the creation of the research group on improvisation of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. In 2011, he founded the Sweelinck Ensemble in Geneva. (source: Wikipedia)

Liardon was a true master in composing chorale trios, as shown by this delicate trio on the Genevan Psalm 42, which has the same tune as the chorale 'Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele'. The cantus firmus is in the pedal, which gives a nice chance to show the wonderful Choralbass 4' of the Metzler organ of Poblet. Oddly enough the pedal part is written in the G clef in the treble, which caused my brain to work extra hard while playing...