This double CD set has long been overdue. Gilles Jullien (1653-1703) may have been a minor composer, but his only known work, his Premier livre d'orgue, rarely recorded hitherto, is an important milestone in the history of the French classical organ. Published in 1690, it is contemporaneous with Jacques Boyvin's first Livre d'orgue and Francois Couperin's two organ Masses and is a wordry example of the art of the French organists of the end of the seventeenth century. Jullien, who was organist of die cathedral of Chartres, had fully assimilated the Parisian style of the period, and he even ventured into 5-part writing, which was uncommon in France at the time. His music is elegant and often poetic, even poignant at times, as in the beautiful Cromome en taille of the first suite. Schoonbrodt plays this colourful music with gusto and clarity, even if some of die Grands Jeux may sound a bit too reserved. The two organs used — the Hew (1672) / Jean-Pierre Cavaille (1787) organ of Montauban Cathedral restored by Quoirin in 2000 (4 manuals/pedal, 38 stops), and the Moucherel (1725) of Mouzon rebuilt by Formentelli in 1991 (4 manuals/pedal, 44 stops) - are both beautiful French instruments with contrasted personalities. The set also includes the Motet to Saint-Cecilia which originally concluded Jullien's Livre d'Orgue. One may regret that the altematim Gregorian chanting originally interspersed between die organ pieces was not included. However, without it the organ pieces can pleasantly be heard as autonomous organ suites. The sound quality is excellent. Well worth buying for anyone interested in the French classical organ or eager to discover it. PIERRE DUBOIS