Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968) began studying piano with her older sister, Yolande, before entering the Montpellier Conservatoire in 1928. In 1933, she entered the Paris Conservatoire, studying piano with Simon Riera and Magda Tagliaferro, harmony with Jean Gallon, counterpoint and fugue with Noël Gallon, and composition with Henri Büsser. She studied organ privately with Marcel Dupré before entering his organ and improvisation classes at the conservatory in 1939. After earning her first prizes, she continued private lessons until her concert debut at the Salle Pleyel in 1946. She served as organist at Saint-Esprit in the 12th arondissement from 1933 until her appointment as titular organist at La Madeleine in 1962. She taught organ at the Nancy Conservatoire (1950-1952) and the Conservatoire Royal in Liège (1952–68). She wrote over 30 compositions and made several recordings, including the complete works of César Franck.
Recordings:
The Legendary Jeanne Demessieux: The Hamburg Organs
Festivo 6961862
Includes repertoire by Bach, Franck, Demessiuex, Messiaen and an improvisation on the choral “O grosser Gott der Treu”
Tag Archives: La Madeleine
Symphony
A symphony is a multi-movement form, usually tonal with the first movement in sonata allegro form. While originating as a suite of pieces for orchestra, as the tone palette of the organ grew, it migrated to a form for the newer romantic/symphonic organ. Though the very first organ symphony was written by German composer Wilhelm Valentin Volckmar in 1867, the genre is mainly associated with French romanticism. César Franck wrote what is considered to be the first French organ symphony in his Grand pièce symphonique, and the composers Charles-Marie Widor, who wrote ten organ symphonies, and his pupil Louis Vierne, who wrote six, continued to cultivate the genre. The Symphonie-Passion of Marcel Dupré is the reconstruction of an improvisation by Dupré that he made at Wanamaker’s in Philadelphia on 8 December 1921. While classical symphonies (and those written compositions) developed original material, it seems most improvised symphonies follow the pattern of Dupré in utilizing chants, chorales, or other themes known to the audience.
Videos:
Nigel Allcoat – Symphonie Improvisée on ‘Salve Regina’ – St Nicolas du Chardonnet, Paris
Jean-Baptiste Dupont – Symphonie improvisée playlist- St-Joseph, Bonn Beuel (Germany)
Noël Hazebroucq – Symphonie Improvisée 1: Allegro Sonate – La Madeleine, Paris
Noël Hazebroucq – Symphonie Improvisée 2: Scherzo – La Madeleine, Paris
Noël Hazebroucq – Symphonie Improvisée 3: Cantilène et toccata – La Madeleine, Paris
Otto Maria Krämer – Symphonie Francaise – Allegro ma non troppo
Otto Maria Krämer – Symphonie Francaise – Cantabile
Otto Maria Krämer – Symphonie Francaise – Scherzando on “Macht hoch die Tür”
Otto Maria Krämer – Symphonie Francaise – Prière
Otto Maria Krämer – Symphonie Francaise – Final
Peter Ewers
Website:
www.vpe-web.de
You can hear him on Spotify.
Peter Ewers is a German organist, musicologist and psychotherapist. He served as assistant organist at the Paderborn Cathedral from 1991 to 1996.
Book:
Just play! An invitation to improvisation
Recordings:
Peter Ewers: Les Planètes, Improvisations
He has four albums available at:
www.peterewers.bandcamp.com
Videos:
Peter Ewers – Organ improvisation – La Madeleine, Paris
Peter Ewers – Méditation on “Dich liebt, oh Gott, mein ganzes Herz” – St-Aposteln, Cologne
François-Henri Houbart
He received his musical education from Michel Chapuis, Suzanne Chaisemartin, Pierre Lantier and Pierre Cochereau. He is currently titulaire at the church of La Madeleine, Paris.
You can hear him on Spotify.
Videos:
Offertoire 4/03/2012 La Madeleine
Sortie on ‘O Filii et Filiae’ – La Madeleine, Paris
Paraphrase improvisée sur 2 thèmes grégoriens – La Madeleine, Paris
Variations sur un thème populaire – La Madeleine, Paris