André Isoir studied with Édouard Souberbielle (organ) and Germaine Mounier (piano) at the École César-Franck and with Rolande Falcinelli at the Paris Conservatoire. He won the Haalrem Improvisation competition in 1966, 1967, and 1968. Since 1973 he has been titulaire organist at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris.
Audio:
André Isoir – Entry in the 1968 Haarlem Improvisation Competition
Tag Archives: French
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
Michel Chapuis
Chapuis was organist for the Paris churches of St. Germain l’Auxerrois (1951-54) and St. Nicolas des Champs (1954-72), accompanied at Notre Dame (1955-64), and was titular organist of St. Séverin from 1964. He also toured widely as a concert artist. From 1956-79 he was Professor at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg, 1979-86 at the Besançon Conservatoire, and 1986-95 at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1995, he was named organist to the Versailles Royal Chapel.
Full bio. You can hear him on Spotify.
Videos:
Michel Chapuis – Grand Jeu Classique – St. Ouen
Michel Chapuis – Improvisations in French classical style – Chapelle Royale, Paris
Michel Chapuis – Improvisation sur “Ubi Caritas” – Cathédrale Saint-Vincent, Saint-Malo
Michel Chapuis – Improvisations dans le style classique français – Orgue Aubertin, Karuzawa, Japan
Pierre Pincemaille
Official website:
pierrepincemaille.fr
You can hear him on Spotify.
In 1987, Pierre Pincemaille was appointed Titular Organist to the Basilique de Saint-Denis.
Recordings:
Improvisations on European National Anthems
Pincemaille: Improvisations sur des thèmes de Noël
Cannes : Un festival d’improvisations
Improvisationen (an der grossen Kuhn-Orgel des Mindener Doms)
Videos:
Prélude – St. Denis
Sortie – St. Denis
Offertoire – St. Denis
Conditor Alme Siderum – St. Denis
Improvisation sur “Noi canteremo gloria a Te” (aka OLD HUNDREDTH) – Chignolo d’Isola, Bergamo, Italy
Pierre Pincemaille – Theme and Variations on a popular tune – Saint-Martin de Dudelange – Luxembourg
Pierre Pincemaille – the film FAUST of MURNAU – Saint-Ouen de Rouen
Olivier Penin
In 2004, he was appointed as co-titulaire at the organ of the Basilica Sainte Clotilde in Paris.
Videos:
Communion – St. Clotilde
Offertoire – St. Clotilde
Offertoire – St. Clotilde
Prelude – St. Clotilde
Sortie – St. Clotilde
Olivier Messiaen
Appointed organist at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris, in 1931. He remained the organist at the church for more than sixty years.
Full bio.
Recordings:
Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time/Improvisations
Videos:
Puer Natus Est – La Trinité
Jean-Pierre Leguay
Jean-Pierre Leguay is a French organist, composer and improviser. He studied organ with André Marchal, Gaston Litaize, Rolande Falcinelli, as well as counterpoint with Simone Plé-Caussade, and composition with Olivier Messiaen. He served as titular organist at Notre-Dame-des-Champs in Paris from 1961 to 1984. In 1985, Jean-Pierre Leguay was awarded the post of one of four titulaires des grands orgue of Notre-Dame, Paris alongside Yves Devernay, Olivier Latry and Philippe Lefèbvre, following the death of Pierre Cochereau.
Full bio. You can hear him on Spotify.
Recordings:
Jean-Pierre Leguay: Improvisations
Video:
Jean-Pierre Leguay – Prélude de la messe grégorienne – Notre Dame, Paris
Philippe Lefebvre
With the encouragement of Pierre Cochereau, Philippe Lefebvre began organ studies at the Conservatoire de Lille before entering the class of Rolande Falcinelli at the Conservatoire de Paris. He won the premier prix for improvisation at the international Lyon competition in 1972 and then the grand prix for improvisation at the international Chartres competition. In 1976, he was appointed organist titulaire at Chartres cathedral. In 1985, Philippe Lefèbvre was awarded the post of one of four titulaires des grands orgue of Notre-Dame, Paris alongside Yves Devernay, Olivier Latry and Jean-Pierre Leguay, following the death of Pierre Cochereau.
Full bio. You can hear him on Spotify.
Recordings:
Mallié – Lefèbvre : Improvisations à l’ogue
Videos:
Prélude – 01.05.2011 – Notre Dame
Sortie – 19.04.2009 – Notre Dame
Sortie – 01.05.2011 – Notre Dame
Offertoire – 01.05.2011 – Notre Dame
Olivier Latry & Philippe Lefebvre – Variations Pt. 1
Olivier Latry & Philippe Lefebvre – Variations Pt. 2
Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefèbvre, Vincent Dubois, Paolo Oreni and Kalevi Kiviniemi – Improvisation-à-cinque – St. Joseph, Bonn Beuel
Charles Tournemire (Philippe Lefebvre plays) – Victimae paschali laudes – Chartres Cathedral, France
Yves Devernay
Yves Devernay (1937-1990) studied the organ with Marie-Claire Alain and Rolande Falcinelli, and was awarded Premier Prix at Lyon and Chartres improvisation competitions. He became one of four organists (alongside Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefèbvre and Jean-Pierre Leguay) to inherit Pierre Cochereau‘s post as titulaire of Notre Dame in 1985. He died suddenly in 1990. You can hear him on Spotify.
Recordings:
Devernay: Improvisations à Notre-Dame de Paris
Audio:
Yves Devernay – Entry in the 12th Haarlem Improvisation Competition
Videos:
Yves Devernay – Sortie, Christmas 1988 – Notre Dame, Paris
Yves Devernay – Sortie, Easter 1989 – Notre Dame, Paris
Yves Devernay – Sortie, Easter 1989 – Notre Dame, Paris
Olivier Latry
Professor of Organ in the Conservatoire de Paris.
In 1985, at 23 years of age, Latry was awarded the post of one of four titulaires des grands orgue of Notre-Dame, Paris alongside Yves Devernay, Philippe Lefèbvre and Jean-Pierre Leguay, following the death of Pierre Cochereau.
Full bio.
Recordings:
Olivier Latry: On A Sunday Afternoon at Washington National Cathedral
This recording features Olivier Latry’s 2007 recital on the pipe organ in Washington National Cathedral and includes works of Louis Vierne, Felix-Alexandre Guilmant and two improvisations by Latry.
Videos:
Sortie – 18.09.2011 – Notre Dame
Sortie – 10-09-2011 – Notre Dame
À la Bach – Notre Dame
Communion – 29.03.2008 – Notre Dame
Olivier Latry – Organ Blessing Versets – Our Lady of Refuge, Brooklyn, NY
Olivier Latry – Improvisation on The Simpsons Theme – Toronto
Olivier Latry with Vincent Dubois, Paolo Oreni and Michael Bottenhorn – Happy Birthday – St. Joseph, Bonn Beuel
Olivier Latry & Philippe Lefebvre – Variations Pt. 1
Olivier Latry & Philippe Lefebvre – Variations Pt. 2
Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefèbvre, Vincent Dubois, Paolo Oreni and Kalevi Kiviniemi – Improvisation-à-cinque – St. Joseph, Bonn Beuel