Naji Hakim

naji_hakimOfficial website:
http://www.najihakim.com/
You can hear him on Spotify.

Naji Hakim studied with Jean Langlais and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in the classes of R. Boutry, Jean-Claude Henry, M. Bitsch, Rolande Falcinelli, J. Castérède and S. Nigg, where he was awarded seven first prizes. He is professor of musical analysis at the Conservatoire National de Région de Boulogne-Billancourt, and visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music, London. At first organist of the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, Paris from 1985 until 1993, he then became organist of l’église de la Trinité, in succession to Olivier Messiaen, from 1993 until 2008.


Book:
HakimCompanionThe Improvisation Companion
United Music Publishers Ltd.
The Improvisation Companion is intended as a reference book for all musicians looking for a form of personal artistic expression on their instrument. The guide uses an educational process of synthesis and is divided into four main parts that deal with the theory of improvisation and of its different components (theme, development and forms). The two appendices cover the basic principles of harmonisation and give a repertoire of themes.

Articles:
Principles of Improvisation. In: Church Music Quarterly, magazine of the Royal School of Church Music, July 2001.
Une entrevue avec Naji Hakim
by Béatrice Piertot in : “La Revue l’Orgue” 2003 (in French)

Audio:
Naji Hakim – Entry in the 33rd Haarlem Improvisation Competition

Videos:
Documentary – On the Edge featuring a Sortie by Hakim
Naji Hakim – Improvisation “Segne du Maria” – Wallfahrtskirche – Klausen

On the music of Hakim:

Selected Chant-Based Organ Works of Naji Hakim: The Influence of Improvisation
by Heather Hernandez

Thierry Escaich

Thierry Escaich © François GibelliOfficial website:
http://www.escaich.org/en/

YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/escaichthierry
You can also hear him on Spotify.
Thierry Escaich has been organist at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris since 1997, having succeeded Maurice Duruflé.


Recordings:

Thierry Escaich: Organ Spectacular (Improvisations)


Souvenirs de l’opus 26 Live
Includes repertoire and improvisations


Thierry Escaich : Esquisses (feat. Eric Aubier, Ensemble Vocal Soli Tutti)
Includes compositions by Escaich for organ, choir, and trumpet with organ. The recording begins and concludes with improvisations.


Escaich: Le Dernier Evangile
This recording contains a work for chorus, organ and orchestra by Escaich and four improvisations.


Escaich: Live Improvisations
Thierry Escaich: Improvisations
Only available as used through Amazon.com. This recording contains fur suites of improvisations for Chirstmas, Holy Week, Pentecost and Assumption. Recorded on the Daniel Birouste organ at St. Pierre de Chaillot in Paris.
There is an earlier release on the same record label where Escaich improvises and plays some of his own compositions at St. Germain-des-Prés in Paris.

escaich_cd05

Thierry Escaich
Le Chemin de la Croix, improvisations.
Thierry Escaich, organ. Georges Wilson, récitant (textes de Paul Claudel). Recorded at the Cathedral of Laon, 16 – 17 March 2000. Disque Caliope, 2000, CAL 9523.


Hommage à Pierre Cochereau
Improvisations by George Baker, David Briggs, Thierry Escaich and Loïc Mallié.


Duruflé: Works for Organ & Choir
This recording contains choral works of Maurice Duruflé, along with the Suite, op 5, and improvisations by Thierry Escaich.


Unlimited! (Music for Trumpet and Organ)
While both discs contain music for trumpet and organ, the second also includes several improvisations by Escaich alone.
Videos:
Improvisation sur un texte de saint Paul
Thierry Escaich Improv sur le “Chemin de la Croix” de Claudel – Notre Dame de Paris

Pierre Cochereau

cochereauPierre Cochereau was organist at the Cathedral of Notre Dame from 1955 until 1984.
Full bio. You can hear him on Spotify.

Many of his improvisations have been transcribed by David Briggs, François Lombard, and a few others and are now available in print through Editions Chantraine.


Recordings:

Cochereau: Improvise sur des Noëls


Cochereau: Improvise en concert à Notre-Dame de Paris


Cochereau: 2 Symphonies improvisées à Notre-Dame de Paris


Cochereau: L’Organiste liturgique


Cochereau: L’Art de l’improvisation


Improvisations sur les thèmes de Pâques


Cochereau, la Légende


Cochereau: Deux grandes Improvisations en concert à Notre-Dame de Paris


Cochereau: Un Testament musical


Les Offices du dimanche à Notre-Dame de Paris


Pierre Cochereau – l’organiste de Notre-Dame


L’art de la Variation – improvisations


Cochereau Joue Cochereau Improvisions 1


Pierre Cochereau – Les Incunables (1955-56)


Pierre Cochereau – 12 improvisations inedites


Pierre Cochereau at Saint Thomas NYC

Videos:
Pierre Cochereau – Sortie – Notre Dame – Audio only