Alexandre Guilmant

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Clarence Eddy and Alexandre Guilmant at Steinway Hall. Photo: Ernest Hergt (1898)
Camille Andrès (standing, right), Alexandre Guilmant (seated, in the foreground), Pierre de Bréville (in the background) and Eugène Gigout (standing, left)

Félix Alexandre Guilmant [gilmɑ̃] (born March 12, 1837 in Boulogne-sur-Mer , † March 29, 1911 in Meudon ) was a French organist and composer .

biography

Guilmant studied first with his father, the organist Jean-Baptiste Guilmant (1793–1890), then with Gustave Carulli (1801–1876), and later in Brussels with Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens . At the age of 16 he was employed at the conservatory in his hometown as an organist and at 20 as a conductor and teacher.

At the inauguration of the organs of Saint-Sulpice and the organ of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral , his playing attracted such attention that he was appointed titular organist in La Trinité in 1871 as the successor to Charles-Alexis Chauvet .

He achieved extraordinary success on his concert tours through England, Italy, Russia and Riga , as well as his concerts on the organ of the Trocadéro hall in 1878 during the Paris World Exhibition .

From 1896 to 1900 he was director of the Schola Cantorum in Paris.

Through his compositions such as the symphony for organ and orchestra and the eight organ sonatas , Guilmant contributed significantly to the development of an independent French-Romantic-symphonic organ style.

Works (selection)

Vocal music
  • 4 masses, 1856-1859
  • Motets and Litanies, 1856-1891, a. a .: Quam dilecta op.8 , 12 Motets op.14, Christ vincit op.64 , Ecce panis op.66 , Pie Jesu op.73
  • Male choirs: C'est la grande fête de l'onde (1866), Saint Geneviève de Paris (1873–1875, unfinished)
  • Songs: Ce que dit le silence (1876)
  • Balthazar , scène lyrique for choir, solos and orchestra op.51
  • Ariane , symphony cantata op.53
Instrumental music
  • Chamber music: Prière for violoncello and piano op. 22, 2 Romances sans paroles op. 67, Berceuse op. 79, Morceau symphonique op. 88 for trombone and piano
  • Symphony in D minor op.42 for organ and orchestra (based on organ sonata No. 1)
  • Symphony in A major op.91 for organ and orchestra (based on organ sonata No. 8)
  • Marche élégiaque in C minor op. 74/1 for organ, 2 oboes and strings
Organ music
  • Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 42
  • Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 50
  • Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 56
  • Sonata No. 4 in D minor, Op. 61
  • Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 80
  • Sonata No. 6 in B minor, Op. 86
  • Sonata No. 7 in F major op.89
  • Sonata No. 8 in A major op.91
  • L'Organiste pratique
  • L'Organiste liturgiste op.65
  • Communion op. 82/1
  • Contemplation op. 82/2
  • Pieces in different styles
  • Chant et Noëls op. 93
  • 3 Morceaux d'orgue op.18a

literature

  • Hans Uwe Hielscher: Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911) - life and work. Dohr, Cologne 2002, ISBN 3-925366-67-9

Web links

See also

predecessor Office successor
Charles-Alexis Chauvet Titular organist at La Trinité (Paris)
1871–1902 		Charles Quef
personal data
SURNAME Guilmant, Alexandre
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French organist and composer
DATE OF BIRTH March 12, 1837
PLACE OF BIRTH Boulogne-sur-Mer
DATE OF DEATH March 29, 1911
Place of death Meudon