Paul Benoit

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paul Benoit , also Paul Benoît OSB (born December 9, 1893 in Nancy , France , † April 10, 1979 in Clervaux , Luxembourg ) was a Luxembourg Benedictine priest , organist and composer for organ .

Life

Paul Benoit (sometimes also: Benoît) was born on December 9, 1893 in Nancy (France).

During the First World War , Benoit's decision to become a religious grew. After the armistice of 1918, he spent a few days in the Benedictine abbey in Clervaux (Clervaux) in Luxembourg (not to be confused with the Clairvaux monastery in France), only to enter there shortly afterwards. After his religious profession (1921) and his ordination (1926) he was addressed as "Dom" Paul Benoit.

Paul Benoit received his first piano lessons from his mother when he was seven. He received organ lessons from Mlle. Hess, the daughter of the organist of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Nancy , and later - after his ordination - from Albert Leblanc , the then organist of the cathedral of Luxembourg , and above all from Augustin Pierson, the organist of the cathedral St Louis of Versailles . There he was introduced to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Louis Vierne in particular , who would have a lasting impact on him. At the same time he gave organ lessons to organists from the Clerf area.

In 1931 he was appointed titular organist of the Mutin-Cavaillé-Coll organ (3 manuals, 20 stops) in his abbey in Clervaux . Although he had already composed smaller pieces in his childhood, Benoit's compositional work began at this time, which was strongly influenced by an impressionist spirit. According to his own statements, he was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach (counterpoint), Louis Vierne (chromaticism), Claude Debussy (free rhythmic structure) and Maurice Ravel (chromaticism), but primarily in Gregorian chant , which he experienced and experienced daily in his abbey who is the basis of his work. Benoit's compositional style can be described as melodic-pentatonic. Nones , undecimals, and tredecimals are cleverly used. The movement of the melody voice is often set against held chords. His compositions seem transparent, never pompous and overloaded, and seem almost mystically entranced in their calm passages. On the advice of his spiritual director, he used the personal prayer time in his monastery cell to compose, as this was the best way to meet God, and according to his own statements, he also composed exclusively for God. Incidentally, Benoît did not give a single public concert.

In 1945, Benoit met Father Dom Georges Chopiney, who was his representative on the organ, but also a personal friend. In an obituary, Benoît underlined that Benoît was not only interested in music, but also - similar to Olivier Messiaen - had an extraordinary love for plants and animals, liked to go to the forest to stay in swamp areas, to collect mushrooms, or Observe animals (birds, butterflies, insects). He also ran a small weather station.

In character, Benoit was, according to Chopiney, a complex personality. On the one hand, he was a shy, sensitive and fearful person who had a great need for recognition and at the same time had difficulties in relating to other people and trusting them. At the same time, he could sometimes appear jealous, dominant, or even authoritarian, even though he was basically a deeply humble person. He also had a sentimental streak, with a certain childish naivety and enthusiasm. Chopiney closes with the words: “En définitive, Dom Benoît ne fut jamais rien d'autre qu'un enfant. [...] Il avait une âme d'enfant, limpide, naïve et candide ”(German:“ Ultimately, Dom Benoît was never anything other than a child. [...] He had a child's soul, pure, naive and unspoiled. ")

Dom Paul Benoit died on April 10, 1979 in Clervaux , leaving behind a large work for organ, which has only been partially published.

List of works

  • PB 01 - Elévations pour les Messes IX-X-XI (Combre, Paris)
  • PB 02 - Elévations pour la Messe XI (Combre, Paris)
  • PB 05 - 2 Fantaisies pour orgue (Combre, Paris)
  • PB 08 - 50 Élévations (CPP / Belwin, Miami / London)
  • PB 09 - Diptyque en l'honneur de Ste Thérèse (Combre, Paris)
  • PB 11 - 7 pieces for harmonium ou orgue (Combre, Paris)
  • PB 15 - 60 Pièces dévotionelles (CPP / Belwin, Miami / London)
  • PB 21 - Versets du Magnificat (Art Sacré, Klierf)
  • PB 22 - Pièces d'orgue pour l'année liturgique (Art Sacré, Clervaux) - New edition by:
    • PB 03 - Au soir de l'Ascension du Seigneur (Fisher & Bro. 7934, 1943)
    • PB 04 - Noël basque (Fisher & Bros. 7961, 1943)
    • PB 06 - 10 petites fugues sur des themes liturgiques (Société anonyme Nancy)
    • PB 10 - 4 preludes pour grand orgue (Fisher & Bro. 8509)
    • PB 12 - Pièces d'orgue (Fisher & Bro. 8774)
    • PB 16 - Esquisses liturgiques (Fisher & Bro. 9517)
    • PB 17 - Triptyque pour orgue (pro defunctis)
  • PB 23 - (Art Sacré, Clervaux) - New edition by:
    • PB 07 - Suite liturgique pour Pâques (Fisher & Bro. 8362, 8455, 8359, 8360)
    • PB 19 - Toccata sur "Ite Missa est" VIII
    • PB 20 - Offertoire sur la Sequence "Te Johannes"
  • PB 24 - (Art Sacré, Clervaux) - New edition by:
    • PB 13 - Le Chant intérieur (Fisher & Bro. 8841)
    • PB 14 - 41 Élévations (Fisher & Bro. 8984)
    • PB 18 - Ode pour la paix, pour grand orgue (Fisher & Bro. 9286)
  • PB 25 - Noël original avec 6 variations (Art Sacré, Klierf)
  • PB 26 - Nativité et Pâques à l'Abbaye de Clervaux (Art Sacré, Klierf)
  • PB 27 - Consolatrix Afflictorum (Art Sacré, Klierf, ISBN 2-87996-850-X )
  • PB 28 - Livre d'Orgue "Anniversaires 2009" (Art Sacré, Klierf)

It should be noted that most of his compositions have not (yet) been published.

Discography

  • "Année liturgique" (LP, recorded in Clervaux by Albert Leblanc , Luxembourg Sound LS 30 721, on the occasion of his golden profession 1974/1975)
  • "Pâques, Le Chant Intérieur" (CD, recorded in Clervaux by Carlo Hommel , 1991, K617 France, K6170201991; also contained in the CD box "Carlo Hommel" from 2006, K617CARLO1-4)
  • "Nativité et Pâques" (2 CDs, recorded in Clervaux by Carlo Hommel , 2000, K617 France)
  • "Consolatrix Afflictorum" (CD, recorded in Clervaux by Gérard Close , 2007, Art Sacré, RCB01042007)

literature

  • Festschrift Dom Paul Benoit: Commémoration du centenaire de la naissance de Dom Paul Benoît OSB (1893–1979). Compositeur et organiste de l'Abbaye, September 26, 1993, Clervaux 1993.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cathedral is the traditional title that Benedictine fathers receive after their profession. The name goes back to the Latin word "dominus" (master).
  2. ↑ Dom Georges Chopiney, "Dom Benoît tel que je l'ai connu et aimé", undated
  3. ↑ For the entire section cf. the commemorative publication "Commémoration du centenaire de la naissance de Dom Paul Benoît OSB" (September 26, 1993) and the article by Luc Deitz in the booklet of the CD "Consolatrix Afflictorum" (see discography)
  4. ↑ http://www.editions-combre.com/
  5. ↑ http://www.mpa.org/music-publisher/3133/
  6. ↑ Abbaye de Clervaux, L-9737 Clervaux
personal data
SURNAME Benoit, Paul
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Benoît, Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Luxembourg Benedictine priest, organist and composer
DATE OF BIRTH December 9, 1893
PLACE OF BIRTH Nancy , France
DATE OF DEATH April 10, 1979
Place of death Clervaux , Luxembourg