Georges Mercure

Georges Mercure (born June 19, 1905 in Drummondville , † August 24, 1993 in Montreal ) was a Canadian Benedictine monk and prior of the Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac , Gregorian chant , organist, choirmaster and composer.

Mercure showed musical talent early on. He took piano lessons from Arthur Letondal in Montreal and worked as a silent film pianist. In 1923 he entered the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac. He continued his musical training at the Schola Cantorum in Paris and studied Gregorian singing in the Abbeys of Solesmes and St. Wandrille.

After his return to Canada he founded a choir in the Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, with which he recorded several shellac records. In 1937 he published Rythmique grégorienne . In 1944, Mercure was elected Prior of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac.

On a second trip to France he had the opportunity to study counterpoint and composition with Nadia Boulanger . He then recorded more records with the choir of his monastery and in 1958 published Polyphonie grégorienne . After the Second Vatican Council he began to translate the Gregorian repertoire into French and from 1967 composed the psalms, hymns and songs for the prayers of the hours in fifteen volumes . He also composed liturgical music for the sacraments and responsories. In 1978 he retired in Montreal.

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personal data
SURNAME	Mercure, Georges
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Canadian organist, choir director, Gregorian chant expert, composer and Benedictine monk
DATE OF BIRTH	June 19, 1905
PLACE OF BIRTH	Drummondville
DATE OF DEATH	August 24, 1993
Place of death	Montreal