Xavier Darasse

Xavier Darasse (born September 3, 1934 in Toulouse , † November 24, 1992 ibid) was a French composer and organist .

Xavier Darasse's mother was an organist. Darasse began his training at the Conservatoire de Paris at the age of sixteen . His teachers included Rolande Falcinelli (organ), Maurice Duruflé and Jean Rivier . He was honored in the subjects of harmony , counterpoint , organ and improvisation , as well as in composition, which he studied with Olivier Messiaen .

He quickly became known as an organist. In 1966 he founded the organ class at the Conservatory in Toulouse . The diverse organ-playing and organ-building activities that still take place in this city today go back to his work. These include the “ Toulouse les Orgues ” festival and the “Prix d'Orgue Xavier Darasse”. In 1976 Darasse almost lost his right arm in a serious car accident and had to end his career as an interpreter. He then devoted himself increasingly to composition.

In 1985 Darasse was appointed professor at the Conservatory in Lyon and in 1991 director of the Conservatoire National Supérieure de Musique et de Danse in Paris. He died of cancer in 1992.

His students include Jan Willem Jansen , Jean Boyer , Bernard Foccroulle , Pierre Jean Schoen , Bernhard Haas , Heinrich Walther , Helmut Deutsch and Eberhard Lauer .

Web links

• Works by and about Xavier Darasse in the catalog of the German National Library
• Biography on the website of the record company Voice of Lyrics