# Louis Vierne (1870-1937)



## andruini

Louis Vierne was born nearly blind due to congenital cataracts but at an early age was discovered to have an unusual gift for music. (At age 2 he heard a piano for the first time. The pianist played him a Schubert lullaby and he promptly began to pick out the notes of the lullaby on the piano.)
After completing school in the provinces, Louis Vierne entered the Paris Conservatory. From 1892, Vierne served as an assistant to the organist Charles-Marie Widor at the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. Vierne subsequently became principal organist at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, a post he held from 1900 until his death in 1937.
Vierne had a life that was physically and emotionally very difficult, with severe spiritual trials that are occasionally reflected in his music. His congenital cataracts did not make him completely blind, but he was what would be called today "legally blind." Early in his career, he composed on outsized manuscript paper, using "a large pencil" as his friend Marcel Dupré described. Later in life, as his limited sight continued to diminish, he resorted to Braille to do most of his work.
Vierne suffered either a stroke or a heart attack (eyewitness reports differ) while giving his 1750th organ recital at Notre-Dame de Paris on the evening of June 2, 1937. He had completed the main concert, which members of the audience said showed him at his full powers - "as well as he has ever played." After the main concert, the closing section was to be two improvisations on submitted themes. He read the first theme in Braille, then selected the stops he would use for the improvisation. He suddenly pitched forward, and fell off the bench as his foot hit the low "E" pedal of the organ. He lost consciousness as the single note echoed throughout the church. He had thus fulfilled his oft-stated lifelong dream - to die at the console of the great organ of Notre-Dame.
Vierne was considered one of the greatest musical improvisers of his generation. His few improvisations that were preserved on early phonograph recordings sound like finished, polished compositions.
He had an elegant, clean style of writing that respected form above all else. His harmonic language was romantically rich, but not as sentimental or theatrical as that of his early mentor César Franck. Of all the great fin de siècle French organists, Vierne's music was perhaps the most idiomatic for his chosen instrument and has inspired most of the great Parisian organist-composers who followed him.
His output for organ includes six symphonies, "24 Fantasy Pieces" (which includes his famous "Carillon de Westminster"), and "24 Pieces In Free Style," among other works. There are also several chamber works (sonatas for violin and cello, a piano quintet and a string quartet for example), vocal and choral music, and a symphony in A minor for orchestra.

(from Wikipedia)

I thought I would start a thread on this man.. Aside from the fact that French organ music is my favorite organ music, I think Vierne's music has a kind of elegance and refinement that eludes others.. It's something really special to me, his music hits me on levels not many other composers can..
I have the Brilliant Classics set of his Organ Symphonies, which along with Widor's are pretty much the only Organ works I listen to on a regular basis..
So, what do you all think of him? What are your favorite works?


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## LvB

While I enjoy Vierne's organ symphonies, I prefer Widor's, on the whole (though I was quite taken with Vierne's sole orchestral symphony the one time I heard it). But-- Vierne's piano quintet in c minor, Op. 42, is one of the great piano quintets, bar none, easily holding its own alongside the quintets of Brahms, Dvorak, Rubinstein, Elgar, Bloch, etc. It was written after his son was killed in WW1, and is one of the most nakedly emotional chamber pieces written by any French composer, reaching some absolutely shattering climaxes, especially in the middle movement. I remember being astonished, when I first heard the piece, that it wasn't standard repertoire, and recommend it without reservations.


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## Chatellerault

I recently listened to the 24 Pièces de fantaisie (1926-27) played by Ben van Oosten and found it much better than other recordings of the complete or incomplete pieces.

Sound quality is excellent, the church of Saint-Ouen, Rouen, France is ideally big and resonant (as required for these pieces Vierne used to play in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris) and the Cavaillé-Coll Organ is one of the best in the world.


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## leonsm

I recently discovered this amazing work by Vierne (Mass for choir and two organs, Op.16), it's a amazing and powerful Mass setting, with a beautiful lyricism and great connecting between the choral, orchestral and organ parts. :guitar:

i intend to discover more of his work in near future.


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## regenmusic

Louis Vierne Filmed at Notre Dame de Paris


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