Alexandre Guilmant | Prière, Op.17
• Gertjan Ronner plays «Prière» -taken from the third book of Pièces dans differents styles Opus 17, composed by Alexandre Guilmant- on the 1906 P.J. Adema & Zn. organ at the Church of Saint Joseph in Haarlem, the Netherlands.
• Alexandre Guilmant was born in 1837 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, a few hours north of Paris near the Normandy coast. Taking lessons from Jacques Lemmens in Brussels, he became one of the founders of the French organ school as we know it today. Guilmant was one of the most successful and well-known musicians of his time, publishing more organ works than Widor, Vierne en Franck combined and undertaking three extensive concert tours to the United States, to name just a few facts. For nearly 35 years, Guilmant presided the main organ built by Cavaillé-Coll at the church of the Holy Trinity in Paris and tutored a great amount of musicians well-known today. Being awarded honorary organist of Notre Dame cathedral in 1900, Guilmant passed away in 1911 at the age of 74 in Meudon, a suburb of Paris.
The «Prière» is played here on the Bourdon and Vox Coelestis, two stops that cannot usually be combined very well, but it works out wonderfully on this particular instrument.
• The 1906 Adema organ at the church of Saint Joseph in Haarlem is a typical example of 19th century organ building. The organ has a homogeneous sound palette, resembling the sounds of a symphonic orchestra, which in turn inspired many composers to compose for this new type of organ from the early 1860's and onwards. The casing of the instrument is half a century older and housed a previous instrument built by Lindsen in 1856. Such famous composers and organists as Hendrik Andriessen, Albert de Klerk and Gemma Coebergh played this organ for many years and it is famous for its poetic characteristics.
• Specification:
Hoofdwerk: Principaal 16', Bourdon 16', Prestant 8', Salicionaal 8', Fluit Harmoniek 8', Holpijp 8', Quint 6', Octaaf 4', Octaaf 2', Cornet V st., Mixtuur II-V st., Trompet 8' | Zwelwerk: Prestant 8', Viola 8', Vox Coelestis 8', Bourdon 8', Quintaton 8', Violone 4', Fluit Harmoniek 4', Piccolo 2', Sesquialter II-III st., Trompet 8', Fagot-Hobo 8', Vox Humana 8', tremulant | Pedaal: Contrebas 16', Subbas 16' (HW), Openbas 8', Gedektbas 8', Openfluit 4', Bazuin 16', Trompet 8' | 4 manual couplers (incl. Sub- and super), pedal coupler, Setzer.
Alexandre Guilmant
Alexandre,Guilmant
Félix-Alexandre,Guilmant,French:gilmɑ̃;,12,March,1837,–,29,March,1911,was,a,French,organist,and,composer
Contents
1,Biography
2,Compositions
3,Opus,list
4,References
5,External,links
Biography
Guilmant,was,born,in,Boulogne-sur-Mer,A,student,of,his,father,,then,of,the,Belgian,master,Jacques-Nicolas,Lemmens,,he,became,an,organist,and,teacher,in,his,place,of,birth
In,1871,he,was,appointed,to,play,the,organ,regularly,at,la,Trinité,church,in,Paris,,and,this,position,he,held,for,30,years1,From,then,on,Guilmant,followed,a,career,as,a,virtuoso;,he,gave,concerts,in,the,United,States,the,first,major,French,organist,to,tour,that,country,,and,in,Canada,,as,well,as,in,Europe,,making,especially,frequent,visits,to,England,His,American,achievements,included,a,1904,series,of,no,fewer,than,40,recitals,on,the,largest,organ,in,the,world,,the,St,Louis,Exposition,Organ,,now,preserved,as,the,nucleus,of,Philadelphias,Wanamaker,Organ
With,his,younger,colleague,André,Pirro,,Guilmant,published,a,collection,of,scores,,Archives,des,Maîtres,de,lOrgue,archives,of,the,masters,of,the,organ,,a,comalexandre,guilmant,,alexandre,guilmant,morceau,symphonique,,alexandre,guilmant,organ,music,,alexandre,guilmant,biography,,alexandre,guilmant,symphony,no.,1,,alexandre,guilmant,composer,Alexandre,Guilmant
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