Marcel Dupré
(1886-1971)
Works for Organ Vol. 2
Marcel Dupré had a
long and busy career as a recitalist, composer, teacher, writer and editor and
he exerted enormous influence on all aspects of the organist's art in the early
part of this century. Dupré's place in the evolution of twentieth century organ
music has yet to be fully understood or appreciated and there are those who
would seek to detract from the enormous impact his playing and teaching had on
countless students who studied with him. It cannot be ignored that the list of
his Premier Prix students at the Paris Conservatoire contains nearly
every important twentieth-century French organist and composer, including
Marie-Claire Alain, Jean Langlais, Jean Guillou, Jeanne Demessieux, and Olivier
Messiaën. Several of his organ works have become recognised as standard
repertoire for the instrument, and Dupré was unique in that, like Chopin and
Liszt in the nineteenth century, he wrote with the innate understanding of the
possibilities of the organ as 'seen' through the hands and feet of a virtuoso
performer. The technical and colouristic innovations present in his organ music
are perhaps comparable to those Chopin and Liszt for the piano who in their
time, like Dupré, exerted enormous influence as performers, composers, and
teachers. If nothing else, the consummate artistry of Dupré the improviser,
will certainly assure him of an exalted place in the history of the King of
Instruments.
The Fifteen Versets
originated as improvisations, made during the Vesper service for the Feast
of the Assumption at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on 15th August, 1919. Dupré
was interim organist at Notre-Dame from 1916 until 1923, while Louis Vierne was
in Switzerland undergoing eye treatments. The work was dedicated to Claude
Johnson, co-founder of Rolls Royce, who was present at that service and
commissioned Dupré to reconstruct the improvisations and bring them into print.
Johnson was later responsible for Dupré's first visit to England in 1920, where
Op. 18 was heard at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The collection is
divided into three books, Books I and II being based upon the
original Gregorian chants, while the Magnificat versets of Book III use
original themes.
Lamento was composed in 1926 in memory of the son of Mr
and Mrs Arthur M. Henderson of Glasgow, Scotland. Henderson had been a pupil of
Widor and a long time friend of Dupré. It is the first in what was to be a long
series of commemorative works written in memory of family and friends. Two
themes are heard, the first a sombre lament played on the oboe stop, the second
a gentle theme of consolation. After a build-up, the second theme reappears
played on the vox humana.
The Seventy-Nine
Chorales were conceived as a pedagogical work, intended to prepare the student
for the study of the chorale preludes of Bach. They are graded in difficulty,
and each piece is based upon the same chorale used by Bach.
Élévation is Dupré's first published organ work (1912)
and is dedicated to Louis Vierne. It is typical of the numerous meditative
pieces of that title which where were meant to be played during the most solemn
portion of the Mass.
The Triptyque dates
from 1956-57, and was first performed at the dedicatory recital of the Henry
Edsel Ford Auditorium organ in Detroit, Michigan. As the title suggests, the
work pays homage to certain antique forms. The Chaconne is a series of
nineteen variations on a four-bar theme first heard in the pedals. The Musette
features a folk-like tune heard over a murmuring accompaniment played on a
4' flute in the pedals. The Dithyrambe (in the manuscript entitled Humoresque),
is a movement of frenzied abandon in which two themes are subjected to spirited
development.
Robert Delcamp
Descended from a
family of organists and musicians, Marcel Dupré was born in Rouen in 1886.
Taught by his father, he had his first appointment as an organist at the age of
twelve and in 1898 became a pupil of Alexandre Guilmant, his teacher at the
Paris Conservatoire, with Vierne and Widor, studying composition with the last
and winning the Prix de Rome in 1914. Unfit for military service, he
substituted for Vierne at Notre-Dame between 1916 and 1922, and found time to
study all Bach's music for the organ, in 1920 playing in recital the complete
organ works, thus establishing his reputation. An international career
followed, with recitals throughout the world. This he coupled with the position
of professor of organ at the Conservatoire from 1926 and employment as Widor's
successor as organist at the Paris church of St Sulpice. He served as director
of the Conservatoire from 1954 to 1956 and died in 1971. Equally gifted as a
composer and as a performer, Dupré was a master of organ improvisation, in
particular on the fine instrument at St Sulpice.
Keith Anderson
