Vierne organ works

19th century french composer and organist
How long did it take to build notre dame
René vierne

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René Vierne

French composer

René Ambroise Jean Eugéne Vierne (11 March 1878 – 29 May 1918) was a French organist and composer. He was the younger brother of Louis Vierne, who was also a composer.^[1]

Biography

René Vierne was born in Lille, the younger brother of Louis Vierne. Pushed by his mother, he entered the Catholic Seminary at Versailles in 1889 where he studied music with the Canon Poivet. Not feeling a vocation to the priesthood, he left and instead devoted himself to music, taking lessons in organ, counterpoint and fugue with his brother Louis. Then he studied with Alexandre Guilmant at the Paris Conservatoire, and was awarded a first prize for organ and improvisation in 1906.

In 1897, Vierne obtained a post as organist at the Chapel of the Convent of the Dominicans, the Annunciation, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. In 1904, he succeeded Camille Andres (1864–1904) as titular organist at Notre-Dame-des-Champs.

At the outbreak of World War I, René Vierne was mobilised and moved to the front on 8 August 1914. On 29 May 1918, at 8 am, on t

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Exploring Louis Vierne on Thursday Afternoon Classical

Tune in to Thursday's edition of Afternoon Classical on Thursday, July 23rd 2015 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM for an exploration of the compositions of French composer and organist Louis Vierne. Born on October 8th 1870, Vierne was technically legally blind and would have many ocular issues throughout his life. Despite his poor vision, Vierne exhibited both a gift for and appreciation of music, he went on to study with César Franck, and ultimately Vierne dedicated his entire life to music. Vierne was an organist at the famous Paris cathedral Notre Dame for almost fourty years, serving as organist from May 1900 until his death of a heart attack while in the midst of performing a recital at the organ of Notre Dame Cathedral on June 2nd 1937. Vierne was an extraordinary composer and his music is deeply moving. Our listening will focus primarily on Vierne's choral and organ works, including a sampling of his symphonies. Elisabeth Stam hosts.

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Louis Vierne

Born on October 8th 1870, French organist and composer Louis Vierne was born blind with a congenital cataract condition. At the age of six his sight imporved enough that he could recognise people, see objects at short range and read large type at close range. Aged six, he began to study solfège and piano. In 1881 he started attending the Institution Nationale des Jeunes Aveugles where he studied a plan of solfège, harmony, piano and violin. Cesar Franck often adjudicated for the school and after seeing Vierne, advised that he should study the organ. He began lessons with Louis Lebel in the autumn of 1886. In 1888 he began studying harmony with Franck privately and attending his organ class at Paris Conservatory, of which he became a full-time attendee in 1890. After Franck died in November 1880, Widor replaced him and Vierne eventually became Widor’s assistant before winning a first prize in the organ class in 1894. He held this post for 19 years, working unpaid, before he was appointed titular organist at Notre Dame on May 21st 1900, the first person to be given thi