Pierre Camonin (25 February 1903 – 14 November 2003) was a French

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

and improviser.

Biography

Born in

Bar-le-Duc Bar-le-Duc (), formerly known as Bar, is a commune in the Meuse département, of which it is the capital. The department is in Grand Est in northeastern France. The lower, more modern and busier part of the town extends along a narrow valley, ...

, Camonin was a student of Marcel Ciampi for the piano at the

conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

. He studied

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks' ...

with

Louis Vierne Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French organist and composer. As the organist of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death, he focused on organ music, including six organ symphonies and a '' Messe solennelle ...

and

Marcel Dupré Marcel Jean-Jules Dupré () (3 May 1886 – 30 May 1971) was a French organist, composer, and pedagogue. Biography Born in Rouen into a wealthy musical family, Marcel Dupré was a child prodigy. His father Aimable Albert Dupré was titular o ...

. He was ordained a priest in 1929. He was a vicar-organist at Ligny-en-Barrois, then organist in charge of the great organs of the

Verdun Cathedral Verdun Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Verdun) is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Verdun, Lorraine, France. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishops of Verdun. It was declared a ''monument historique'' on 30 October ...

(where he succeeded Ernest Grosjean) alongside the

maître de chapelle (, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...

, canon Ferdinand Tourte. Its titulariate extended from 1935 until his death.

Vincent Warnier Vincent Warnier (born 14 October 1967) is a contemporary French classical organist. Biography Born in Hayange (Moselle), Warnier completed his musical studies at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg (organ class of Daniel Roth and André Stric ...

was appointed co-titular in 1997. Several substitutes (Mr. Géhin, Vialette in the 1970s) generally provided the low masses. Among the students of Canon Pierre Camonin who made a career as organist is Dominique Bréda (born in 1956), organist at St Léon in Nancy. Pierre Camonin died in

Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a ...

Works

* Messe mariale (organ, éd. Europart) # Prelude to a canticle by Charles Bordes # Offertoire on ''Tota pulchra es'' # Élévation on ''Ave Maria'' # Communion on ''Salve Regina'' # Toccata on ''Salve Mater'' * Improvisation pour un 11 novembre (organ and brass; transcription for solo organ performed by the author at N. D. de Paris during a Sunday recital.) * Noëls variés (orgue, éd. Europart).Partition pour orgue - Pierre Camonin - Noëls variés
/ref> # Vêpres de Noël # Variations on ''Minuit sonne au clocher blanc'' # Variations on ''O Dieu, que n'étais-je en vie'' # Variations sur un noël alsacien # Trois noëls * For a victory anniversary (organ, series ''Autour de la Marseillaise'', ed. Chant du Monde) * Sonata for trumpet and organ * Toccata on ''Salve Mater'' (organ) * Rhapsodie pascale (organ) * Intermezzo (organ) * Rondo sur un thème de Rameau (organ) * Prélude to the

introit The Introit (from Latin: ''introitus'', "entrance") is part of the opening of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations. In its most complete version, it consists of an antiphon, psalm verse and ''Gloria Patri ...

''Cibavit'' (organ) * Postlude pour la Fête Dieu, on ''Tantum Ergo'' * ''Le jongleur de Notre Dame'' (organ), one of his last compositions, a sort of self-portrait. * Crépuscule (organ), also a latter work * Presto (organ) * Rhapsodie Johannique # Allegro maestro ic, as recorded on a program# Andante cantabile # Allegro final * L'Église triomphante (organ) ** "This piece is built on the Hymn of the Dedication: ''Coelestis Urbs Jerusalem'', where the waiting and preparations for the

final judgment The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...

take place successively, the call of the trumpets, the resurrection of the dead, the terror of the confounded wicked, the procession of the virgins, the triumph of the chosen" (extract of the program of the blessing of the rebuilt organs of N. D. de Verdun, 35 March 1935

Discography

* 2 33rpm 30 cm mono, 1960s, local publisher; Pierre Camonin performs his works * CD K 617055 ''L'orgue en Lorraine'', containing the transfert of recording 33rpm (mono) of the improvisation for 11 November; Pierre Camonin (organ of N.D. de Verdun) and music of the 151° R.I.M de Metz * CD UCD 16694 "Le grand orgue héroïque": prelude to marian mass; François Henri Houbart at the great organs of N. D. de Verdun * CD Calliope CAL 6933 "Un Noël en Champagne" : Variations sur le noël lorrain "Minuit sonne au clocher blanc"; André Isoir at the organs of St Brice d'Aÿ * CD REGCD155 "The Organ Club 75th Anniversary": Communion (and pieces by other composers); English organs and organists * recital of 17 May 1987, Pierre Camonin at the great organs of N. D. de Verdun (private collection)

Biography

Works

Discography

References

External links