Éric Maurice Lebrun (born 19 November 1967) is a French composer, organist,

musicologist Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...

, and author. His wife, Marie-Ange Leurent, is also an organist.

Biography

Born in

Talence Talence (, ; , ; ) is a commune in the department of Gironde, administrative region of New Aquitaine, France. It is the third-largest suburb of the city of Bordeaux, and is adjacent to it on the south side. It is a member of the Bordeaux Mét ...

(

Gironde Gironde ( , US usually , ; , ) is the largest department in the southwestern French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,623,749.

), he was a former student of Gaston Litaize and Michel Chapuis, Lebrun also benefited from the teaching of Anne-Marie Barat, a pupil of André Marchal, of organists Daniel Roth, Michel Bouvard,

Olivier Latry Olivier Jean-Claude Latry (; born 22 February 1962) is a French organist, improviser, teacher and composer who has served as one of the four titular organists of Notre-Dame de Paris since 1985 and is a professor of organ in the Conservatoire de ...

and pianist Bruno Rigutto. Lebrun completed his training in the classes of

harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...

counterpoint In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. The term originates from the Latin ...

orchestration Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble, such as a concert band) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra. Also called "instrumentation", orch ...

musical analysis Musical analysis is the study of musical structure in either compositions or performances. According to music theorist Ian Bent, music analysis "is the means of answering directly the question 'How does it work?'". The method employed to ans ...

and

history of music Although definitions of music vary wildly throughout the world, every known culture partakes in it, and it is thus considered a cultural universal. The origins of music remain highly contentious; commentators often relate it to the origin of la ...

at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), or 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 Jean Ja ...

. In addition to the first prize for organ, he won three first prizes and the music history diploma. After his in 1990, he was appointed to the Église Saint-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts in Paris. Since 1990, he was successively a lecturer at the Sorbonne, professor at the Conservatoire de Paris, director of the École nationale de musique et de danse of

Cachan Cachan () is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. The prestigious École Spéciale des Travaux Publics is located there. Name During the Middle Ages, Cachan was referred to in Medieval ...

, then professor of organ at the and that of . In 2015, he inaugurated the organ class of the Pôle Sup 93. A renowned pedagogue (he founded the organ didactics course at the Conservatoire de Paris), he contributed to the training of many young generation interpreters, several of whom won international competitions. Lebrun is Honorary Professor at the Royal Conservatory of

Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...

in Denmark and has regularly taught in the Netherlands and England (Zwolle, London...). He founded the international academies of

Nemours Nemours () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in north-central France. Geography Nemours is located on the Loing and its canal, c. south of M ...

(with André Isoir), Issenheim in Alsace (with Marie-Ange Leurent), Sarlat, then Bourron-Marlotte-Nemours-Fontainebleau. Lebrun recorded at the organ the complete works of Jehan Alain,

Maurice Duruflé Maurice Gustave Duruflé (; 11 January 1902 – 16 June 1986) was a French composer, organist, musicologist, and teacher. Life and career Duruflé was born in Louviers, Eure in 1902. He attended Rouen Cathedral Choir School from 1912 to 1918, ...

César Franck César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck (; 10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in present-day Belgium. He was born in Liège (which at the time of h ...

, as well as those by

Alexandre Boëly Alexandre Pierre-François Boëly (19 April 1785 – 27 December 1858) was a French composer, organist, pianist, and violist. Career Born in Versailles into a family of musicians, Boëly received his first music lessons from his father, Jean-Fr ...

, Dietrich Buxtehude, and Gaston Litaize. In 2015, he began to record the complete organ works

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

, with his wife Marie-Ange Leurent. He is the author of several books, including three biographies devoted to Buxtehude (2006), Boëly (with

Brigitte François-Sappey Brigitte François-Sappey (born 21 January 1944) is a French musicologist, educator, radio producer, and lecturer. Biography Brigitte François-Sappey studied music at the Conservatoire de Paris where she won First Prize (music diploma), first ...

, 2008), César Franck (2011) and Johann Sebastian Bach (2016) at Bleu Nuit, as well as a contribution to the new version of the "Guide de la Musique d'Orgue" (

Fayard Fayard (complete name: ''Librairie Arthème Fayard'') is a French Paris-based publishing house established in 1857. Fayard is controlled by Hachette Livre. In 1999, Éditions Pauvert became part of Fayard. Claude Durand was director of Fayar ...

2012). In 2018, he published a new biography of Claude Debussy. Lebrun is the dedicatee of several contemporary works, and has premiered pieces by Valéry Aubertin, Jacques Castérède,

Thierry Escaich Thierry Joseph-Louis Escaich (born 8 May 1965) is a French organist and composer. Life Born in Nogent-sur-Marne, Escaich studied organ, improvisation and composition at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP), where he won eight First Prizes a ...

, Kamilló Lendvay and Gaston Litaize, among others. He is an expert member of the National Commission of Historic Monuments (fifth section). For two years he was president of the Syndicat National des Artistes Musiciens des Cultes. Lebrun has composed about forty scores for various formations ranging from solo instrument to

oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...

for choir and orchestra.

Discography

List of recordings as soloist

* Jehan Alain: Complete organ works (2 CDs

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records, which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about ...

) * Johann Sebastian Bach's ''Kirnberger chorals'' (1 CD Solstice) *

Claude Balbastre Claude Balbastre (8 December 1724 – 9 May 1799) was a French composer, organist, harpsichordist and fortepianist. He was one of the most famous musicians of his time. Life Claude Balbastre was born in Dijon in 1724. Although his exact birthda ...

's ''four Christmas suites in variations (1 CD Solstice) * Maurice Duruflé: Complete organ work and sacred music (2 CDs Naxos) * César Franck: Complete organ work (2 CDs Naxos) * Éric Lebrun':''Dixième Mystère du Rosaire'' (in "neuf jeunes organistes compositeurs", 1 CD Hortus) *

Henri Mulet Henri Gabriel Mulet (; 17 October 1878 – 20 September 1967) was a French composer, pipe and reed organist, and cellist. Biography Mulet was born on 17 October 1878 in Paris. His father Gabriel Léon Mulet was choirmaster of the Basilica of ...

: ''Esquisses byzantines'' (and

Guy Ropartz Joseph Guy Marie Ropartz (; 15 June 1864 – 22 November 1955) was a French composer and conductor. His compositions included five symphonies, three violin sonatas, cello sonatas, six string quartets, a piano trio and string trio (both in A min ...

: ''Prélude funèbre, introduction and allegro, Prière pour les trépassés, Les cloches de Lanloup'') (1 CD JAV recordings – U.S.A.) * Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky, Organ Concerto (with the other two keyboard concertos, performed by Jay Gottlieg, piano and Celine Frisch, harpsichord). Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles, direction Jean-Paul Dessy. (1 CD Le Chant du Monde) * Éric Lebrun: ''Le livre de Notre-Dame'', ''Motet pour l'Ascension'', maîtrise de Notre-Dame de Paris, direction Émilie Fleury, Yves Castagnet, organ

List of recordings with Marie-Ange Leurent

* Dietrich Buxtehude: Complete organ works, grand prize of the

Académie Charles Cros The Académie Charles Cros (Charles Cros Academy) is an organization located in Chézy-sur-Marne, France, that acts as an intermediary between government cultural policy makers and professionals in music and the recording industry. The academy ...

(set of 6 CDs Bayard Musique) *

: Complete organ works, choc du Monde de la musique (set of 8 CDs Bayard Musique) * Gaston Litaize: Complete organ work (set of 5 Cds Bayard Musique) * ''Musique pour le temps de Noël'' at the great historical organs of Santa-Maria de Mahon (1 CD Solstice) * Gaston Litaize: anthology (K617) * Gaston Litaize: ''Douze pièces grand orgue'', world premiere recording, foreword by

Henri Dutilleux Henri Paul Julien Dutilleux (; 22 January 1916 – 22 May 2013) was a French composer of late 20th-century classical music. Among the leading French composers of his time, his work was rooted in the Impressionistic style of Debussy and R ...

(1 CD K 617) * Gaston Litaize: ''Vingt-quatre préludes liturgiques'', world premiere recording (1 CD Solstice) * Gaston Litaize: ''Missa solemnior, Cortège, Sonate à deux, Chant de Pâques'' (1 CD Solstice) * Valéry Aubertin: ''Première et troisième sonate, sonatine pour les étoiles, Improvisation Kandinsky'' 1914 (set of 2 CDs, Disques du Triton with Valéry Auvertin, Michel Bourcier and Pierre Farago) * Eric Lebrun: ''Vingt Mystères du Rosaire'', for violin, cello, harp and Great organ, by André Garnier and Isabelle Lesage, violin, Philippe Bary, cello, Clara Izambert, harp, Lucie Flesch, Béatrice Piertot, Yannick Merlin,Yannick Merlin
/ref> Marie-Ange Leurent and Éric Lebrun, organ. (2 CD Bayard Musique, 2010) *

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...

's Sacred works for organ, Marie-Ange Leurent and Éric Lebrun at the historical organ of Barr. (2 CDs Bayard Musique, 2010) * ''Marie porte du Ciel'': Marian anthology on the organ of Santa-Maria de Mahon, accompanied by motets interpreted by the Maîtrise de Dijon (1 CD Bayard-Musique 2011). * J.S. Bach: ''Inventions and Sinfonies'' at the organ of Saint-Cyprien en Périgord (1 CD Bayard-Musique 2012) * Mille ans de Noëls: from Perotin to Éric Lebrun at the organ of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, (1 Cd Chanteloup-Musique 2013) * Mozart: Organ works with Yves Fossaert de Bourron-Marlotte (1 CD Monthabor 2014) * Funeral music at the organs of Bourron-Marlotte and

Villeneuve-sur-Yonne Villeneuve-sur-Yonne () is a commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. It is surrounded by a partly intact wall, built during the 12th century, which was one of the 8 residences of the French kings. G ...

(1 CD Monthabor 2014) * The most beautiful pieces for organ (2 CDs Monthabor 2014) * J.S. Bach: ''

The Art of Fugue ''The Art of Fugue'', or ''The Art of the Fugue'' (), BWV 1080, is an incomplete musical work of unspecified instrumentation by Johann Sebastian Bach. Written in the last decade of his life, ''The Art of Fugue'' is the culmination of Bach's e ...

'' (2 CDs Monthabor 2015) * J.S. Bach: Complete organ works vol 1: ''Partitas, Chorals of Arnstadt'' (2 CDs Monthabor-Chanteloup-Musique 2016) * J.S. Bach: Complete organ works vol 2: ''Orgelbüchlein'', ''Chorals Kirnberger'' (2 CDs Monthabor-Chanteloup-Musique 2016) * J.S. Bach: Complete organ works vol 3: Clavier Übung, Chorals divers (2 CDs Monthabor-Chanteloup-Musique 2017) * J.S. Bach: Complete organ works vol 4: Leipzig chorals, various Chorals (2 CDs Monthabor-Chanteloup-Musique 2017)

References

External links

Official website of Éric Lebrun and Marie-Ange Leurent

Éric Lebrun
on

France Musique France Musique () is a French national public radio channel owned and operated by Radio France. It is devoted to the broadcasting of music, both live and recorded, with particular emphasis on classical music and jazz. History The channel was lau ...

Interview with Éric Lebrun

Éric Lebrun, compositeur: ''Avec l'orgue, j'essaie de traduire ma relation personnelle à Dieu''

Eric LEBRUN - Bach : Fantaisie et Fugue en sol m BWV 542
(YouTube) {{DEFAULTSORT:Lebrun, Eric French classical organists Conservatoire de Paris alumni Academic staff of the Conservatoire de Paris 20th-century French organists 21st-century French organists 20th-century French composers 21st-century French composers 21st-century French male composers French classical composers French male classical composers 1967 births People from Talence Living people 20th-century French male musicians French male classical organists