The French organ school formed in the first half of the 17th century. It progressed from the strict polyphonic music of

Jean Titelouze Jean (''Jehan'') Titelouze (c. 1562/63 – 24 October 1633) was a French Catholic priest, composer, poet and organist of the early Baroque period. He was a canon and organist at Rouen Cathedral. His style was firmly rooted in the Renaissance vo ...

(c. 1563–1633) to a unique, richly ornamented style with its own characteristic forms that made full use of the French classical organ. Instrumental in establishing this style were

Louis Couperin Louis Couperin (; – 29 August 1661) was a French Baroque composer and performer. He was born in Chaumes-en-Brie and moved to Paris in 1650–1651 with the help of Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Couperin worked as organist of th ...

(c. 1626–1661), who experimented with structure, registration and melodic lines, expanding the traditional polyphonic forms, and

Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers (c. 1632, Paris – 13 November 1714) was a French organist, composer and theorist. His first ''livre d'orgue'' is the earliest surviving published collection with traditional French organ school forms (a collection by L ...

(1632–1714), who established the distinct forms and styles of what was to become the French organ tradition.

Characteristic forms and nomenclature

French organ composers cultivated four major genres: masses, hymns, suites and noëls. Noëls are variations on

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

s, whereas the first three genres were all realized as collections of brief pieces in various characteristic forms. Such forms included the following: * Récit: a piece in which a single voice emerges soloistically above all others by means of special registration. The latter is usually indicated in the title, i.e. in a ''Récit de Cromorne'' the solo voice would be played using the cromorne stop. Cromorne, cornet, tierce, nasard, trompette and voix humaine are the most commonly encountered solo stops. The titles of such compositions frequently omit the word "récit" and simply indicate the registration (''Cromorne'', ''Cornet'', etc.) and/or the position of the solo voice. Typical combinations include the following: : ''Dessus de Cromorne'': the solo voice is in the soprano (dessus), played using the cromorne stop : ''Tierce en taille'': the solo voice is in the

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors i ...

(taille), played using the tierce stop : ''Basse de Trompette'': the solo voice is in the

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gu ...

(basse), played using the trompette stop * Dialogue: a piece which constantly alternates between two different registrations. A Dialogue sur les grands jeux would be alternatively played on the ''Grant orgue'' (Great) and the ''Positif''. *

Fugue In music, a fugue () is a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a musical theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and which recurs frequently in the co ...

: usually, three- or four-voice polyphonic pieces that adhere more or less strictly to the imitative style. The designation ''Fugue grave'' indicates a piece of a serious character, whereas the ''Fugue gaie'' (or ''gaye'') is its opposite. Rarely, four-voice fugal pieces bear the title ''Quatuor'' ("quartet"). Nicolas de Grigny cultivated five-voice fugues. * Echo: phrases are played twice, quieter on the second time, giving the impression of an echo. This impression is heightened in ''echos'' that repeat only the endings of phrases. Such pieces used specially designed echo divisions. * Prélude: mostly homophonic pieces in duple or quadruple meter. They are almost invariably used as introductory movements. Additionally, a number of standard registrations may be indicated by the following designations: *

Plein jeu On classical French organs, the plein jeu is a principal-based plenum registration. It includes the Montres, Bourdons, Prestants and Doublettes (Principals 16′, 8′, 4′ and 2′) and the Fournitures and Cymbales (lower- and higher-pitched m ...

: combination of the organ's principals and flutes, with the mixtures also included. *

Grand jeu On classical French organs, the plein jeu is a principal-based plenum registration. It includes the Montres, Bourdons, Prestants and Doublettes (Principals 16′, 8′, 4′ and 2′) and the Fournitures and Cymbales (lower- and higher-pitched m ...

: a loud combination, based on the reed stops, frequently used in homophonic sections of larger pieces or standalone movements. The designations dessus, taille and basse stand for "soprano", "tenor" and "bass", respectively.Silbiger, 111. A rarely used type of voicing is

haute-contre The haute-contre (plural hautes-contre) was the primary French operatic tenor voice, predominant in French Baroque and Classical opera, from the middle of the seventeenth century until the latter part of the eighteenth century. History This voic ...

(or ''haulte contre''), "high tenor". Such designations are used to point to the position of the solo stop in a récit (see examples above), or of the chant melody in a setting (i.e. the title ''Kyrie en basse'' indicates that the chant itself is in the bass).

Composers

First period: the development of free polyphony

(c. 1563–1633) * Charles Racquet (1598–1664) *

(c. 1626–1661) *

François Roberday François Roberday (21 March 1624 – 13 October 1680) was a French Baroque organist and composer. One of the last exponents of the French polyphonic music tradition established by Jean Titelouze and Louis Couperin, Roberday is best remem ...

(1624–1680) *

Nicolas Gigault Nicolas Gigault (ca. 1627 – 20 August 1707) was a French Baroque organist and composer. Born into poverty, he quickly rose to fame and high reputation among fellow musicians. His surviving works include the earliest examples of noëls and a vo ...

(c. 1627–1707)

Second period: the establishing of the French Classical Organ School

* Nicolas-Antoine Lebègue (1631–1702) *

(1632–1714) *

Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy (1633 – 11 March 1694) was a French harpsichordist, organist and composer.The registration of baroque organ music Barbara Owen - 1997 "Jean-Nicolas Geoffrey (fl. 1633-94)" His birthplace is unknown; he died in Perpignan. ...

(1633–1694) *

Jean-Henri d'Anglebert Jean-Henri d'Anglebert (baptized 1 April 1629 – 23 April 1691) was a French composer, harpsichordist and organist. He was one of the foremost keyboard composers of his day. Life D'Anglebert's father Claude Henry known as AnglebertJean constru ...

(1635–1691) *

André Raison André Raison (c. 1640 – 1719) was a French Baroque composer and organist. During his lifetime he was one of the most famous French organists and an important influence on French organ music. He published two collections of organ works, in 168 ...

(c. 1640–1719) *

Lambert Chaumont Lambert Chaumont (c. 1630 – April 1712) was a Flemish Baroque composer and organist. Chaumont was from the Liège area, possibly born in that city. The earliest mention of his name dates from January 1649, when he is listed as a lay brother ...

(c. 1645–1712) * Gilles Jullien (1650/53–1703) * Jacques Boyvin (c. 1650–1706) * Mathieu Lanes (1660–1725) * Pierre Dandrieu (c. 1660–1733) * François Couperin (1668–1733) * Charles Piroye (c. 1668/72– c. 1728/30) * Louis Marchand (1669–1732) *

Gaspard Corrette Gaspard Corrette (c. 1671before 1733) was a French composer and organist. He was born around 1671, probably in Rouen, where he was organist for the church of St-Herbland. In approximately 1720 he moved to Paris. The exact date of his death is no ...

(1671–before 1733) * Nicolas de Grigny (1672–1703) * Pierre Dumage (1674–1751) * Jean-Adam Guilain (c. 1675/80 –after 1739)

Third period: 18th century

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (19 December 1676 – 26 October 1749) was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born, and died, in Paris. Biography Clérambault came from a musical family (his father and two of his sons ...

(1676–1749) * Jean-François Dandrieu (c. 1682–1738) *

François d'Agincourt François d'Agincourt (also d'Agincour, Dagincourt, Dagincour) (1684 – 30 April 1758) was a French harpsichordist, organist, and composer. He spent most of his life in Rouen, his native city, where he worked as organist of the Rouen Cathedral ...

(1684–1758) * Louis-Antoine Dornel (1685–1765) *

Christophe Moyreau Christophe Moyreau (4 April 1700 – 11 May 1774) was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. Biography Moyreau was born and spent most of his life in Orléans into an old family of the city. He became organist at Orlé ...

(c. 1690– c. 1772) * Louis-Claude Daquin (1694–1772) *

Guillaume-Antoine Calvière Guillaume-Antoine Calvière (1695 - 18 April 1755) was a virtuoso French musician and composer who was for many years organist of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. Early years Guillaume-Antoine Calvière was born in Paris around 1695, the s ...

(1695–1755) * Pierre Février (1696– after 1762) *

Jean Girard Jean Girard (8 August 1696 – 23 February 1765) was a French organist, serpent player, and schoolmaster who was primarily active in Canada. He was one of the first professional musicians living and working in the city of Montreal. Born in Bourg ...

(1696–1765) *

Dom George Franck Dom George Franck ( – 1760) in Munster in Alsace, was a French organist and composer. Biography Born in Munster, Dom George Franck was a Benedict monk at the (Haut-Rhin), and parish priest at Munster val St. Gregory in Alsace. All that is ...

(c. 1700/10– after 1740) * Louis Archimbaud (1705–1789) *

Michel Corrette Michel Corrette (10 April 1707 – 21 January 1795) was a French composer, organist and author of musical method books. Life Corrette was born in Rouen, Normandy. His father, Gaspard Corrette, was an organist and composer. Little is known o ...

(1707–1795) * Louis Bollioud-Mermet (1709–1794) * Claude-Bénigne Balbastre (1724–1799) * Armand-Louis Couperin (1727–1789) *

Jean-Baptiste Nôtre Jean-Baptiste Nôtre (4 September 1732 – 20 February 1807) was a French composer and organist. Biography Born in Toul, Jean-Baptiste Nôtre's father, Jacob Notter, from Mels near Sargans in Switzerland, married in Toul in 1721 and settled th ...

(1732–1807) * Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet-Charpentier (1734–1794) * Josse-François-Joseph Benaut (c. 1743–1794)

Late 18th century and post-revolutionary period

* Guillaume Lasceux (1740–1831) * Nicolas Séjan (1745–1819) * Jean-Nicolas Marrigues (1757–1834) * Gervais-François Couperin (1759–1826) * Jean-Baptiste Charbonnier (1764–1859) * Jacques-Marie Beauvarlet-Charpentier (1766–1834) * François-Louis Perne (1772–1832) *

Alexandre Pierre François Boëly Alexandre may refer to: * Alexandre (given name) * Alexandre (surname) * Alexandre (film) See also * Alexander * Xano (disambiguation) Xano is the name of: * Xano, a Portuguese hypocoristic of the name " Alexandre (disambiguation)" * Idálio ...

(1785–1858) *

Louis-Nicolas Séjan Louis-Nicolas Séjan (10 June 1786 – March or April 1849) was a French organist and composer. Biography The son of Nicolas Séjan, he succeeded him on the organ of the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris and that of the Hôtel des Invalides ...

(1786–1849)

Notes

References

* Apel, Willi. 1972. ''The History of Keyboard Music to 1700''. Translated by Hans Tischler. Indiana University Press. . Originally published as ''Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik bis 1700'' by Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel. * Beckmann, Klaus. Repertorium Orgelmusik. Komponisten - Werke - Editionen. 1150-2000 (3., neu bearbeitete und erweiterte Auflage 2001). Vol. I. Schott. * Douglass, Fenner. 1995. ''The Language of the Classical French Organ: A Musical Tradition Before 1800''. Yale University Press. * Owen, Barbara. 1997. ''The Registration of Baroque Organ Music''. Indiana University Press. * Silbiger, Alexander. 2004. ''Keyboard Music Before 1700''. Routledge. {{Pipe organs French music history * Baroque music