Charles-Marie Widor
Born: February 21, 1844; Lyons, France
Died: March 12, 1937; Paris, France
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With an active performing career spanning eight decades, and an impressive class of students that included Darius Milhaud, Albert Schweitzer, and Marcel Dupré, French organist and composer Charles-Marie Widor maintained a lifelong position as one of the country's most prominent and influential musicians. Born in 1844, Widor was given his first lessons by his father, a well-known organ-builder and amateur performer. By age 11, Widor's skill had
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There are 303 recordings available.
Select a specific Work or Most Popular Work below.
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Works
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"Gothic" Symphony: Andante sostenuto (1)
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Ave Maria, Op. 59 (1)
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Bach's Memento (5)
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Bach's Memento: 4th movement, Marche du veilleur nuit - Moderato (1)
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Bach's Memento: 5th movement, Sicilienne - Andantino (1)
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Cavatine for Violin and Piano, Op. 57 (1)
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Chansons de mer, Op. 75 (1)
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Concerto for Piano no 1 in F minor (2)
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Concerto for Piano no 2 in C minor (2)
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Conte d'Avril, Op. 64: Marche Nuptiale (1)
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Dormez, Mèlité (1)
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Duos (6) for Piano and Harmonium (1)
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Duos (6) for Piano and Harmonium: no 1, Humoresque (1)
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Duos (6) for Piano and Harmonium: no 2, Allegro cantabile (1)
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Fantaisie in A flat major, Op. 62 (2)
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Feuillets d'album (12), Op. 31: Marche américaine (3)
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Fifth Organ Symphony in F, Op. 42/1: Adagio (1)
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Fugue in E minor (2)
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Humoresque for organ, Op. 3/1 (1)
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Introduction & Rondo for Clarinet & Piano, Op. 72 (3)
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Introduction et Rondo for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 72 (8)
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La nuit (1)
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Le plongeur, Op. 43 no 4 (1)
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Marche américaine, for organ, Op. 31/11 (1)
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Marche pontificale (2)
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Mass, Op. 36 (3)
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Moderato for Clarinet and Piano (1)
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Moderato, for clarinet & piano (Morceau à déchiffrer) (1)
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Neuvième Symphonie 'Gothique' pour orgue, Op. 70: Andante (1)
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Nouvelles Pièces (3) for Organ, Op. 87 (3)
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Nouvelles Pièces (3) for Organ, Op. 87: no 2, Mystique (2)
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Nuit Mystérieuse (1)
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Organ Symphony No. 5, Op. 42, No. 1: Toccata (1)
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Oublieras-Tu que d’heures douces (1)
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Pièces (3) for Cello and Piano, Op. 21 (1)
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Pièces (3) for Oboe and Piano (1)
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Pieces (4) for Violin, Cello and Piano (2)
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Quartet for piano & strings in A minor, Op. 66 (1)
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Quartet for Piano and Strings in A minor, Op. 66 (1)
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Quintet for Piano and Strings in D minor, Op. 7 (2)
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Romance for Piano, Op. 46 (1)
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Sacerdos et Pontifex, Op. 23 no 3 (1)
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Salvum fac populum tuum, Op. 84 (3)
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Scherzo for Organ in E major "La Chasse" (3)
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Sinfonia Sacra for Organ and Orchestra, Op. 81 (2)
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Soirs d'Alsace, Op. 52 (1)
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Soirs d'Alsace, Op. 52: Ciel d'orage (1)
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Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 50 (1)
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Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 79 (1)
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Suite Florentine for Violin and Piano (1)
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Suite for flute & piano, Op. 34 (5)
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Suite for Flute and Piano, Op. 34 (14)
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Suite for Flute and Piano, Op. 34: Romance (1)
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Suite for Flute and Piano, Op. 34: Scherzo (1)
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Suite Latine, Op. 86 (1)
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Symphonie 5: Toccata (1)
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Symphonie antique, Op. 83 (1)
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Symphonie No. 1, Op. 13: Adagio (1)
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Symphonie No. 1, Op. 13: March pontificale (1)
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Symphonie No. 5, Op. 42/1: Adagio (1)
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Symphonie No. 5, Op. 42/1: Toccata (1)
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Symphonie V: Toccata (1)
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Symphony for Organ and Orchestra in G minor, Op. 42 (3)
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Symphony for Organ and Orchestra no 3, Op. 69 (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 1 in C minor, Op. 13 no 1 (3)
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Symphony for Organ no 1 in C minor, Op. 13 no 1: 2nd movement, Allegretto (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 1 in C minor, Op. 13 no 1: 3rd movement, Intermezzo (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 1 in C minor, Op. 13 no 1: 5th movement, March pontificale (5)
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Symphony for Organ no 1 in C minor, Op. 13 no 1: 6th movement, Méditation (3)
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Symphony for Organ no 1 in C minor, Op. 13 no 1: 7th movement, Finale (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 10 in D major, Op. 73 "Romaine" (9)
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Symphony for Organ no 10 in D major, Op. 73 "Romaine": Chorale (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 2 in D minor, Op. 13 no 2 (6)
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Symphony for Organ no 2 in D minor, Op. 13 no 2: 1st movement, Praeludium circulaire (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 2 in D minor, Op. 13 no 2: 4th movement, Salve regina (3)
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Symphony for Organ no 2 in D minor, Op. 13 no 2: 6th movement, Finale (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 3 in E minor, Op. 13 no 3 (6)
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Symphony for Organ no 3 in E minor, Op. 13 no 3: 1st movement, Prelude (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 3 in E minor, Op. 13 no 3: 3rd movement, Marcia (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 3 in E minor, Op. 13 no 3: 4th movement, Adagio (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 3 in E minor, Op. 13 no 3: 5th movement, Finale (4)
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Symphony for Organ no 3 in E minor, Op. 13 no 3: Excerpt(s) (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 4 in F major, Op. 13 no 4 (9)
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Symphony for Organ no 4 in F major, Op. 13 no 4: 3rd movement, Andante cantabile (4)
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Symphony for Organ no 4 in F major, Op. 13 no 4: 4th movement, Scherzo (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 4 in F major, Op. 13 no 4: 6th movement, Finale (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 5 in F minor, Op. 42 no 1 (19)
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Symphony for Organ no 5 in F minor, Op. 42 no 1: 1st movement, Allegro vivace (11)
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Symphony for Organ no 5 in F minor, Op. 42 no 1: 2nd movement, Andante cantabile (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 5 in F minor, Op. 42 no 1: 4th movement, Adagio (6)
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Symphony for Organ no 5 in f minor, Op. 42 no 1: 5th movement, Toccata (89)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in C minor, Op. 42 no 2 (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in C minor, Op. 42 no 2: 5th movement, Finale (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in G minor, Op. 42 no 2 (10)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in G minor, Op. 42 no 2: 1st movement, Allegro (22)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in G minor, Op. 42 no 2: 2nd movement, Adagio (4)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in G minor, Op. 42 no 2: 3rd movement, Intermezzo (4)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in G minor, Op. 42 no 2: 4th movement, Cantabile (3)
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Symphony for Organ no 6 in G minor, Op. 42 no 2: 5th movement, Finale (6)
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Symphony for Organ no 7, Op. 42 no 3 (3)
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Symphony for Organ no 8 in B flat major, Op. 42 no 4 (3)
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Symphony for Organ no 8 in B flat major, Op. 42 no 4: Allegro (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 8 in B flat major, Op. 42 no 4: Finale (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 8 in B flat major, Op. 42 no 4: Moderato cantabile (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 8 in B flat major, Op. 42 no 4: Prelude (1)
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Symphony for Organ no 9 in c/C, Op. 70 "Gothic" (15)
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Symphony for Organ no 9 in c/C, Op. 70 "Gothic": 1st movement, Moderato (2)
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Symphony for Organ no 9 in c/C, Op. 70 "Gothic": 2nd movement, Andante sostenuto (16)
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Symphony for Organ no 9 in c/C, Op. 70 "Gothic": 4th movement, Moderato (2)
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Symphony for Organ No. 5: Toccata (1)
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Symphony No. 1: Meditation (Lento) (1)
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Symphony No. 2 in D major for organ, Op. 13/2 (1)
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Symphony No. 2: Finale (Allegro) (1)
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Symphony No. 2: Pastorale (Moderato) (1)
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Symphony No. 3 in E minor for organ, Op. 13/3 (2)
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Symphony No. 4: Andante cantabile (1)
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Symphony No. 4: Scherzo (Allegro vivace) (1)
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Symphony No. 5 in F minor for organ, Op. 42/1 (1)
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Symphony No. 5 in F minor for organ, Op. 42/1: 5. Toccata: Allegro (1)
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Symphony No. 5 in F minor for organ, Op. 42/1: Toccata (1)
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Symphony No. 5 in F minor, Op. 42 No. 1: 5. Toccata (1)
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Symphony No. 5 in F minor, op. 42, No. 1: 5. Toccata (1)
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Symphony No. 5: Allegro cantabile (1)
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Symphony No. 5: Toccata (5)
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Symphony No. 5: Toccata (Allegro) (1)
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Symphony No. 6 in G minor for organ, Op. 42/2 (2)
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Symphony No. 6 in G minor for organ, Op. 42/2: Allegro (2)
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Symphony No. 6 in G minor for organ, Op. 42/2: Cantabile (2)
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Symphony No. 6 in G minor for organ, Op. 42/2: Finale (2)
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Symphony No. 6 in G minor, Op. 42/2: Finale (1)
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Symphony No. 6: Final (1)
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Symphony No. 6: Finale (Vivace) (1)
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Symphony No. 6: Intermezzo (Allegro) (1)
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Symphony No. 7 in A minor for organ, Op. 42/3 (1)
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Symphony No. 7: Andante - Allegretto (1)
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Symphony No. 7: Finale (Allegro vivace) (1)
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Symphony No. 9 in C minor for organ ("Gothique"), Op. 70 (1)
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Symphony, Op. 13, No. 4: 4. Finale (1)
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Tantum ergo, Op. 18 no 1 (1)
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Trio for Piano and Strings in B flat major, Op. 19 (2)
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Tristesse infinie (1)
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Tu es Petrus, for double choir & 2 organs, Op. 23/2 (1)
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Tu es Petrus, Op. 23 no 2 (3)
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Vieille chanson du jeune temps (1)
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Biography |
by Blair Johnston
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With an active performing career spanning eight decades, and an impressive class of students that included Darius Milhaud, Albert Schweitzer, and Marcel Dupré, French organist and composer Charles-Marie Widor maintained a lifelong position as one of the country's most prominent and influential musicians. Born in 1844, Widor was given his first lessons by his father, a well-known organ-builder and amateur performer. By age 11, Widor's skill had manifest itself so strongly that he was able to successfully compete for the job of organist at the lycée in his hometown of Lyons. A few years later the young musician traveled to Brussels, where he came under the tutelage of organist J.N. Lemmens, a well-known teacher at the Brussels Conservatory, whose own teacher could boast of having studied with a student of J.S. Bach. Therefore, the venerable German tradition of Bach interpretation formed the backbone of Widor's work with Lemmens. By 1870 Widor had earned a one-year position as replacement organist at St. Sulpice Cathedral in Paris; the appointment was such a success that Widor held on to the position until just four years before his death 67 years later.
During the 1870s Widor's career as a composer for media other than the organ began to take shape. Between the time of appointment at St. Sulpice in 1870 and the turn of the century, he produced three full symphonies, two ballets, a number of chamber works, and some sacred vocal music. Widor joined the organ faculty of the Paris Conservatoire in 1890 (replacing César Franck), and by 1896 had also been appointed professor of composition. During the early years of the twentieth century, Widor divided his time between his work at St. Sulpice, his duties with the Conservatoire, and activities on the administrative staff of the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Widor's strength and dexterity on the organ remained basically unimpaired until his retirement from St. Sulpice in 1933, at which time his student Marcel Dupré took over. Widor died four years later at the age of 93.
Widor was, by all accounts, one of the most formidable organists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. His dedication to the music of Bach in particular, earned him the respect of several generations of musicians worldwide. Widor's student Albert Schweitzer, who helped Widor edit Bach's complete organ works, did much to publicize Widor's ideals. Widor was considered by many to be the greatest improviser after César Franck, and Gabriel Faure, another gifted improviser and friend of Widor's, is known to have challenged Widor to improvisational "duels" on a number of occasions. Not surprisingly, Widor's compositions for organ have outlasted his other works. The ten Symphonies for organ are particularly powerful, especially the Symphonie Gothique (1895) and the Symphonie Romaine (1900), in which the composer's knowledge of plainchant, and his penchant for delicate contrapuntal textures come to the fore in a most rewarding way. |
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