Léon Boëllmann
Born: September 25, 1862; Ensisheim, Alsace
Died: October 11, 1897; Paris, France
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Had he lived a longer life, Léon Boëllmann would likely be recognized today as one of the great Romantic French organist-composers, in a line that included Gigout, Franck, Widor, and Vierne. As it is, he is remembered mainly for his highly characterful Suite Gothique for organ, particularly the suite's brilliant but only moderately difficult Toccata.
In 1871, shortly after the conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War, the very young
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Works
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Aubade (1)
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Danse Galiléenne (1)
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Elevation for organ, Op.29/1 (1)
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Fantaisie dialoguée, Op. 35 (3)
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Feuillet d'Album (1)
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Heures Mystiques, Op. 29 (1)
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Heures Mystiques, Op. 29: Offertory no 1 in G major, Andantino (2)
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Impromptu for Piano no 2 (1)
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Improvisations (10) for Piano, Op. 28 (1)
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Intermezzo for Piano (1)
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Nocturne for Piano, Op. 36 (1)
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Offertoire sur des noëls (2)
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Pieces (12) for Organ, Op. 16: no 5, Carilon (1)
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Pieces (12) for Organ, Op. 16: no 8, Verset de procession sur Adoro te I (1)
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Pieces (2) for Cello and Piano, Op. 31 (1)
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Prayer to Notre Dame (1)
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Prayer to Notre Dame, for organ (Suite Gothique) (1)
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Quartet for Piano and Strings in F minor, Op. 10 (1)
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Quartet for Piano and Strings in F minor, Op. 10: Finale (1)
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Ronde française for Organ, Op. 37 (6)
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Ronde française, for piano, Op.37 (1)
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Scènes du moyen âge (1)
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Sonata for cello & piano in A minor, Op. 40 (1)
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Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 40 (1)
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Suite for Cello and Piano, Op. 6 (1)
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Suite for Organ no 2, Op. 27 (1)
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Suite for Organ no 2, Op. 27: Andantino (1)
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Suite Gothique for Organ, Op. 25: 1st movement, Introduction-Choral (1)
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Suite gothique Op. 25: Prière à Notre-Dame (1)
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Suite Gothique, Op. 25 (29)
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Suite gothique, Op. 25: 3. Prière à Notre-Dame (1)
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Suite Gothique, Op. 25: 3rd movement, Prière à Notre Dame (12)
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Suite gothique, Op. 25: 4. Toccata (1)
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Suite Gothique, Op. 25: 4th movement, Toccata in C minor (9)
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Suite Gothique, Op. 25: Introduction - Chorale (1)
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Suite gothique, Op. 25: Menuet gothique (2)
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Suite Gothique, Op. 25: Prière à Notre Dame (1)
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Suite gothique, Op. 25: Prière à Notre-Dame (4)
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Suite Gothique, Op. 25: Toccata (1)
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Suite gothique: Menuet gothique (1)
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Suite Gothique: Toccata (2)
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Suite No.2 for organ, Op.27 (1)
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Sur la Mer, Op. 38 (1)
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Symphonic Variations, Op. 23 (2)
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Toccata, for organ (Suite Gothique) (2)
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Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in G major, Op. 19 (1)
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Valse lent (1)
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Valse-Caprice for Piano (1)
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Variations Symphoniques for cello & orchestra, Op.23 (1)
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Versets aus Heures Mysiques, Op. 30 (1)
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Biography |
by James Reel
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Had he lived a longer life, Léon Boëllmann would likely be recognized today as one of the great Romantic French organist-composers, in a line that included Gigout, Franck, Widor, and Vierne. As it is, he is remembered mainly for his highly characterful Suite Gothique for organ, particularly the suite's brilliant but only moderately difficult Toccata.
In 1871, shortly after the conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War, the very young Boëllmann left the contested region of Alsace for Paris, where he studied at the Ecole Niedermeyer with Gustave Lefèvre and Eugène Gigout. He quickly became Gigout's protégé, and took many school prizes. Soon after he graduated in 1881 he began working at the church of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris, where before long he was named principal organist. In 1885 he married Gigout's niece and went to live with his former teacher, also becoming an instructor of organ and improvisation at Gigout's own recently founded school.
Boëllmann soon became highly regarded in Paris as a teacher, organist, improviser, and critic. He also composed some 68 chamber, orchestral, and other works in addition to a collection of 100 contrapuntal organ pieces published under the title Heures mystiques. For a while, his Symphonic Variations for cello and orchestra enjoyed international success, but today Boëllmann is known exclusively for his often modal organ music, especially the Suite Gothique. |
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