Éric Maurice Lebrun (born 19 November 1967) is a French composer, organist, musicologist, and author. His wife, Marie-Ange Leurent, is also an organist.

Biography

Born in Talence (

Gironde Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,62 ...

), he was a former student of Gaston Litaize and

Michel Chapuis Michel Chapuis (born 18 June 1941) is a French sprint canoer who competed in the early 1960s. He won the silver medal in the C-2 1000 m event at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metrop ...

, Lebrun also benefited from the teaching of

Anne-Marie Barat Anne-Marie Barat (20 June 1948 – 21 December 1990) was a French classical organist. Biography Born in Fontainebleau, Barat attended the Conservatoire de Paris where she studied with Henri Challan, Norbert Dufourcq, Pierre Revel, Georges Dande ...

, a pupil of

André Marchal André Louis Marchal (6 February 1894 – 27 August 1980) was a French organist and organ teacher. He was one of the great initiators of the twentieth-century organ revival in France and one of the cofounders of the ''Association des amis de l'orgu ...

, of organists Daniel Roth,

Michel Bouvard Michel Bouvard (born 17 March 1955 in Argenteuil, Val-d'Oise) is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Savoie department and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement (frenc ...

, Olivier Latry and pianist

Bruno Rigutto Bruno Rigutto (born 12 August 1945) is a French pianist, composer and conductor. Career Born in Charenton-le-Pont, Rigutto studied at the Conservatoire de Paris where he was a student of Samson François and Paul Badura-Skoda. In 1965 he was a ...

. Lebrun completed his training in the classes of

harmony In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...

counterpoint In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...

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", orc ...

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 answer ...

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 ...

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 ...

. 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 Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts () is a Roman Catholic parish church located at 66 Avenue Ledru Rollin in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. (Mailing address: 57 rue Traversière, 75012 Paris.) History Before the French Revolution, the territor ...

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 Communes of France, commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. The prestigious École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay and École Spéciale des Travaux Publics are loc ...

, 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. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and approximately northwest ...

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

Nemours Nemours () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Geography Nemours is located on the Loing and its canal, c. south of Melun, on the Moret–Lyon railway. Nemours – Saint-Pierre s ...

(with André Isoir),

Issenheim Issenheim (; german: Isenheim) is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. The Isenheim Altarpiece, currently on display at the Unterlinden Museum of Colmar, was completed in 1515 by Matthias Grünewald for a l ...

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

Jehan Alain Jehan-Aristide Paul Alain (; 3 February 1911 – 20 June 1940) was a French organist, composer, and soldier. Born into a family of musicians, he learned the organ from his father and a host of other teachers, becoming a composer at 18, and compo ...

, Maurice Duruflé, César Franck, 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 Dieterich Buxtehude (; ; born Diderik Hansen Buxtehude; c. 1637 – 9 May 1707) was a Danish organist and composer of the Baroque period, whose works are typical of the North German organ school. As a composer who worked in various vocal a ...

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

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

, 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 prizes of music history, mu ...

, 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 Fayard ...

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,

Kamilló Lendvay Kamilló Lendvay (28 December 1928; Budapest, Hungary − 30 November 2016; Budapest, Hungary) was a prominent award-winning Hungarian composer, conductor, and music educator of the 20th and 21st centuries whose works have been performed througho ...

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 large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

for choir and orchestra.

Discography

List of recordings as soloist

: 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 1 ...

) * 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 birthdat ...

'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 Sacr ...

: ''Esquisses byzantines'' (and Guy Ropartz: ''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 (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 active mainly in the second half of the 20th century. His small body of published work, which garnered international acclaim, followed in the tradition of ...

(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, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

'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. Ge ...

(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'' (german: Die Kunst der Fuge, links=no), 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 Fug ...

'' (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 European classical music, classical music and jazz. Hist ...

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 organists 21st-century organists 20th-century French composers 21st-century French composers French classical composers French male classical composers 1967 births People from Talence Living people 20th-century French male musicians 21st-century French male musicians French male classical organists