Guillaume Lasceux (3 February 1740 - 1831) was a French

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

improviser Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...

and composer.

Biography

Born in

Poissy Poissy () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the centre of Paris. Inhabitants are called ''Pisciacais'' in French. Poissy is one of ...

, Lasceux began his career as an organist in the parish of St-Martin of

Chevreuse Chevreuse () is a commune in the French department of Yvelines, administrative region of Île-de-France, north-central France. Geography Chevreuse is located south of Paris, in the middle of a regional natural park, Parc naturel régional de l ...

in 1758. He moved to Paris in 1762 to study

music composition Musical composition can refer to an original piece or work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new piece of music. People who create new compositions are called c ...

for five years with Charles Noblet, organist and harpsichordist of the Opera. He succeeded him to the Mathurins in 1769. In the same year, he was appointed organist at St-Aure, and 10 years later, at the , with similar posts at the

College of Navarre The College of Navarre (french: Collège de Navarre) was one of the colleges of the historic University of Paris, rivaling the Sorbonne and renowned for its library. History It was founded by Queen Joan I of Navarre in 1305, who provided for thr ...

and the . In 1769, he replaced Claude-Nicolas Ingrain on the organ of the Saint-Étienne-du-Mont church, of which he officially became titular in 1774. During the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

, he lost most of his posts and had to earn a living by accompanying the theophilantropic ceremonies in Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, converted into a "Temple of Branch piety". He resumed his organist's post in 1803, after the restoration of Catholic worship there, and retired on 2 January 1819. Recognized as a virtuoso on the organ, harpsichord or

forte-piano A fortepiano , sometimes referred to as a pianoforte, is an early piano. In principle, the word "fortepiano" can designate any piano dating from the invention of the instrument by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1698 up to the early 19th century. M ...

, Lasceux became famous for his improvisations inspired by the

Last Judgement The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...

Works

His work includes vocal pieces, chamber music and numerous organ pieces. * 1767: ''Romances'', including ''Hommage à l’amour'', ''Absence et retour'', ''Les adieux de la violette''. * 1768: ''Sonates pour le Forte-Piano'', violin ad lib. (Book 1). * 1772: ''Journal de pièces d'orgue contenant des messes, Magnificat et noëls'' (unpublished) - ''Sonates pour le Forte-Piano'' (Book 2). * 1775: ''Quatuor'' Op. 4 for fortepiano, 2 violins and cello. * c. 1775: ''Ariettes et petits airs''. * 1783: ''Nouveau Journal de pièces d’orgue, no 1, Messe des Grands Solennels''. * 1783: ''Pot-pourri d’airs connus'' for harpsichord, Op. 9. * 1785: ''Nouveau Journal de pièces d’orgue, no 2, Magnificat in F major, no 3, Trois noëls variés pour l’orgue ou le clavecin''. * c. 1789: ''Les époux réconciliés'' (operatic comedy). * 1804: ''Messe'' for choir and orchestra. * 1809: ''Essai théorique et pratique sur l’art de l’orgue'' (manuscript), with 26 musical examples of all kinds with registrations. * 1812: ''Nouvelle suite de pièces d’orgue'': 1. ''Messe des annuels et grands solennels'', 2. ''Hymnes, proses et répons de l’office de la Fête-Dieu'', 3. ''Messe des solennels mineurs'' (perdu). * 1819: ''Annuaire de l’organiste''. * 1820: ''12 Fugues'' for organ. * Posth. : 2 Motets au Saint Sacrement.

Sources

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 ...

, ''Guillaume Lasceux'', ''Guide de la musique d'orgue'', dir.

Gilles Cantagrel Gilles Cantagrel (born 20 November 1937) is a French musicologist, writer, lecturer and music educator. Biography Born in Paris, Cantagrel studied physics, art history and music at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and at the Conservatoi ...

, Paris,

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 ...

, series ''Les Indispensables de la musique'', 2012, (pp. 609–611). * Eileen Morris Guenther, "Lasceux, Guillaume." ''Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online''. 17 Jul. 2009. * Guillaume Lasceux, ''Essai théorique et pratique''''Essai théorique et pratique'' on IMSLP
/ref> (1809); introduction by Jean Saint-Arroman, fac-simile Jean-Marc Fuzeau, series Dominantes,

Bressuire Bressuire (; la, Berceorium; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''Beurseure'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, French department of Deux-Sèvres, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The town is situated on an eminence overlooki ...

(France), 2011. * Guillaume Lasceux. ''Annuaire de l’Organiste'' (1819); introduction by Jean Saint-Arroman, fac-simile Jean-Marc Fuzeau, series Dominantes, Courlay (France), 2006.

References

External links

*
YouTube
Jean-Luc Perrot joue ''Cromorne avec les fonds, Andante Cantabile'', extrait du'' Nouveau Journal de Pièces d'orgue'' n° 2 (''Magnificat'' in F major) on the Callinet organ of Notre-Dame Church in Saint-Étienne.
YouTube
Christine Pagès joue la ''Symphonie Concertante'' de la ''Messe des Grands Solennels'' (v. 1783) à l'orgue de l'église Saint-Jacob d'Anvers. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lasceux, Guillaume French classical organists French male organists French classical composers French male classical composers French composers of sacred music 1740 births People from Poissy 1831 deaths Male classical organists

Biography

Works

See also

Sources

References

External links