Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux (13 February 1921 – 11 November 1968) was a French
organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational h ...
,
pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
, composer, and teacher. She was the chief organist at Saint-Esprit for 29 years and at La Madeleine in Paris starting in 1962. She performed internationally as a concert organist and was the first female organist to sign a
record contract
A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...
. She went on to record many organ works, including her own compositions.
Hérault
Hérault (; oc, Erau, ) is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault River, its prefecture is Montpellier. It had a population of 1,175,623 in 2019.Paris Conservatoire
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 ...
; studying piano with Simon Riera and
Magda Tagliaferro
Magdalena Maria Yvonne Tagliaferro (19 January 18939 September 1986) was a Brazilian-born pianist of French parentage.
Magdalena Tagliaferro was born in Petrópolis, Brazil. Her father, who had studied piano with Raoul Pugno in Paris, was a vo ...
, harmony with Jean Gallon, counterpoint and fugue with
Noël Gallon
Noël Jean-Charles André Gallon (11 September 1891 – 26 December 1966) was a French composer and music educator. His compositional output includes several choral works and vocal art songs, 10 preludes, a ''Toccata'' for piano, a ''Sonata ...
, and composition with
Henri Büsser
Paul Henri Büsser (16 January 1872 – 30 December 1973) was a French classical composer, organist, and conductor.
Biography
Büsser was born in Toulouse of partly German ancestry. He entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1889, where he studied ...
. The same year, she was appointed titular organist at Saint-Esprit, a post she held for 29 years.
From 1936-39, Demessieux studied organ privately with
Marcel Dupré
Marcel Jean-Jules Dupré () (3 May 1886 – 30 May 1971) was a French organist, composer, and pedagogue.
Biography
Born in Rouen into a wealthy musical family, Marcel Dupré was a child prodigy. His father Aimable Albert Dupré was titular o ...
, whose organ class at the Conservatoire she joined in 1939. After receiving a first prize in organ performance and improvisation in 1941, Demessieux studied privately with Dupré for five more years, before she played her début concert at the
Salle Pleyel
The Salle Pleyel (, meaning "Pleyel Hall") is a concert hall in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, designed by acoustician Gustave Lyon together with architect Jacques Marcel Auburtin, who died in 1926, and the work was completed in 1927 by ...
in Paris in 1946, as part of a series of 12 solo concerts between 1946 and 1948. This was the beginning of her career as an international concert organist and improviser, but also coinciding with Dupré irrevocably turning his back on Demessieux. In 1947, she became the first female organist to sign a
record contract
A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...
, with a performance of
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
The Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, is a piece of organ music written, according to its oldest extant sources, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). The piece opens with a toccata section, followed by a fugue that ends in a coda. Scho ...
for Decca Records. She gave more than 700 concerts in France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, and the United States (1953, 1955, and 1958). Demessieux always performed from memory, having an active repertoire of more than 2,500 compositions, including the complete organ works of
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 wor ...
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 ...
and
Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sym ...
, and all of Dupré's organ works up to Opus 41. A prolific recording artist, she was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque Award in 1961 for her complete recording of Franck's organ works (1959, a world premiere recording).
In 1962, Demessieux was appointed as titular organist at La Madeleine in Paris. She combined this with demanding academic duties, serving as professor of organ and improvisation at the Nancy Conservatoire (1950–1952) and the Conservatoire Royal in Liège (1952–1968). Among her students were Marie-Madeleine Duruflé,
Pierre Labric
Pierre André Labric (born 30 June 1921) is a French organist, pedagogue and composer.
Biography
Born in Conches-en-Ouche in Eure, Normandy, Labric studied the organ at Rouen Conservatory under Marcel Lanquetuit, and at the Paris Conservatoir ...
, and
Louis Thiry
Louis Henry Nicolas Thiry (15 February 1935Olivier Messiaen at Notre-Dame de Paris, with which she could not comply to due to health reasons. According to her biographer, Christiane Trieu-Colleney, Demessieux underwent medical treatment and did not perform in concert for most of the last year of her life. Jeanne Demessieux died on November 11, 1968 in Paris, at age 47, from throat cancer. She was buried in the Demessieux family tomb in the Cimetière du Grau-du-Roi, not far from
Aigues-Mortes
Aigues-Mortes (; oc, Aigas Mòrtas) is a commune in the Gard department in the Occitania region of southern France. The medieval city walls surrounding the city are well preserved. Situated on the junction of the Canal du Rhône à Sète a ...
Chanson de Roland
''The Song of Roland'' (french: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century ''chanson de geste'' based on the Frankish military leader Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 AD, during the reign of the Carolingian king Charlemagne. It is ...
''), and orchestral works. About half of her output has been published as of 2021. In 2021, Decca Records released an 8-CD box set with her complete recordings for this label between 1947 and 1967, including the above-mentioned 1959 world-premiere recording of Franck's complete organ works.
Compositions
Organ solo
*Nativité, op. 4 (Composed in 1943/44. Sampzon: Delatour France, 2005).
*Six Études, op. 5 (Composed in 1944. Paris: Bornemann/Leduc, 1946).
**''Pointes''
** ''Tierces''
** ''Sixtes''
** ''Accords alternés''
** ''Notes répétées''
** ''Octaves''
*Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit, op. 6 (Composed in 1945–47. Paris: Durand, 1947).
**''Veni Sancte Spiritus''
** ''Les Eaux''
** ''Pentecôte''
** ''Dogme''
** ''Consolateur''
** ''Paix''
** ''Lumière''
*Triptyque, op. 7 (Composed in 1947. Paris: Durand, 1949).
**''Prélude''
** ''Adagio''
** ''Fugue''
*Twelve Choral-Preludes on Gregorian Chant Themes, op. 8 (Composed in 1947. Boston, MA: McLaughlin & Reilly, 1950, reissued by Summy-Birchard in 1995).
**''
Rorate Caeli
"Rorate caeli" or "Rorate coeli" ('Drop down, ye heavens') are the opening words of in the Vulgate. The text appears at several points in the Christian liturgy during Advent.
Use in the western Mass and Offices
The text is frequently sung to p ...
'' (aka. ''
Rorate Coeli
"Rorate caeli" or "Rorate coeli" ('Drop down, ye heavens') are the opening words of in the Vulgate. The text appears at several points in the Christian liturgy during Advent.
Use in the western Mass and Offices
The text is frequently sung to p ...
Vexilla Regis
''Vexilla regis prodeunt'' (; often known in English translation as The Royal Banner Forward Goes) is a Latin hymn in long metre by the Christian poet and saint Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers. It takes its title from its incipit.
In ...
''
** ''Hosanna filio David''
** '' O Filii''
** ''
Veni Creator Spiritus
"Veni Creator Spiritus" (Come, Creator Spirit) is a traditional Christian hymn believed to have been written by Rabanus Maurus, a ninth-century German monk, teacher, and archbishop. When the original Latin text is used, it is normally sung in Gre ...
''
** '' Ubi caritas''
** ''In manus tuas''
** ''Tu es Petrus''
** ''Domine Jesu''
*Andante (Chant donné) (Composed in 1953. In: ''64 Leçons d'Harmonie, offertes en hommage à Jean Gallon'', edited by Claude Delvincourt. Paris: Durand, 1953).
*
Te Deum
The "Te Deum" (, ; from its incipit, , ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to AD 387 authorship, but with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Ch ...
, op. 11 (Composed in 1957/58. Paris: Durand, 1959).
* Répons pour le temps de pâques: Victimae paschali laudes (Composed in 1962/63. Paris: Durand, 1970).
*Répons pour les temps liturgiques (Composed in 1962–66. Sampzon: Delatour France, 2006).
**''Répons pour le temps du Très-Saint-Rosaire: Ave Maria.''
** ''Répons pour le temps d'Advent: Consolamini.''
** ''Répons pour le temps du Saint-Sacrement: Lauda Sion'' (First version, composed in 1963).
** ''Répons pour le temps du Saint-Sacrement: Lauda Sion'' (Second version, composed in 1966).
*Prélude et fugue en ut, op. 13 (Composed in 1964. Paris: Durand, 1965).
Organ and orchestra
*Poème, op. 9 (Composed in 1949. Paris: Durand, 1952).
Piano solo
* 7 Pièces inédites (Sampzon: Delatour France, 2011).
**''Le Chant des petits oiseaux''
** ''Berceuse et impromptu''
** ''Romance sans paroles''
** ''Allegro''
** ''Mazurka''
** ''Valse n° 1''
** ''Murmure des bois''
*Berceuse (Composed in 1926. Unpublished).
*Suite (Composed in 1938. Unpublished).
**''Prélude''
** ''Scherzetto''
** ''Menuet''
** ''Toccata''
*Étude in F# major (Composed in 1938. Unpublished).
*Trois préludes (Composed in 1939. Unpublished).
**''D# minor''
** ''B minor''
** ''D minor''
Songs (with piano)
*Le Moulin (Composed in 1937. Unpublished).
*Soudainement contre les Vitres (Composed in 1940. Unpublished).
*Sonnet de Michel-Ange (Composed in 1949. Unpublished.)
*Action de grâce (No date. Unpublished).
*Cavalier (No date. Unpublished).
*Le Vase brisé (No date. Unpublished).
Chamber music
*Sonata for violin and piano (Composed in 1940. Sampson: Delatour France, 2013).
**''Allegro moderato''
** ''Adagio cantabile''
** ''Thème et variations''
*Ballade, op. 12, for horn and piano (Composed in 1962. Paris: Durand, 1962).
*String quartet (No date. Unpublished).
Vocal music
*Cantate pour le jeudi Saint for chorus, soloists, and organ; text by Félix Raugel (Composed in 1938. Unpublished).
*Barques célestes for three women's voices a capella (Composed in 1938. Unpublished).
*Consolamini for five mixed voices a capella (Composed in 1950. Unpublished).
*La Chanson de Roland, op. 10, oratorio for chorus, mezzo-soprano, and orchestra (Composed in 1951–56. Paris: Leduc).
Miscellaneous
*Two symphonic movements for orchestra (Composed in 1941. Unpublished).
* George Frideric Handel: Cadenzas for Organ Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 (Unpublished).
*Franz Liszt: Funérailles, arranged for organ solo (Sampzon: Delatour France, 2010).
Discography
* Jeanne Demessieux: L'oeuvre pour orgue.
** Te Deum op. 11, Répons pour le temps de Pâques, 12 Choral-Préludes op. 8, Triptyque op. 7, Prélude et Fugue en Ut op. 13, Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op. 6, Six Etudes op. 5. Pierre Labric: Hommage à Jeanne Demessieux.
***
Pierre Labric
Pierre André Labric (born 30 June 1921) is a French organist, pedagogue and composer.
Biography
Born in Conches-en-Ouche in Eure, Normandy, Labric studied the organ at Rouen Conservatory under Marcel Lanquetuit, and at the Paris Conservatoir ...
, Organist. Recorded in July 1971 (Te Deum), December 1971 (Choral-Preludes, Répons), October 1972 (Méditations, Études), November 1972 (Triptyque, Prélude et Fugue) and April 1974 (Hommage) at St. Ouen, Rouen, and St. Pierre, Angoulème (Six Études, Sept Méditations). Sigean: Solstice, 2017. 2 CD's.
* Jeanne Demessieux: The Decca Legacy.
** Her complete recordings for Decca Records between 1947 and 1967.
*** Jeanne Demessieux, Organist. London: Decca Records, 2021. 8 CD's.
* Jeanne Demessieux: Pièces pour orgue.
** Six Etudes op. 5, Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op. 6 (Nos. 2 & 7), Triptyque op. 7, Attende Domine (Choral-Preludes op. 8), Te Deum op. 11. Pierre Labric: Hommage à Jeanne Demessieux (first movement).
*** Pierre Labric, Organist. Recorded in 1969 and 1972 at Notre-Dame de Paris. Sigean: Solstice, 2010. 1 CD.
* Jeanne Demessieux: Complete Organ Works.
** Nativité op. 4, Six Études op. 5, Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op. 6, Triptyque op. 7, 12 Choral-Préludes op. 8, Te Deum op. 11, Répons pour les Temps Liturgiques, Prélude et Fugue en Ut op. 13.
*** Maxime Patel, Organist. Recorded in August 2006 at the Jann Organs of the Stiftsbasilika Waldsassen, Germany. A film production by Federico Savio. Hombourg-Haut, France: Fugatto, 2008. 1 DVD.
* Jeanne Demessieux: Complete Organ Works.
** Nativité op. 4, Six Études op. 5, Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op. 6, Triptyque op. 7, 12 Choral-Préludes op. 8, Te Deum op. 11, Répons pour les Temps Liturgiques, Prélude et Fugue en Ut op. 13, Andante (Chant donné), Poème op. 9 for organ and orchestra.
*** Stephen Tharp, Organist. Recorded in June 2004 at St. Martin, Dudelange (Luxembourg; opp. 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, and Andante), and in May 2006 at St. Ouen, Rouen (opp. 6 and 7, Répons pour les Temps Liturgiques). Jeanne Demessieux, Organist/Orchestre Radio-Symphonique de Paris, direction: Eugène Bigot (Poème op. 9). Recorded in 1952 at Salle Pleyel, Paris. Korschenbroich, Germany: Aeolus Music, 2008. 2 SACD's & 1 CD.
* César Franck: The complete works for organ.
** Jeanne Demessieux, Organ. Recorded in July 1959 at the Cavaillé-Coll-Orgel of La Madeleine in Paris, France. Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, n. d. FECD 155/156. 2 CD's.
* Jeanne Demessieux aux grandes orgues de l'Eglise de la Madeleine à Paris, Vol. I.
** J. S. Bach: Sinfonia from Cantata No. 29, Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott BWV 721, O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß BWV 622, Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam BWV 684; W. A. Mozart: Fantasia in F minor K. 608; F. Liszt: Prelude and Fugue on the name BACH; Ch. M. Widor: Allegro from Symphony No. 6 in G minor.
*** Jeanne Demessieux, Organ. Recorded in July 1958 at the Cavaillé-Coll-Orgel of La Madeleine in Paris, France. Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, n. d. FECD 131. 1 CD.
* Jeanne Demessieux aux grandes orgues de l'Eglise de la Madeleine à Paris, Vol. II.
** J. S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in F Major BWV 540, Fantasia in G major BWV 572; W. A. Mozart: Adagio and Fugue in C minor K. 546/426; E. Mignan: Toccata Médiévale; J. Berveiller: Mouvement; J. Demessieux: Te Deum op. 11.
*** Jeanne Demessieux, Organ. Recorded in July 1958 at the Cavaillé-Coll-Orgel of La Madeleine in Paris, France. Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, n. d. FECD 132. 1 CD.
* The Legendary Jeanne Demessieux, Vol. III.
** O. Messiaen: Transports de joie (L'Ascension); J. S. Bach: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier BWV 731; J. Berveiller: Mouvement; Ch. M. Widor: Toccata from Symphony No. 5 in F minor; W. A. Mozart: Fantasia in F minor K. 608; J. S. Bach: Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major BWV 564; F. Liszt: Ad nos, ad salutarem undam.
*** Jeanne Demessieux, Organ. Recorded on 6 July 1961 at the Müller-Orgel of St. Bavo, Haarlem (Mozart), on 23 July 1963 at the organ of the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam (Bach: BWV 564), at Victoria Hall in Geneva (1963; Liszt: Ad nos), and the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool (1967; Messiaen; Bach: BWV 731; Berveiller and Widor). Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, n. d. FECD 141. 1 CD.
* The Legendary Jeanne Demessieux: The Hamburg Organs.
** St. Sophienkirche: H. Purcell: Trumpet Tune; J. S. Bach: Praeludium and Fugue in A minor BWV 543, Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier BWV 731. St. Michaelis: C. Franck: Prélude, Fugue et Variation op. 18, Cantabile (Trios Pièces). Christianskirche: J. Berveiller: Mouvement; J. Demessieux: Te Deum op. 11, Consolateur (Sept Méditation sur le Saint Esprit op. 6), Tierces (Six Études op. 5); O. Messiaen: Dieu parmi nous (La Nativité du Seigneur); J. Demessieux: Improvisation on the Choral "O großer Gott der Treu" from Cantata No. 46 of J. S. Bach.
*** Jeanne Demessieux, Organ. Recorded in May 1959 (St. Sophienkirche), in November 1962 (St. Michaelis), and June 1958 (Christianskirche). Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, n. d. FECD 6961/862. 1 CD.
* Jeanne Demessieux: Complete Organ Works.
** Te Deum op. 11, Répons pour le temps de Pâques, 12 Choral-Préludes op. 8, Triptyque op. 7, Prélude et Fugue en Ut op. 13, Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op. 6, Six Etudes op. 5. Pierre Labric: Hommage à Jeanne Demessieux.
*** Pierre Labric, Organist. Recorded in July and December 1971 and October 1972 at St. Ouen, Rouen, and St. Pierre, Angoulème (Six Études, Sept Méditations). Musical Heritage Society, 1974.
References
Bibliography
* Aprahamian, Felix. Jeanne Demessieux. In Felix Aprahamian (ed.): ''Diaries and selected writings on music.'' Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press, 2015, 375-376.
* Association des Amis de l'Orgue (ed.). ''Jeanne Demessieux: Journal (1934-1946).'' L'Orgue 287-288 (2009).
* Association Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé (ed.). ''Hommage à Jeanne Demessieux.'' Bulletin no. 9 (2009).
* Ballesteros, Domitila. ''Jeanne Demessieux’s ‘Six Etudes’ and the piano technique''. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2004).
*
* Cavanagh, Lynn. ''The rise and fall of a famous collaboration: Marcel Dupré and Jeanne Demessieux.'' The Diapason (July 2005): 18–21.
* Chevalier, Éliane. Marie-Madeleine Chevalier-Duruflé et Marcel Dupré. In Association Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé (ed.): ''Marie-Madeleine Chevalier-Duruflé''. Bulletin no. 17 (2019-2020), 39-41.
* Colleney, Christiane. ''In memoriam Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968). Vingtième anniversaire.'' Jeunesse et Orgue 70 (1988): 9-10.
* Demessieux, Jeanne. ''Journal (1934–1946).'' L’Orgue: Bulletin des Amis de l’Orgue 287–288 (2009): 64–247.
* Denis, Pierre. ''Les organistes français d'aujourd'hui: Jeanne Demessieux, organiste du Saint-Esprit, professeur du Conservatoire Royal de Liège.'' L’Orgue 75 (April/June 1955): 37-44.
* Ellis, Laura. ''The American recital tours of Jeanne Demessieux.'' The Diapason 86 (October 1995): 14-18.
* Haiawi, Maryam. ''Das Orgelwerk von Jeanne Demessieux (1921–1968).'' Musica sacra 135, no. 6 (2015): 328–330.
* Haiawi, Maryam. ''Die Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit von Jeanne Demessieux (1921–1968): Kompositionsstil und theologischer Gehalt.'' Ars Organi 65, no. 2, (June 2017): 90–96.
* Labric, Pierre. ''Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968): Pariser Orgellegende von La Madeleine.'' Organ – Journal für die Orgel 2, no. 2 (1999): 36–38.
* Labric, Pierre. Jeanne Demessieux: Présentation des œuvres pour orgue. In Association Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé (ed.): ''Hommage à Jeanne Demessieux''. Bulletin no. 9 (2009), 70–75.
* Labric, Pierre. Jeanne Demessieux: Analyse de l'œuvre pour orgue. In Association Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé (ed.): ''Hommage à Jeanne Demessieux''. Bulletin no. 9 (2009), 76–96.
* Machart, Renaud. Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968). In Renaud Machart and Vincent Warnier (ed.): ''Les grands organistes du XXe siècle.'' Paris: Buchet-Chastel, 2018, 157-164.
* Marchais, Christine. Jeanne Demessieux. In Association Femmes et Musique (ed.): ''Compositrices Françaises au XXème siècle,'' vol. 2. Sampzon: Delatour France, 2014, 65-66.
* Page, Barnaby. ''Jeanne Demessieux.'' Organists' Review (September 2018): 9-13.
* Steed, Graham. ''Dupre and Demessieux: The master and the pupil.'' The American Organist 13 (March 1979): 36-37.
* Tréfouel, Dominique. ''Jeanne Demessieux.'' Lyon, France: J2C/ALDRUI Éditions, 2005. .
* Trieu-Colleney, Christiane. ''Jeanne Demessieux: Une vie de luttes et de gloire.'' Avignon, France: Les Presses Universelles, 1977.
* D'Arcy Trinkwon. ''The legend of Jeanne Demessieux: a study.'' The Diapason (November 2008): 30-33.
* Welzel, Martin. ''Jeanne Demessieux (1921–1968): A critical examination of her life.'' DMA Dissertation, University of Washington, Seattle, 2005 ResearchGate