Adrien Rougier (23 June 1892 – 1 July 1984) 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 ...

organ builder Organ building is the profession of designing, building, restoring and maintaining pipe organs. The Organ builders , organ builder usually receives a commission to design an organ with a particular disposition of Organ stop, stops, Manual (mu ...

, conductor and composer.

Life

Born in Vernaison, from a family of silk merchants in

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...

, Rougier studied the piano and then the organ with Édouard Commette, organist at the

Lyon Cathedral Lyon Cathedral (french: link=no, Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon) is a Roman Catholic church located on Place Saint-Jean in central Lyon, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and is the seat of the Archbishop of L ...

. He then continued his musical studies and learned

musical 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 ...

with

Georges Martin Witkowski Georges Martin Witkowski (6 January 1867 – 12 August 1943) was a French conductor and composer. Career Born in Mostaganem, French Algeria, Witkowski started out in the army, becoming a cavalry officer and meeting Louis Vierne during that time ...

, founder of the Société des Grands Concerts. Mobilized for military service in 1912 and during the First World War, he was wounded several times in the trenches of the

Battle of Verdun The Battle of Verdun (french: Bataille de Verdun ; german: Schlacht um Verdun ) was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front in France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north ...

before joining the Armée française d'Orient until the end of the war. On his return from the front, he went back to music and entered the

Schola Cantorum de Paris The Schola Cantorum de Paris is a private conservatory in Paris. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Bordes, Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy as a counterbalance to the Paris Conservatoire's emphasis on opera. History La Schola was founded i ...

with Maurice Sergent,

Vincent d'Indy Paul Marie Théodore Vincent d'Indy (; 27 March 18512 December 1931) was a French composer and teacher. His influence as a teacher, in particular, was considerable. He was a co-founder of the Schola Cantorum de Paris and also taught at the Par ...

and especially

Louis Vierne Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French organist and composer. As the organist of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death, he focused on organ music, including six organ symphonies and a '' Messe solennelle ...

as teachers, whose latter's influence would be predominant in his compositions for organ. The latter also commissioned him to create his Triptych for organ Op. 58 with orchestra. In 1921, his

symphonic poem A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music, usually in a single continuous movement, which illustrates or evokes the content of a poem, short story, novel, painting, landscape, or other (non-musical) source. The German term ''T ...

''Les Elfes'' won the prize of the musical composition of the Société des Grands Concerts, at the same time as a

Sarabande The sarabande (from es, zarabanda) is a dance in triple metre, or the music written for such a dance. History The Sarabande evolved from a Spanish dance with Arab influences, danced by a lively double line of couples with castanets. A dance cal ...

Pierre-Octave Ferroud Pierre-Octave Calixte Ferroud (6 January 1900 – 17 August 1936)K.S. (2003). was a French composer of classical music. Life Ferroud was born in Chasselay, Rhône, near Lyon. He went to Lyon, to Strasbourg (for military service from 1920-2) ...

and the following year he became conductor of the

Hector Berlioz In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

Symphony Concerts in

Grenoble lat, Gratianopolis , commune status = Prefecture and commune , image = Panorama grenoble.png , image size = , caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...

. For the 1927/1928 musical season, he did not forget the Lyon scene alongside

Paul Le Flem Marie-Paul Achille Auguste Le Flem (18 March 1881 – 31 July 1984) was a French composer and music critic. Biography Born in Radon, Orne, and living most of his life in Lézardrieux, Le Flem studied at the Schola Cantorum under Vincent d'Ind ...

André Caplet André Caplet (23 November 1878 – 22 April 1925) was a French composer and conductor of classical music. He was a friend of Claude Debussy and completed the orchestration of several of Debussy's compositions as well as arrangements of severa ...

and

Jacques Ibert Jacques François Antoine Marie Ibert (15 August 1890 – 5 February 1962) was a French composer of classical music. Having studied music from an early age, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire and won its top prize, the Prix de Rome at his first ...

by premiering ''En marge de trois maîtres français''. But Rougier returned to his favourite instrument, the

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...

and, after an experience as assistant at the

Church of Saint-Sulpice , image = Paris Saint-Sulpice Fassade 4-5 A.jpg , image_size = , pushpin map = Paris , pushpin label position = , coordinates = , location = Place Saint-Sulpice 6th arrond ...

and as appointed organist at the Dominicains convent of the

rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of '' Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its bl ...

in Paris he became a titular in several parishes in Lyon such as Saint-Irénée, Saint-Polycarpe and Saint-Pothin. Back from Paris in the 1920s, he stressed the importance and variety of the organ repertoire by

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 former master, Édouard Commette, who would later make reference recordings of the German master whose work was increasingly popular with the public. Titular of the great organ of the Église Saint-Pothin, he invited in particular

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 ...

Pierre Cochereau Pierre Eugène Charles Cochereau (9 July 1924 – 6 March 1984) was a French organist, improviser, composer, and pedagogue. Cochereau was titular organist of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1955 to his death in 1984 and was responsible ...

Maurice Duruflé Maurice Gustave Duruflé (; 11 January 1902 – 16 June 1986) was a French composer, organist, musicologist, and teacher. Life and career Duruflé was born in Louviers, Eure in 1902. He became a chorister at the Rouen Cathedral Choir School fro ...

Gaston Litaize Gaston Gilbert Litaize (11 August 1909 - 5 August 1991) was a French organist and composer. Considered one of the 20th century masters of the French organ, he toured, recorded, worked at churches, and taught students in and around Paris. Blind ...

Jeanne Demessieux Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux (13 February 1921 – 11 November 1968) was a French organist, pianist, composer, and teacher. She was the chief organist at Saint-Esprit for 29 years and at La Madeleine in Paris starting in 1962. She perfo ...

Jean Langlais Jean François-Hyacinthe Langlais III (15 February 1907 – 8 May 1991) was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser. He described himself as "" ("Breton, of Catholic faith"). Biography Langlais was born in L ...

and

Marie-Claire Alain Marie-Claire Geneviève Alain-Gommier (10 August 1926 – 26 February 2013) was a French organist, scholar and teacher best known for her prolific recording career, with 260 recordings, making her the most-recorded classical organist in the world ...

to the gallery . It was at his request that Duruflé's

Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

was first performed for solo organ with the composer at the pulpit, the first for large orchestra taking place in 1947,

Salle Gaveau The Salle Gaveau, named after the French piano maker Gaveau, is a classical concert hall in Paris, located at 45-47 rue La Boétie, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It is particularly intended for chamber music. Construction The plans for th ...

, in Paris. In 1937, he was one of the members of the "Cercle du Luth". with Édouard Commette, Ennemond Trillat, Jean Bouvard, Robert de Fragny, Ferrier-Jourdain, Pierre Giriat, Marcel Paponaud, Marcel Pehu, Jean Reynaud and Victor Richer, a musical society in Lyon that disappeared during the Second World War. He also participated in the premieres of many works by contemporary artists including

. For his 51 stops organ of Saint-Pothin's Church, he implemented his invention, a device for calling combinations called "Acribès". One of these combiners had been installed on the grandstand organ of the primatial Saint-Jean de Lyon when it was reinstalled in 1935-1936. This combiner is still in operation in the organ of the Saint-André church in

Tarare Tarare is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. It lies on the Turdine river, 28 miles west-northwest of Lyon by rail. History The city was founded at the beginning of the 12th century, as the priory of Tarare by the Savigny A ...

while another copy is located at the . A professor at the , where Georges Aloy, Patrice Caire, Maurice Clerc, Paul Coueffë,

Georges Guillard Georges Guillard (born 19 May 1939) is a French organist, former holder of the Great Organ of the Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Manteaux church in Paris. Life Born in Saint-Just-la-Pendue, Guillard was for a long time the holder of the Grandes Orgues de ...

, Jean-Pierre Millioud, Jean-Luc Salique, Marcel Godard among others were his students as well as Madeleine Jallifier, Rougier was a tireless promoter of organ music in Lyon, which led him to create the Société des Amis de l'Orgue with Jean Bouvard,

Norbert Dufourcq Norbert Stéphane Jean-Marie Dufourcq (21 September 1904 – 19 December 1990) was a French organist, music educator, musicologist and musicographer. Biography Norbert Dufourcq was born in 1904 in Saint-Jean-de-Braye in the Loiret departmen ...

, Marcel Péhu and abbott François Boursier, and to devote research to the electronic combiner and organ building. His contribution to the restitution of the sounds of the organs of

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 ...

led him to make both a biographical and technical synthesis of the works of the

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

er Kantor. With regard to organ restoration, he called for restorations that respected as much as possible the original historical instrument. In 1974 he was elevated to the rank of chevalier of the

Order of St. Gregory the Great The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great ( la, Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni; it, Ordine di San Gregorio Magno) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of ...

Alexandre Renard Alexandre-Charles-Albert-Joseph Renard (7 June 1906, Avelin, Nord – 8 October 1983, Paris) was a French people, French Cardinal (Catholic Church), Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Lyon. He was ordained on 12 July 1931 in Lille. Li ...

, bishop of Lyon. He was the brother of astronomer and physicist , and 's cousin.

Works

* ''Les Elfes, poème symphonique pour orchestre'', 1921 (premiered by the Orchestre philharmonique de Grenoble, 19 April 1922) * ''En marge de trois maîtres français, pour orchestre'' (premiered on 9 November 1928, salle Rameau à Lyon, by the orchestra of the Société philharmonique de Lyon conducted by the author). * ''Trois Esquisses pour l'Odyssée: Ulysse, Calypso, Les Jeux chez les Phéaciens'', for orchestra (premiered March 1934, salle Rameau in Lyon, by the orchestre de la Société philharmonique de Lyon conducted by

Jean Witkowski Jean Witkowski (23 May 1895 – 24 May 1953), the son of Georges Martin Witkowski, was a French choral conductor and conductor. Life Born in Vouziers, Witkowski studied music with his father, cello with Léonce Allard and piano with Blanche Sel ...

). * ''Nocturne pour violoncelle et piano'' (published at Jobert, Paris) * ''Trois mélodies sur des poèmes d’Albert Samain, pour soprano et piano'' : ''La Maison du Matin, Le Petit Palémon'', dedicated to Suzanne Balguerie and ''Les Constellations'' dedicated to her brother Gilbert Rougier, (published by Jobert, Paris, 1936) * ''Prélude,'' extract of ''Suite Française,'' for piano, by the Members of the Luth (published at Béal, in Lyon) * ''Elégie-lamento pour orgue'' (published by Rubin, Lyon) * ''Arabesque pour orgue'' (published by Rubin, Lyon) * ''Elevation en ré bémol majeur pour orgue'' (published by Rubin, Lyon) * ''Interlude en ut mineur pour orgue'' (published by Rubin, Lyon) * ''Toccata et fugue en sol mineur pour orgue'', premiered in the presence of

, archbishop of Lyon (published by Rubin, Lyon) * ''Petites pièces pour orgue'' * ''Berceuse pour violon et orgue'' * ''Initiation à la facture d'orgue'' publication in ''Amis de l’orgue de Lyon'' - 1940/41 – * ''Les Orgues de Jean-Sébastien Bach'' - Imprimerie Roudil Frères – Lyon * ''J.-S. Bach, l'organiste et l'œuvre pour orgue'' by Adrien Rougier.''Les Orgues du Rhône'', Yves Jaffrès, Éditions Compact, 1992

Selected discography

* ''Berceuse pour violon et orgue'', by Georges Guillard (choir organ) and Michel Dietz (violin), Saint-Louis-en-l'Île church in the

Île Saint-Louis Île Saint-Louis (), in size, is one of two natural islands in the Seine river, in Paris, France (the other natural island is the Île de la Cité, where Notre-Dame de Paris is located). Île Saint-Louis is connected to the rest of Paris by ...

, Disque Orgues Nouvelles No 6, 2009. * ''Toccata et fugue'', by Georges Aloy, Lyon, Basilique de Fourvière, Disque Amis de l'orgue. * ''Arabesque'', by Patrice Caire, Lyon, chapelle des Chartreux, Lugduvox Records, 1980.

References

External links

Hommage à Adrien Rougier

Adrien Rougier

(''La Maison du Matin'', extract from ''Trois mélodies sur des poèmes d’Albert Samain, pour soprano et piano,'' played by Qi Xiaoxiao and Sim Hyun Min at the

''Toccata et fugue en sol mineur pour orgue'' played by Georges Aloy and ''Arabesque'' performed by Philippe Quattroccolo
playing the organ of Église du Saint-Nom de Jésus {{DEFAULTSORT:Rougier, Adrien 1892 births 1984 deaths People from Rhône (department) Schola Cantorum de Paris alumni French male conductors (music) 20th-century French composers French classical organists French male organists French classical composers French male classical composers French male composers French music educators French pipe organ builders 20th-century organists 20th-century French conductors (music) 20th-century French male musicians Male classical organists