What is Louis Vierne?
[[File:Vierne 1910.JPG|thumb|Vierne 1910]] '''Louis Vierne''' (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a [[French people|French]] [[pipe organ|organist]] and [[composer]]. He wrote a lot of music for the organ, including six large works called [[symphony|symphonies]], ''24 Fantasy Pieces'' (which includes his famous ''Carillon de Westminster''), and ''24 Pieces In Free Style''. Some of these can be played on the [[harmonium]] as well as on the organ. ==Life== Vierne was born in [[Poitiers]]. He was almost completely [[blind]] from birth. He faced a lifetime of professional frustration, sickness, blindness, loss of family and friends, and disappointments. This all influenced his music. He died while giving an organ recital at [[Notre Dame de Paris|Notre Dame]]. == Organ symphonies == {{listen | filename = Louis Vierne Final Symphonie No1.ogg | title = Final Movement of Organ Symphony No. 1 in D minor, op. 14 | description = Performed by Marc Giacone }} * Organ Symphony No. 1 in [[D minor]], Op. 14 (1898–1899) * Organ Symphony No. 2 in [[E minor]], Op. 20 (1902–1903) * Organ Symphony No. 3 in [[F-sharp minor|F♯ minor]], Op. 28 (1911) * Organ Symphony No. 4 in [[G minor]], Op. 32 (1914) * Organ Symphony No. 5 in [[A minor]], Op. 47 (1923–1924) * Organ Symphony No. 6 in [[B minor]], Op. 59 (1930) Symphony No. 6 exploits the full 12-tone [[chromatic]] scale. Vierne's pupil [[Maurice Duruflé]] played the Symphony's first performance at Notre Dame in 1935. == References == * Woodstra, Chris, et. al. 2005. ''All Music Guide to Classical Music.'' All Music Guide, LLC. p. 1456. {{DEFAULTSORT:Vierne, Louis}} [[Category:1870 births]] [[Category:1937 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century French composers]] [[Category:Romantic composers]] [[Category:Poitiers]] {{bio-stub}}