Abel Decaux
Encyclopedia
Abel Decaux was a French
organist
and composer
. He studied organ with Charles Widor and Alexandre Guilmant
and composition
with Jules Massenet
. For twenty five years from around 1900 he was organist at the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, in Paris. In 1923 he went to the United States of America, to teach organ at the Eastman School of Music
. He returned to France in 1935, to teach organ at the École César Franck
and at the Institut Grégorien in Paris.
Decaux's best known composition (and the only one he ever published), Clairs de lune, is a set of four piano pieces written between 1900 and 1907, and published in 1913. It is remarkably modern for its time and anticipated some of the work of Claude Debussy
and Arnold Schoenberg
.
Clairs de lune was recorded in 1981 by Turkish pianist Meral Güneyman with works of Frank Bridge
and Anton Webern
, in 1996 by American pianist Frederic Chiu
on a Harmonia Mundi
disc with Ravel's Miroirs
and Schoenberg
's Drei Klavierstücke
; and in 2006 by Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin
on a Hyperion
disc with Dukas' Piano Sonata.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
organist
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...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He studied organ with Charles Widor and Alexandre Guilmant
Alexandre Guilmant
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and composer.- Short biography :Guilmant was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer...
and composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
with Jules Massenet
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...
. For twenty five years from around 1900 he was organist at the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, in Paris. In 1923 he went to the United States of America, to teach organ at the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
. He returned to France in 1935, to teach organ at the École César Franck
École César Franck
The École César-Franck was a music school founded in Paris in January 1935 by Guy de Lioncourt, Louis de Serres, Pierre de Bréville and Marcel Labey...
and at the Institut Grégorien in Paris.
Decaux's best known composition (and the only one he ever published), Clairs de lune, is a set of four piano pieces written between 1900 and 1907, and published in 1913. It is remarkably modern for its time and anticipated some of the work of Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
and Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
.
Clairs de lune was recorded in 1981 by Turkish pianist Meral Güneyman with works of Frank Bridge
Frank Bridge
Frank Bridge was an English composer and violist.-Life:Bridge was born in Brighton and studied at the Royal College of Music in London from 1899 to 1903 under Charles Villiers Stanford and others...
and Anton Webern
Anton Webern
Anton Webern was an Austrian composer and conductor. He was a member of the Second Viennese School. As a student and significant follower of Arnold Schoenberg, he became one of the best-known exponents of the twelve-tone technique; in addition, his innovations regarding schematic organization of...
, in 1996 by American pianist Frederic Chiu
Frederic Chiu
Frederic Chiu is a Chinese American classical concert pianist.-Education:Chiu was born in Ithaca, New York. He studied music and computer science at Indiana University, then pursued his musical studies in New York at the Juilliard School, where he studied with Abbey Simon...
on a Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi is an independent music record label founded in 1958 by Bernard Coutaz in Arles . The Latin phrase means "world harmony"....
disc with Ravel's Miroirs
Miroirs
Miroirs, or "Reflections" is a suite for solo piano written by French impressionist composer Maurice Ravel between 1904 and 1905. First performed by Ricardo Viñes in 1906, Miroirs contains five movements, each dedicated to a fellow member of the French impressionist group, Les...
and Schoenberg
Schoenberg
Schoenberg is the surname of several persons:* Arnold Schoenberg , Austrian-American composer* Claude-Michel Schoenberg , French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer...
's Drei Klavierstücke
Drei Klavierstücke
Drei Klavierstücke, Op. 11 is a set of pieces for solo piano written by the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg in 1909. They represent an early example of ‘atonality’ in the composer’s work...
; and in 2006 by Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin
Marc-André Hamelin
Marc-André Hamelin, OC, CQ, is a French Canadian virtuoso pianist and composer.Born in Montreal, Quebec, Marc-André Hamelin began his piano studies at the age of five. His father, a pharmacist by trade who was also a pianist, introduced him to the works of Alkan, Godowsky, and Sorabji when he was...
on a Hyperion
Hyperion Records
Hyperion Records is an independent British classical record label.-History:The company was named after Hyperion, one of the Titans of Greek mythology. It was founded by George Edward Perry, widely known as "Ted", in 1980. Early LP releases included rarely recorded 20th century British music by...
disc with Dukas' Piano Sonata.