Role

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Composer  

Country

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France

Birth

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January 15, 1930 in Dôle, Jura

Genre

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Keyboard

 

Michel Chapuis was a renowned French organist and harpsichordist who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on January 15, 1930, in Dole, France, Chapuis showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He later switched to the organ and studied under the tutelage of some of the most prominent organists of his time. Chapuis received his formal education at the Paris Conservatory, where he studied under the guidance of Maurice Duruflé and Marcel Dupré. He graduated with top honors in 1953 and went on to win several prestigious awards, including the Prix de Rome in 1954. Chapuis began his professional career as an organist at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés church in Paris. He quickly gained a reputation as a virtuoso performer and was soon invited to perform at some of the most prestigious venues in Europe and the United States. One of Chapuis's most notable performances was his rendition of Johann Sebastian Bach's complete organ works, which he performed over the course of several years. This monumental undertaking cemented Chapuis's reputation as one of the foremost interpreters of Bach's music. Chapuis was also a prolific recording artist, having recorded over 100 albums throughout his career. His recordings of Bach's organ works are considered some of the most definitive interpretations of the composer's music. In addition to his work as an organist, Chapuis was also an accomplished harpsichordist. He was particularly interested in the music of the French Baroque period and was known for his interpretations of the works of Jean-Philippe Rameau and François Couperin. Chapuis was a dedicated teacher and served as a professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory from 1971 to 1995. He also taught at the Schola Cantorum in Paris and the Hochschule für Musik in Frankfurt, Germany. Throughout his career, Chapuis received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the world of classical music. In 1985, he was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for his recording of Bach's complete organ works. He was also made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, one of France's highest honors, in 1990. Chapuis continued to perform and record well into his later years, and his contributions to the world of classical music will be remembered for generations to come. He passed away on November 12, 2017, at the age of 87.

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