Role

:

Composer  

Birth

:

February 14, 1921 in Montpellier, France

Death

:

November 11, 1968 in Paris, France

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Keyboard

 

Jeanne Demessieux was a French composer and organist who was born on February 13, 1921, in Montpellier, France. She was the youngest of three children and grew up in a musical family. Her father, Adolphe Demessieux, was a composer and organist, and her mother, Jeanne Julie Marie, was a pianist. Her brother, André Demessieux, was also a composer and organist. Jeanne Demessieux showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of three. She later started studying the organ with her father and made her public debut as an organist at the age of eleven. She continued her studies at the Paris Conservatory, where she studied with Marcel Dupré, Maurice Duruflé, and Olivier Messiaen. In 1942, Jeanne Demessieux won the first prize in organ and improvisation at the Paris Conservatory. She then began a successful career as a concert organist, performing throughout Europe and the United States. She was known for her virtuosic playing and her ability to improvise on the organ. Jeanne Demessieux was also a prolific composer, writing works for the organ, piano, and orchestra. Her compositions were influenced by the French organ tradition and the works of Bach, but also showed a modernist sensibility. She was particularly interested in the use of serialism and other contemporary techniques in her compositions. One of Jeanne Demessieux's most famous works is her Six Études for organ, which she composed between 1946 and 1950. These études are technically demanding and showcase her virtuosic playing. They also demonstrate her interest in contemporary techniques, such as serialism and polytonality. Another notable work by Jeanne Demessieux is her Te Deum for organ, which she composed in 1958. This work is a setting of the Latin hymn of praise and is scored for organ and choir. It is a grand and majestic work that showcases her skill as a composer and organist. Jeanne Demessieux also wrote several works for piano, including her Piano Sonata, which she composed in 1947. This work is a three-movement sonata that shows her interest in contemporary techniques, such as polytonality and atonality. In addition to her career as a performer and composer, Jeanne Demessieux was also a teacher. She taught at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and the Schola Cantorum in Paris. She also gave masterclasses throughout Europe and the United States. Tragically, Jeanne Demessieux's career was cut short by her untimely death at the age of 47. She died on November 11, 1968, in Paris, France, from cancer. Despite her short career, she left a lasting legacy as a composer and organist. Her works continue to be performed and recorded today, and she is remembered as one of the most important French composers of the 20th century.

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