Louis Vierne

Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French organist and composer. He was the organist of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death. As a composer, much of his output was organ music, including six symphonies and four suites, and works for choir and organ, including a Messe solennelle for choir and two organs. He toured Europe and the United States as a concert organist. His students included Nadia Boulanger and Maurice Duruflé. When Vierne’s mother died on 25 March 1902, he moved to a larger flat on Rue ses Saints-Pères. A second son, André, was born on 6 January 1903, and a daughter, Collette, was born on 5 January 1907. In 1906, a street accident in Paris caused him to badly fracture his leg, and it was briefly thought that his leg would need to be amputated. The leg was saved, but his recovery, and the task of completely re-learning his pedal technique, took a half a year. *Organ Symphonies Nos. 1-6: Martin Jean; Loft Recordings *Organ Symphonies Nos. 1-6: David Sanger; Meridian Recordings *Organ Symphonies Nos. 1-6: Günther Kaunzinger; Koch-Schwann *Organ Symphonies Nos. 1-6: Jeremy Filsell; Signum Classics *Second Symphony for Organ: Christopher