Marcel Dupré
b. Rouen, May 3, 1886
d. Meudon (near Paris), May 30, 1971
Biography
The son of French organist Albert Dupré, Marcel Dupré was immersed in
music early in life. He was admitted to the Paris Conservatory in 1904,
studying with Guilmant, Diémar, and Widor. He received first prize for
organ in 1907 and first prize for fugue in 1909. In 1916 he was appointed
interim organist at the great Notre Dame Cathedral. In 1926 he returned
to his Alma Mater, this time as a professor of organ. He succeeded his
former teacher Widor as the organist of St. Sulpice in 1934. Throughout
his life Dupré performed extensivelyincluding ten tours to the United
States. He was even appointed General Director of the American
Conservatory in 1947.
Dupré's compositions develop from his extraordinary improvisations. For
example, his Symphonie-Passion was first improvised in 1921 on the
Wanamaker organ in Philadelphia. It was not written down and performed
until three years later, at the Westminster Cathedral. Dupré's
compositions reflect the trend towards concert repertoire, rather than
liturgical pieces.
Points of Interest
- He was awarded the Grand Prix de Rome in 1914 for his cantata Psyché.
- In 1920 he performed the complete works of Bach by memory in a
ten-concert recital series.
Representative Works
- Preludes and fugues
- Symphonies