Aug 09 Pp. 22-25 .Indd 22 7/10/09 10:51:27 AM André Isoir Repairing His Eighteenth-Century Barrel Organ (1980)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
André Isoir: An Eclectic French Organist Carolyn Shuster Fournier ital music-making is the heartbeat Vthat animates André Isoir. Honorary organist at the church of Saint-Germain- des-Prés in Paris, Chevalier of Arts and Letters and recipient of the National Order of Merit, André Isoir has received the highest distinctions as an interna- tional concert and recording artist, with a vast repertoire and more than sixty re- cordings to his name. An eminent pro- fessor, he has taught over 900 organists from all over the world. A Renaissance man, he is also a composer who has made many transcriptions. Fascinated by organ building, he has been a consultant for numerous organ restorations and has served as a corresponding member of both the French Historical Monuments Commission (1970–85) and the Com- mission of Unclassifi ed Historical Monu- ments from (1980–84). Initial inspiration André Isoir was born on July 20, 1935 Rolande Falcinelli’s organ class at the Paris Conservatory in 1960. From left to in Saint-Dizier (in Haute-Marne, near right: Francis Chapelet, André François, André Isoir, Yves Devernay, Jean Wallet, Reims). He played the bugle in the city Marie-Thérèse Michaux (Besson), Xavier Darasse, Rolande Falcinelli, Christian band. At age fourteen, his life was trans- Manen, James Caussade (seated), Pierre Jorre de Saint Jorre formed when he heard J. S. Bach’s Pre- lude and Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543, played on the organ in the chapel of his school. He immediately fell in love with this instrument. For the next two years, he studied on this organ with a Salesian priest and accompanied on the harmo- Geneviève de La Salle and Édouard nium a church choir led by his father, Souberbielle, with Michel Jollivet and an amateur musician. When Noëlie Eugène Pelletier (in the center) Pierront1 came to Saint-Dizier with the Philippe Debat Vocal Ensemble2 and Souberbielle served as consultant for performed a stunning rendition of Mar- the construction of a Roethinger organ cel Dupré’s Prelude and Fugue in G Mi- in the French classic style (curiously nor, Isoir had the opportunity of playing enough with electric action) at the Bene- Bach’s Fugue in G Minor, BWV 542, for dictine Abbey in Limon (in the southern her. Impressed by his immense talent, part of the Île-de-France). Voiced by she encouraged him to come to Paris to Robert Boisseau, this organ included a study at the César Franck School.3 Plein-jeu as described by Dom Bédos. It thus served as an inspiration to future Musical training constructions in this style by Philippe In 1952, André Isoir enrolled at the Hartmann and Pierre Chéron. In addi- César Franck School, then located on tion, Souberbielle’s refi ned and inspir- the rue Vavin, near Notre-Dame-des- ing approach to improvisation, enrobed Champs, in the Montparnasse district. with Ravel-like harmonies, concentrated André Isoir at the console of the Stoltz organ at Saint-Médard in Paris (1963) After studying piano with Germaine on the free treatment of a theme and, of Mounier, he then studied with two of course, the fugue. Prize in 1965, and in Haarlem (Hol- Louis Vierne’s former students: Gen- In order to launch a career, it was nec- land), where he won prizes for three eviève de La Salle and Édouard Sou- essary to obtain a First Prize in organ consecutive years (1966–1967–1968). berbielle. First he entered de La Salle’s from the Paris Conservatory. While still He also won the “Challenge Prize” and organ class.4 An excellent musician, she enrolled at the César Franck School in is the only Frenchman to have earned enabled him to acquire a fi rm technique September 1957, André Isoir entered that distinction since the beginning of and taught him to play with elegant Rolande Falcinelli’s10 organ class and this competition in 1951. Isoir excelled phrasing, varied articulations, and re- Olivier Messiaen’s analysis class at the in the ephemeral art of improvisation fi ned registrations. She excelled in the Paris Conservatory, where his fellow stu- that enabled him to express his thoughts art of registration so much so that Joseph dents included Xavier Darasse and Yves eloquently. For him, even a minimum Bonnet requested that she spend hours Devernay. He remained there for three amount of imagination, when it’s coupled with him preparing for his concerts and years, taking lessons on a “really horrible with an assimilation of various styles and recordings on the Gonzalez organ at organ”11 and received his Second Prize a suffi cient preparation of an abundance Saint-Eustache. She gave her lessons in organ on June 15, 1959. On June 22, of fresh ideas, can enable one to impro- on a Pleyel studio organ with electro- 1960, he unanimously obtained, with vise well. He was fascinated with pre- pneumatic action,5 teaching the works of the strong support of Maurice Durufl é, senting, in a short span of time, a coher- Bach, Alain, Durufl é, Franck, Messiaen, a First Prize in organ performance and ent form with appropriate registrations and Vierne, leaving aside those by Widor improvisation. Fifteen days earlier, Isoir that bring out the style of the proposed and Gigout. In February 1956, when had received the ultimate degree that re- theme. His vital musical personality, Geneviève de La Salle left to teach at the ally mattered to him—the Superior Di- ready to receive and develop unexpect- Gregorian Institute in Lisbon, Isoir suc- ploma in organ and improvisation at the ed ideas (it is not surprising that he is an ceeded her as organist and choirmaster César Franck School. avid fi sherman!) has been fully revealed at Saint-Médard in Paris.6 At the César Franck School, Isoir through his improvisations. To acquire a solid musical formation, met many of his future friends and col- Animated by a love of accompanying Isoir studied Gregorian chant as well as leagues: Denise and Michel Chapuis, the liturgy, André Isoir used his impro- André Isoir fi shing in the Sorgue River improvisation and harmony with René Jeanne Joulain, Éliane Lejeune-Bon- visation skills to prepare the parishioners near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (1983) Malherbe,7 harmony with Yves Margat, nier, Elisabeth and Joachim Havard de to pray and become spiritually receptive. counterpoint with Marcel Bitch, and la Montagne, Simone and Jean-Albert From 1956 to 1971, he served as organ- with Michel Chapuis, Francis Chapelet, continued piano with Germaine Mouni- Villard, Émmanuel de Villèle, Paule Pie- ist and choir master at Saint-Médard and Jacques Marichal, re-establishing er. This prepared him to enter Édouard delièvre, and others, as well as his future in Paris.14 He began his concert career the former Parisian tradition of having Souberbielle’s8 organ class. This “true wife, Annie Kergomard, whom he mar- by giving a recital in this church in Oc- four organists. In 1963, Alfred Kern aristocrat of the organ” possessed a vast ried in 1961.12 During his military ser- tober 1963, of classical works from the had successfully reconstructed the 1745 culture and an eminent spirituality that vice, from 1960 to 1962, he played brass Flemish and German schools (Leonhard Claude Ferrand organ in a neo-classic deeply infl uenced all of his students. He instruments in a military band, along Kleber, Sweelinck, Wilhelm Karges, aesthetic (under Michel Chapuis’ guid- expanded each student’s personal percep- with Francis Chapelet, who became one Scheidt, Lübeck, Pachelbel, Buxtehude ance, with Philippe Hartmann redoing tions by making them feel uncomfortable of his closest friends.13 and Bach). He played in such a man- the action). Isoir has many fond memo- with their own opinions. This enabled ner that the romantic Stoltz instrument ries of the pre-Vatican II repertoire that them to acquire an elegant style. Beginning a musical career: skills (1880) sounded like a German baroque he accompanied there. While at Saint- In Souberbielle’s class, Isoir contin- as an improviser and a composer organ!15 Throughout his career, he con- Séverin, he composed a Ravel-like Ag- ued to play, notably, works by Bach and Following his studies, Isoir’s interna- stantly presented lesser-known works in nus Dei, with the text in French. (See Franck, but more importantly, he began tional career was launched when he won his programs. musical example.) In 1973, after having to play the early French composers. various competitions: in Saint Albans In 1970, he was named as one of the served as a consultant for the recon- Infl uenced by his son Léon,9 Édouard (England), where he received the First four organists at Saint-Séverin, along struction of Haerpfer-Ermann’s organ 22 THE DIAPASON Aug 09 pp. 22-25 .indd 22 7/10/09 10:51:27 AM André Isoir repairing his eighteenth-century barrel organ (1980) Musical example: André Isoir’s Agnus Dei ouin, Jean Fellot, Alain Lequeux, Michel playing early French music because it Chapuis, Francis Chapelet, and André gives the interpreter a great deal of free- at Saint-Germain-des-Prés, he was ap- Isoir’s close friend, the organ builder Isoir, presided over by Jean Fonteneau, dom in bringing this music to life. pointed organist there, along with Odile Jean-Georges Koenig,19 taught him how united to protect early French historic Bayeux, following a long line of blind to construct wooden pipes. His friend, organs: they founded the French Asso- Organ professor organists who had served there (notably Father Michel Chausson (a priest who ciation for the Preservation of Early Or- For André Isoir, teaching is a sacred Augustin Barié, André Marchal, and An- built organ pipes) taught him how to gans (A.F.S.O.A.—Association française mission, enabling one to give priceless toine Reboulot).16 construct metal pipes.