André Marchal

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André Marchal (February 6, 1894 Paris - August 27, 1980 Saint-Jean-de-Luz) was a French organist, and organ teacher. He was one of the great initiators of organ revival in France.

Marchal was born blind. He studied the organ under Eugène Gigout at the Paris Conservatoire where in 1913 he won their premier prix, he also won the prix d' excellence for fugue and counterpoint in Caussade's class (his counterpoint teacher) in 1917.

He taught organ at Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris, and was titular organist of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés (1915-1945) and Saint-Eustache (1945-1963), his resignation in 1963 being brought about over a conflict over the correct organ builder to be hired to restore Saint-Eustache's instrument^[1].

He was an unparalled improviser and was even recognized as such by Fauré ^[2]. Among his students were many brilliant musicians like Louis Thiry or Jean-Pierre Leguay, one of four titulaires des grands orgue of Notre-Dame de Paris

[edit] Awards and Recognition

Officier de la Légion d’honneur (1960)
Officier de Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1965)

[edit] Links

http://www.arbiterrecords.com/notes/111notes.html Shorted biography by The Organist's son, Jacqueline Englert-Marchal

[edit] References

1 Robert Laffont, Dictionnaire des interprètes, Paris 1982, quoted on CD-ROM, Erato Disques, Franck: L'œuvre Intégral Pour Orgue 1994.
2 http://www.arbiterrecords.com/notes/111notes.html