René VIERNE
(1878-1918)

Contents

Cinq improvisations pouvant servir de Ier Versets de Magnificat ou IIe Interludes de psaumes : N° 1 Allegro maestoso; 2e Allegretto; 3° Adagio; 4e Andanti; 5e Vivace.

Interludes de Procession pour l'Hymne Pánge língua : N° 1 Pánge lingua gloriósi; N° 2 Córporis mystérium; N° 3 Sanguinísque pretiósi; N° 4 Frúctus véntris generósi Rex effúdit géntium.

Interludes pour l'Hymne Ave Máris stélla : N° 1 Ave Máris stélla; N° 2 Lento sostenuto; N° 3 Maestoso e marcato.

Les Vêpres de Pâques : N° 1 Petit carillon; N° 2 1er Interlude; N° 3 2e Interlude; N° 4 Sortie douce.

Summary

Pánge língua • This hymn was written by St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) for the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament. It is sung during the Vespers at the Feast of Corpus Christi. It is also sung on Maundy Thursday, during the procession from the church to the place where the Blessed Sacrament is kept until Good Friday. The last two stanzas, called separately Tántum Ergo, are sung at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The hymn expresses the doctrine of transubstantiation, in which, according to the Roman Catholic faith, the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Ave máris stélla • Ave máris stélla is a popular liturgical hymn of unknown origin. It can be dated back to at least the 9th century. Made of seven stropes, it is assigned to Vespers in the Common Office as well as for Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. The first strope of an unrhymed, accentual rythm, is declaimed on one's knees.

Contents

Dix pièces de différents styles: No. 1 Entrée, C major; No. 2 Prélude funèbre, C minor; No. 3 Prière, D b majeur; No. 4 Prélude fugué, C # mineur; No. 4, Prélude fugué, C # mineur (other version); No. 5 Sortie, D major; No. 6 Postlude, D minor; No. 7 Caprice, E b major; No. 8 Absoute, E b minor; No. 9 Pastorale on the Anthem Asperges me, E major; No. 10 Canzona, E minor.

Toccata, G minor.

Contents

Messe basse op. 8: No. 1 Entrée, D; No. 2 Offertoire, G major; No. 3 élévation, E minor; No. 4 Communion, A major; No. 4, Sortie, B minor.

Élévation, B b major.

Trois offertoires op. 10: No. 1 Offertoire sur un thème breton, B; No. 2 Offertoire sur un thème original, D major; No. 3 Offertoire sur la prose Inviolata, B b major.

Summary

In the absence of any manuscript, it can be assumed that René Vierne's Messe basse, published in 1914 — one year after the one authored by his brother Louis — was written around 1902 (while R. Vierne was holding the chancel organ) or, more probably, between 1904 and 1914, the period when he was in charge of the main organ of Notre-Dame des Champs.

Contents

No. 1. Pastorale in F # major — No. 2. Prélude pour une Messe basse in C minor — No. 3. Offertoire sur le Kyrie de la Messe du 6ème Ton (H. Du Mont) in F major — No. 4. Prière in C # minor — No. 5. Intermezzo in D major — No. 6. Prélude en forme de canon in B b major — No. 7. Noël in A — No. 8. Offertoire pour les fêtes de la Ste Vierge in D major — No. 9. Cantabile in C major — No. 10. Absoute in E — No. 11. Épithalame in E b major — No. 12. Marche de procession in D major.

Summary

The Douze pièces de différents caractères (Twelve parts of various characters) are the third part of the Méthode pour orgue-harmonium (Method for organ-harmonium), published in 1913 by Alphonse Leduc and now unavailable.

In the Foreword, René Vierne writes: “[...] We recommend the theory of J.B. Lemmens, the author of the famous ‘Ecole d'Orgue’ (Organ School) [...]. The 12 Pieces following the theoretical section can be performed on the Great Organ. Organists will find in the registration specified there the general indication of the colours applicable to each piece; we leave it up to their own taste to choose the detail when using a 3- or 4-manuals instrument. Those familiar with the pedal keyboard may use it in some of the pieces to reinforce the bass part. We have not indicated specifically the passages potentially involving the pedal keyboard; the performer shall apply it as needed. R.V.”.

Contents

No. 1. Single substitution, A major — No. 2. Single substitution, E b major — No. 3. Double substitution, E b major — No. 4. Double and triple substitutions, C major — No. 5. Single glide, G minor — No. 6. Single glide and reversed fingering, G major — No. 9. Link between octaves by thumb glide, F major — No. 10. Reversed fingering, A minor — No. 11. Articulations of chords to half of their duration, C # minor — No. 12. Articulated chords, E major — No. 13. Repeated chords under a singing legato line, A minor — No. 14. Linked common notes - Articulation of holded notes in melodic sections, C major — No. 15. On staccato study (right hand), D major — No. 16. On staccato study (left hand), D minor — No. 17. On melodic Ornaments, D major — No. 18. On Articulation, F major — No. 19. On Expression use, D major — No. 20. On Expression use, E b major.

Summary

The Vingt Préludes-Exercices are the first part of the Méthode pour orgue-harmonium (Method for organ-harmonium), published in 1913 by Alphonse Leduc and now unavailable.

In the foreword of the Method, René Vierne writes: “This method is designed for people who already have some practice of the piano [...] and can be used without any suppression or addition for the study of the manual keyboards of the the pipe organ.”