Eugène Gigout

Eugène Gigout
Recording with Eugène Gigout for the Welte-Philharmonic-Organ, 1912
Background information
Born	23 March 1844
Died	9 December 1925(1925-12-09) (aged 81)

Eugène Gigout (23 March 1844 – 9 December 1925) was a French organist and composer of European late-romantic music for organ.

Early life

Gigout was born in Nancy, and died in Paris.

A student of Camille Saint-Saëns, he served as the organist of Saint-Augustin Church in Paris for 62 years. He became known as a teacher. Also, his output as a composer was large and of high quality. Renowned as an expert improviser, he also founded his own music school. His nephew-by-marriage, Leon Boëllmann, became another fine organist and composer for the organ (but died at the very young age of 35).

Works

The 10 pièces pour orgue, composed in 1890, are Gigout's most famous compositions. They are the Toccata in B minor, his best-known composition, which turns up as a common encore at organ concerts. Also fairly often performed, and to be found in the same collection, is a Scherzo in E major.

Other compositions by Gigout sometimes played nowadays are Grand Choeur Dialogué and Marche Religieuse. Gigout's works are now available on many commercial recordings.