Eugène Gigout

Eugène Gigout ( born March 23, 1844 in Nancy, † December 9, 1925 in Paris) was a French organist and composer.

His first musical training took place at the Cathedral of Nancy, in the local boys' choir. 1857 Gigout was accepted at the École Niedermeyer in Paris and was taught by Camille Saint- Saëns and Gustave Lefèvre. After extensive training in Gregorian chant, organ music and the works of Johann Sebastian Bach's Gigout made ​​the final and remained a teacher at the École Niedermeyer. His students included Gabriel Fauré and Léon Boëllmann.

1863 Gigout was appointed organist of the parish church of Paris Saint -Augustin, a point that should he held until his death over 62 years. 1868, the church received a large organ by Albert Peschard that encouraged him to compositions and to which he gave numerous concerts. He quickly made a name for himself as an improviser and a virtuoso on his instrument.

Gigout founded in 1885 a school for improvisation, which he headed until 1911, and then switch to the follow- Alexandre Guilmant at the Paris Conservatory. Gigout composed almost exclusively for Organ. His most famous work is the Toccata in B minor. For Organ or Harmonium he composed his 1920 " album Grégorien " (230 Pièces pour orgue ou harmonium dans les huit du plain- chant modes, 1895; 100 Pièces brèves nouvelles - Pièces pour orgue ou harmonium ).