Nicolas de Grigny

Despite his brief life, Nicolas de Grigny was the best possible French organist-composer of his period. He was something of the French Bach, for the reason that he demonstrated little desire for advancement but brought the founded forms of body organ music with their very best stage of refinement. Certainly, Bach appears to have adored Grigny’s compositions, having copied all of them out for his personal research. Grigny originated from a long type of musicians; included in this, his grandfather, dad, and an uncle had been organists in Reims. Nicolas de Grigny appears to have obtained his professional begin in Paris; information display that he was organist in the abbey chapel of St. Denis from 1693 to 1695. Maybe he got this work through a family group connection; his sibling was a sub-prior there. He also may possess analyzed with Lebègue during this time period. By 1696 he previously moved along with his Parisian bride-to-be back again to Reims, where he became organist in the cathedral. He offered there for the others of his existence, which lasted small past his thirty-first birthday. Grigny’s released works consist of five hymns, the four parts of the Ordinary from the Mass, and four various other items. Each one of the Mass areas begins using a motion quoting plainsong in a single voice, followed by Grigny’s very own cartoon harmonizations. There comes after in each case a fugal motion having a fragment from the plainsong currently quoted, and various other small movements not often linked to the chant materials. His usage of counterpoint as well as basic harmonizing voices is fairly wealthy, as are his melodic embellishments, and he exploits the organ’s several registers at every chance, offering the pedals a specific workout. Grigny groomed no successors, therefore his music both defines its period, and brings it to an extraordinary close.