Charles-Marie Widor

French organist and composer

Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor (21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher of the late Romantic era. As a composer he is known for his ten organ symphonies, especially the toccata of his fifth organ symphony, which is frequently played as recessional music at weddings and other celebrations.

He was the longest-serving organist of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, a role he held for 63 years (January 1870 – 31 December 1933). He also was organ professor at the Paris Conservatory from 1890 to 1896 (following César Franck) and then he became professor of composition at the same institution, following Théodore Dubois.

Widor was a prolific composer, writing music for organ, piano, voice and ensembles. Apart from his ten organ symphonies, he also wrote three symphonies for orchestra and organ, several songs for piano and voice, four operas and a ballet. He was one of the first composers to use the term "symphony" for some of his organ compositions, helped in this by the organs built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.

Read more about this composer on Wikipedia.

Works

The Long LineExplore Nine Centuries of Music

12 feuillets d'album, op. 31
2 Duos, op. 30
2 Duos, op. 40
2 Duos, op. 52
3 Pieces, op. 21: No. 1. Meditation
3 Pieces, op. 21: No. 2. Appassionato
3 Pieces, op. 21: No. 3. Canzonetta
3 Pièces, op. 21
Air en style ancien
Allegro vivace in F major
Bach's Memento
Bach's Memento: No. 1. Pastorale, flûte et hautbois
Bach's Memento: No. 2. Miserere mei Domine
Bach's Memento: No. 3. Aria
Bach's Memento: No. 4. Marche du veilleur de nuit
Bach's Memento: No. 5. Sicilienne
Bach's Memento: No. 6. Mattheus-Final
Bruits d'aîles, op. 31 no. 8
Cello Concerto, op. 41
Cello Concerto, op. 41: I. Allegro
Cello Concerto, op. 41: II. Andantino - Andante - Animato
Cello Concerto, op. 41: III. Finale: Allegro vivace
Cello Sonata in A major, op. 80
Cello Sonata in A major, op. 80: I. Allegro moderato
Cello Sonata in A major, op. 80: II. Andante con moto
Cello Sonata in A major, op. 80: III. Allegro vivace
Chanson matinale, op. 31 no. 3
Chansons de mer, op. 75
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 1. La mer
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 10. Les nuages
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 11. Douleur précoce
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 12. Le ciel d’hiver
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 13. Les yeux et la voix
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 14. Repos éternel
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 2. A mi-voix
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 3. Sérénade Italienne
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 4. Encore un soir qui tombe
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 5. La petite couleuvre bleue
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 6. A l’aube
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 7. Ce monde meilleur
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 8. Rosa, la rose
Chansons de mer, op. 75: No. 9. Seul dans la nuit
Ciel gris, op. 31 no. 10
Conte d'avril, op. 64
Deux Duos, op. 30: No. 1. J'étais seul près des flots
Deux Duos, op. 30: No. 2. Je ne croyais pas au bonheur
Deux Duos, op. 40: No. 1. Nocturne
Deux Duos, op. 40: No. 2. Qu'un songe au ciel m'enlève
Deux Duos, op. 52: No. 1. L'hiver
Deux Duos, op. 52: No. 2. Guitare
Dimmi perchè, op. 35 no. 1
Dormez, Mèlité…
Drame, op. 31 no. 4
Fantaisie in A-flat major, op. 62
Fragments symphoniques des Pêcheurs de Saint-Jean
Fragments symphoniques des Pêcheurs de Saint-Jean: I. Overture
Fragments symphoniques des Pêcheurs de Saint-Jean: II. Le Calme de la mer
Fragments symphoniques des Pêcheurs de Saint-Jean: III. Marche de Noël
Fugue sur le nom d'Haydn
Gyropod (Tune 3)
Il primo amore, op. 32 no. 3
Il tempo passato, op. 32 no. 2
Introduction et Rondo, op. 72
Introduction et rondo, op. 72
La Nuit de Walpurgis, op. 60
La Nuit de Walpurgis, op. 60: I. Overture (Adagio - Allegro con fuoco)
La Nuit de Walpurgis, op. 60: II. Adagio ("Apparition of Helen and Faust")
La Nuit de Walpurgis, op. 60: III. Bacchanale (Andante quasi adagio - Allegro con fuoco)
La bianchina, op. 35 no. 3
La korrigane
La nuit
Les Pêcheurs de Saint-Jean
Lia è morta, op. 32 no. 1
Lilas, op. 31 no. 1
Marche américaine, op. 31 no. 11
Marche nuptiale (Conte d'avril)
Maître Ambros
Messe à deux chœurs et deux orgues, op. 36
Messe à deux chœurs et deux orgues, op. 36: Agnus Dei
Messe à deux chœurs et deux orgues, op. 36: Benedictus
Messe à deux chœurs et deux orgues, op. 36: Gloria
Messe à deux chœurs et deux orgues, op. 36: Kyrie
Messe à deux chœurs et deux orgues, op. 36: Sanctus
Myosotis, op. 31 no. 12
Nuit mystérieuse
Nuit sereine, op. 31 no. 5
Organ Symphonies, op. 13
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: I. Prélude (Moderato)
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: II. Allegretto
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: II. Allegro
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: III. Intermezzo (Allegro)
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: IV. Adagio
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: V. Marche pontificale
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: VI. Méditation (Lento)
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13 no. 1: VII. Finale (Allegro)
Organ Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 13, no. 1 Keyboard
Organ Symphony no. 2 in D major, op. 13 no. 2
Organ Symphony no. 2 in D major, op. 13 no. 2: III. Andante
Organ Symphony no. 2 in D major, op. 13 no. 2: IV. Salve Regina
Organ Symphony no. 2 in D major, op. 13 no. 2: VII. Scherzo (Allegro)
Organ Symphony no. 3 in E minor, op. 13 no. 3
Organ Symphony no. 3 in E minor, op. 13 no. 3: III. Marcia
Organ Symphony no. 4 in F minor, op. 13 no. 4: V. Adagio
Organ Symphony no. 5 in F minor, op. 42, no. 1 Keyboard
Organ Symphony no. 6 in G minor, op. 42, no. 2 Keyboard
Organ Symphony no. 7 in A minor, op. 42 no. 3
Organ Symphony no. 7 in A minor, op. 42 no. 3: II. Choral
Organ Symphony no. 7 in A minor, op. 42 no. 3: III. Andante
Organ Symphony no. 7 in A minor, op. 42 no. 3: IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Organ Symphony no. 8 in B major, op. 42 no. 4
Organ Symphony no. 8 in B major, op. 42 no. 4: III. Allegro
Organ Symphony no. 8 in B major, op. 42 no. 4: IV. Variations. Andante
Papillons bleus, op. 31 no. 2
Piano Concerto no. 1 in F minor, op. 39
Piano Concerto no. 1 in F minor, op. 39: II. Andante religioso
Piano Concerto no. 1 in F minor, op. 39: III. Allegro
Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor, op. 77
Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor, op. 77: II. Andante
Piano Quintet in D minor for Piano and Strings, op. 7: III. Molto vivace
Piano Trio in B-flat major for Piano, Violin and Cello, op. 19: II. Andante con moto quasi moderato
Piano Trio in B-flat major for Piano, Violin and Cello, op. 19: III. Scherzo
Psalm 83, op. 23 no. 1
Quatre Pièces en trio: I. Humoresque
Quatre Pièces en trio: III. Nocturne
Quatre Pièces en trio: IV. Sérénade
Romance pour violon et piano, op. 46
Rude maëstro, op. 35 no. 2
Salvum fac populum tuum, op. 84
Scherzo in E major "La Chasse"
Sinfonia sacra: I. Adagio
Sinfonia sacra: III. Andante con moto
Sinfonia sacra: V. Tempo I ma un poco agitato ...
Six morceaux de salon, op. 15
Six morceaux de salon, op. 15: No. 1. Scherzando
Six morceaux de salon, op. 15: No. 2. Allegro cantabile
Six morceaux de salon, op. 15: No. 4. Allegretto
Six morceaux de salon, op. 15: No. 5. Moderato
Six morceaux de salon, op. 15: No. 6. Valse-Impromptu
Six valses caractéristiques: No. 1. 1e Rhapsodie-valse
Six valses caractéristiques: No. 2. Valse romance
Six valses caractéristiques: No. 3. Valse rêverie
Six valses caractéristiques: No. 4. Valse slave
Six valses caractéristiques: No. 6. 2e Rhapsodie-valse
Soirs d'Alsace, op. 52: I. En route!
Soirs d'Alsace, op. 52: II. Ciel d'orage
Soirs d'Alsace, op. 52: III. Le calme renaît
Symphonie pour orgue N° 6 en Sol mineur, op. 42 N° 2: IV. Cantabile
Symphony for organ and orchestra, op. 42bis Orchestral
Sérénade, op. 10