Current season

15 March 2025

Concert –
David Briggs ~ Messe pour Notre-dame
Louis Vierne ~ Messe Solennelle

St Gabriel’s Church
Aldersbrook
E12 5HH

On 15 April 2019, Parisians looked on in horror as the roof of the cathedral of Notre Dame was consumed by fire, and the famous flèche collapsed and crashed through the ceiling of the nave. The damage to the cathedral was extensive, and regarded as a cultural disaster across France and the wider world.
Immediately after the fire, President Macron promised that Notre Dame would be restored, and called for the work to be completed within five years. An international architectural competition was announced to redesign the flèche and roof. The work has now been completed, and the cathedral reopened in December.
In celebration of the re-opening of Notre-Dame in December 2024 we are thrilled to present two glorious mass settings which are deeply associated with the cathedral.
Vierne composed his Messe Solennelle in 1899 whilst still assistant to Widor at the Parisian Church of Saint- Sulpice. He and Widor were the two organists at its premiere in 1900, by which time Vierne had become organiste titulaire at Notre-Dame a post he was to hold until his death – at the console – in 1937.
For practical reasons, arrangements of the mass for choir and one organ have since been published. Today we are performing a very recent version by Henry Morris.
David Briggs, formerly a Kings College Cambridge organ scholar and organist at Truro and Gloucester Cathedrals, has an international career as a concert organist, improviser and composer. Currently Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, David is renowned for his acclaimed improvisations and transcriptions influenced deeply by his immersion in the wonderful Parisian improvisation tradition. David Briggs studied with Jean Langlais in Paris and was profoundly influenced by the playing of Pierre Cochereau, organist titulaire at Notre-Dame (1955–1984).

Louis Vierne – articles from New Beacons – British journal of blind welfare

VISIT OF A FAMOUS BLIND FRENCH ORGANIST ~ NEW BEACONS Feb 1924
M. LOUIS VIERNE, the world-famous organist of Notre Dame, Paris, is giving a series of organ recitals in this country — York Minster, Trinity College, Cambridge, Westminster Cathedral, Manchester Town Hall being amongst the list.
Louis Vierne was born at Poitiers on October 8th, 1870. He commenced his musical studies at the School for the Blind in Paris, owing to his defective sight as a boy. Later he studied at the Paris Conservatoire, Cesar Franck and C. M. Widor being his principal tutors. Widor appointed him as his assistant organist at the noted church of St. Sulpice, Paris, and also as assistant professor at the conservatoire.
In 1900 Vierne applied for the post of grand organist at Notre Dame, which had become vacant on the death of M. Sergent. There were nine candidates, and, after a most searching examination, he was unanimously elected, and has held the position since May, 1900.
The tests included accompanying liturgical psalms, improvisation on a given theme, memory playing of classical and modern works, playing a piece selected by the candidate, improvisation of a fugue — altogether a formidable ordeal !
During the war, in which Vierne suffered many personal losses, he became very ill and entirely lost his sight. Notwithstanding this, he gave 30 recitals in Switzerland — where he was residing for treatment — for the benefit of the allied armies.
During his two years’ enforced absence in Switzerland his post at Notre Dame was filled by his brilliant pupil M. Marcel Dupre. Vierne’s pupils include Dupre, Joseph Bonnet, George Jacob, Augustin Barie and Rene Vierne, his brother (killed in action in 1918). Twenty-two of his pupils have been first prize winners at the Paris Conservatoire, while he has trained many noted organists from the United States.
As a composer he ranks amongst the most distinguished of the modern French school, his works being well known and highly esteemed in this country, and indeed wherever the organ is cultivated.
The Prix Tremont has been twice awarded to M. Vierne by the Institute of France.
It is certain that this famous blind musician will receive all honour at the hands of the members of the musical profession during his recital tour in this country.

NEW BEACONS 1937 Obituary
Louis Vierne, blind composer and organist of Notre Dame, died suddenly of heart failure while giving a recent recital of his own works in the Cathedral. He had just reached the closing bars of a three-part composition “pour un enfant defunt ” when he fell to the ground dead.

Born at Poitiers in 1870, Vierne was almost blind from birth, and studied music at the Institution Nationale des Jeunes Aveugles. Later he studied under Cesar Franck and the organ under Widor, and was assistant to the latter at St. Sulpice. After serving for a time as organist of the Schola Cantorum in Paris he was appointed organist of Notre Dame in 1900.

As an executant, Vierne was one of the glories of the French organ school. He was also a brilliant composer and among his compositions are a mass for chorus and orchestra, a symphony, a string quartet, and sonatas for violin and piano and for violon- cello and piano, and a number of symphonies for the organ.
His son, aged 17, and his brother Rene, who was organist at Notre Dame des Champs, Paris, were killed in the War, and for them he wrote funerary chants.
He became seriously ill and went to Switzerland, where he composed a treatise for the organ.