Charles-Marie Widor

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Charles-Marie Widor : biography

21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937

Symphonic works

  • Symphony No. 1 op. 16 (1870, Durand) – Orchestra
  • Piano Concerto No. 1 op. 39 (1876, Hamelle) – Orchestra and Piano solo
  • Cello Concerto op. 41 (1882, Hamelle) – Orchestra and Cello solo
  • Symphonie pour orgue et orchestre op. 42 (1882, A-R Editions) – Orchestra and Organ solo (arr. by Widor of movements from Op. 42)
  • Chant séculaire op. 49 – (1881, Hamelle) – Soprano solo, Chorus and Orchestra
  • Symphony No. 2 op. 54 (1882, Heugel) – Orchestra
  • La nuit de Walpurgis – poeme symphonique op. 60 (1887, Hamelle) – Chorus and Orchestra
  • Fantaisie op. 62 (1889, Durand) – Piano and Orchestra
  • Suite, from Conte d’avril op. 64 (1892, Heugel) – Orchestra
  • Symphony No. 3 op. 69 (1894, Schott) – Organ and Orchestra
  • Choral et Variations op. 74 (1900, Leduc) – Harp and Orchestra
  • Piano Concerto No. 2 op. 77 (1906, Heugel) – Piano and Orchestra
  • Sinfonia sacra op. 81 (1908, Otto Junne) – Organ and Orchestra
  • Symphonie antique op. 83 (1911, Heugel) – Soloists, Chorus, Organ and Orchestra
  • Ouverture espagnole (1897, Heugel) – Orchestra

Songs and choral works

  • O Salutaris op. 8 (1868, Hamelle) – Contralto or Baritone, Violin, Cello and Organ
  • 6 Mélodies op. 14 (1872, Hamelle)- Voice and Piano
  • Tantum ergo op. 18 no. 1 (1874, Hamelle) – Baritone Choir, SATB Choir and Organ
  • Regina coeli op. 18 no. 2 (1874, Hamelle) – Baritone Choir, SATB Choir and Organ
  • 6 Mélodies op. 22 (1875, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • Quam dilecta tabernacula tua op. 23 no. 1 (1876, Hamelle) – Baritone Choir, SATB Choir, Choir Organ and Grand Organ
  • Tu es Petrus op. 23 no. 2 (1876, Hamelle) – Baritone Choir, SATB Choir, Choir Organ and Grand Organ
  • Surrexit a mortuis (Sacerdos et pontifex) op. 23 no. 3 (1876, Hamelle) – SATB Choir, Choir Organ and Grand Organ
  • Ave Maria op. 24 (1877, Hamelle) – Mezzo-Soprano, Harp and Organ
  • 3 Choruses op. 25 (1876, Hamelle) – SATB Choir
  • 3 Mélodies op. 28 – (1876, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • 2 Duos op. 30 – (1876, Hamelle) – Soprano, Contralto and Piano
  • 3 Mélodies italiennes op. 32 (1877, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • 3 Mélodies italiennes op. 35 (1878, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • Messe op. 36 (1878, Hamelle) – Baritone Choir, SATB Choir, Choir Organ and Grand Organ
  • 6 Mélodies op. 37 (1877, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • 2 Duos op. 40 (1876, Hamelle) – Soprano, Contralto and Piano
  • 6 Mélodies op. 43 (1878, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • 6 Mélodies op. 47 (1879, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • 6 Mélodies op. 53 (1881, Hamelle) – Voice and Piano
  • Ave Maria op. 59 (1884, Hamelle) – Voice, Harp and Organ
  • O salutaris op. 63[bis] (1889, Hamelle) – Voice, Violin, Cello and Organ
  • Soirs d’été op. 63 (1889, Durand) – Voice and Piano
  • Ecce Joanna, Alleluia! (Schola Cantorum) – SATB Choir and Organ
  • Psalm 112 (1879, Hamelle) – Baritone Choir, SATB Choir, Choir Organ, Grand Organ and Orchestra
  • Chansons de mer op. 75 (1902)
  • Da Pacem (1930, Durand) – SATB Choir and Organ or Piano
  • Non Credo (1890, Durand) – Voice and Piano

Stage music

  • Le capitaine Loys (ca. 1878, unpublished) – Comic opera
  • La korrigane (1880, Hamelle) – Ballet
  • Maître Ambros: drame lyrique en 4 actes et 5 tableaux de François Coppée & Auguste Dorchain Op.56 (piano reduction published by Heugel, 1886) – Opera
  • Conte d’avril op. 64 (1885; 1891, Heugel) – Incidental music
  • Les pêcheurs de Saint-Jean : drame lyrique en 4 actes (1895; 1904, Heugel) – Opera
  • Nerto: drame lyrique en 4 actes (1924, Heugel) – Opera

Organ symphonies

Widor wrote music for a wide variety of instruments and ensembles (some of his songs for voice and piano are especially notable) and composed four operas and a ballet, but only his works for organ are played with any regularity today. These include: ten Organ Symphonies, three Symphonies for orchestra with organ, Suite Latine, Trois Nouvelles Pièces, and six arrangements of works by Bach under the title Bach’s Memento (1925). The organ symphonies are his most significant contribution to the organ repertoire.