Joseph-Ermend Bonnal
Encyclopedia
Joseph-Ermend Bonnal was a French
composer and organist.
Ermend-Bonnal received initial musical instruction from his father, a violinist. He then studied piano at the Conservatoire de Paris
under Charles-Wilfrid Bériot, harmony under Antoine Taudou, composition under Gabriel Fauré
and organ under Alexandre Guilmant
and Louis Vierne
. He also assisted Charles-Marie Widor
at Saint-Sulpice, Albert Périlhou
at Saint-Séverin
and Charles Tournemire
at the Basilica of St. Clotilde.
In 1901, Ermend-Bonnard was appointed Organist at Saint-Médard, and subsequently at Notre Dame in Boulogne-sur-Seine
. In 1920, he was offered a professorship in organ at the University of Strasbourg
. However, he decided instead to accept a position as director of the Bayonne Conservatory, which he held until 1941. His most famous student was the composer Maurice Ohana
. In 1942, he succeeded his teacher Tournemire at the Cavaillé-Coll
Organ at Basilica of St. Clotilde.
The focus of Ermend-Bonnard's musical output is organ music (Paysages Euskariens, 1930; Media Vita, organ symphony, 1932). However, he also wrote in all other musical genres, ranging from children's pieces for piano to symphonies. Of his chamber music, two string quartets and a string trio especially deserve mention. He also wrote Ragtime
s, One Step
s and Tangos under the pseudonym Guy Marylis.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
composer and organist.
Ermend-Bonnal received initial musical instruction from his father, a violinist. He then studied piano at the Conservatoire de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
under Charles-Wilfrid Bériot, harmony under Antoine Taudou, composition under Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
and organ under Alexandre Guilmant
Alexandre Guilmant
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and composer.- Short biography :Guilmant was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer...
and Louis Vierne
Louis Vierne
Louis Victor Jules Vierne was a French organist and composer.-Life:Louis Vierne was born in Poitiers, Vienne, nearly blind due to congenital cataracts, but at an early age was discovered to have an unusual gift for music. Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French...
. He also assisted Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher.-Life:Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889...
at Saint-Sulpice, Albert Périlhou
Albert Périlhou
Albert Pérílhou was a French composer, organist, and pianist.-Life:Born in Dauzaman, in Ariège, on 2 April 1846, he was son of an organist of Pézenas and was formed as an organist by Saint-Saëns, at the Niedermeyer school.After some time passed as an organist and a piano teacher in Saint-Étienne,...
at Saint-Séverin
Saint-Séverin (Paris)
The Church of Saint-Séverin is a Roman Catholic church in the Latin Quarter of Paris, located on the lively tourist street Rue Saint-Séverin...
and Charles Tournemire
Charles Tournemire
Charles Tournemire was a French composer and organist, notable partly for his improvisations, which were often rooted in the music of Gregorian chant...
at the Basilica of St. Clotilde.
In 1901, Ermend-Bonnard was appointed Organist at Saint-Médard, and subsequently at Notre Dame in Boulogne-sur-Seine
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
. In 1920, he was offered a professorship in organ at the University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
. However, he decided instead to accept a position as director of the Bayonne Conservatory, which he held until 1941. His most famous student was the composer Maurice Ohana
Maurice Ohana
Maurice Ohana was an Anglo-French composer of Sephardic Jewish origin.Ohana was born in Casablanca, Morocco. He was a British citizen until 1976, as his father had been born in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. He originally studied architecture, but abandoned this in favour of a...
. In 1942, he succeeded his teacher Tournemire at the Cavaillé-Coll
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll was a French organ builder. He is considered by many to be the greatest organ builder of the 19th century because he combined both science and art to make his instruments...
Organ at Basilica of St. Clotilde.
The focus of Ermend-Bonnard's musical output is organ music (Paysages Euskariens, 1930; Media Vita, organ symphony, 1932). However, he also wrote in all other musical genres, ranging from children's pieces for piano to symphonies. Of his chamber music, two string quartets and a string trio especially deserve mention. He also wrote Ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
s, One Step
One Step
"One Step" was the Austrian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997, performed in German almost exclusively by Bettina Soriat....
s and Tangos under the pseudonym Guy Marylis.
Links
- Rollin Smith: Louis Vierne: Organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Pendragon Press, 1999, ISBN 9781576470046 p. 184