ABSTRACT
French organ music of the twentieth century is predominantly shaped by three factors. First, the music depends upon the characteristic sound quality and technique of the so-called symphonic organ of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll and his contemporary French organbuilders. Second, the organ style developed by César Franck and Charles-Marie Widor sought the integration of traditional contrapuntal textures and pianistic, even orchestral techniques and genres. Finally, French organ music continued its association with the liturgical practice of the Organ Mass and its characteristic solo pieces. Such works might also find a home in the secular environments of salon and concert hall. Furthermore, the organ scene reflects a characteristically French centrism: all the notable composers received their training in Paris, and subsequently most of them worked as titulaires in prominent Parisian churches, often also teaching at the city's leading schools like the Conservatoire, the Schola Cantorum, and the Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles (National Institute for Young Blind People).
