Léonce de Saint-Martin, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetLéonce de Saint-Martin
French organist and composer
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Albi, Occitania, France
About Léonce de Saint-Martin
- Léonce de Saint-Martin, born on 31 October 1886 in Albi (France) and died on 10 June 1954 in Paris (France), was a French organist and composer. As the successor of Louis Vierne in 1937, he was organist at Notre-Dame de Paris until his death in 1954. Léonce was heavily attacked for his appointment to Notre Dame by the Cathedral chapter, since it was done without competition.
- Saint-Martin was also self-taught, and did not enter the conservatory, and thus was deemed to be an amateur organist.
- These accusations were easily seen to be false by eye-witnesses, such as Pierre Cochereau, who took Saint-Martin's place as titular organist after the latter's death.
- An example of his fine skill can be seen in his organ compositions, filled with emotional and spiritual writing.
- Saint-Martin was also a pious man, as he stated "but whatever the Good Lord wills is fine by me" concerning his death.
- His virtuosity can be seen by the fact that he played Marcel Dupré's op.
- 7 to the satisfaction of Dupré's wife, at a time when Widor stated that these pieces were unplayable.
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