Albert Félix Joseph Renaud (1855 – 28 May 1924) was a French organist and composer who served for many years as organist at the parish church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris.Le Monde Moderne, vol. 14 (July–December 1901), pp. 829–830.The Etude, January 1914, p. 301. Retrieved 7 January 2022.

Life and career

Born in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, Renaud studied at the Conservatoire de Paris under César Franck, Camille Saint-Saens, Charles Gounod and Jules Massenet and began his career by succeeding his father Félix as choirmaster of the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris.Toccatas, Carillons and Scherzos for Organ: 27 Works for Church or Concert Performance ed. Rollin Smith (Dover Publications Inc., 2002), p. v. Retrieved 7 January 2022.

After a spell as organist at Rennes Cathedral, he returned to Paris in 1878 as organist of the Church of Saint-François-Xavier.Musique Orgue Québec, Église Saint-François-Xavier, Paris. Retrieved 7 January 2022. In 1891 he became organist at the parish church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, serving until his death.Louis Jambou, La musique entre France et Espagne : interactions stylistiques 1870 - 1939 (Presses de l'Université de Paris-Sorbonne, 2003), p. 322. In 1903 he oversaw the refurbishment of the church's Cavaillé-Coll organ, marking the completion of the work with a concert on 27 October at which Alexandre Guilmant and Eugène Gigout also played.Le Guide Musical, vol. 49 (1903), p. 749.

His successor at Saint-Germain-en-Laye was Albert Alain, father of organists Jehan, Olivier and Marie-Claire Alain.

Compositions Renaud's best known work is his Toccata in D minor (Op. 108, No. 1), which he dedicated to Alexandre Guilmant. Guilmant played it during a recital at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. He also wrote piano, orchestral and choral works as well as opera and ballet music.Bibliothèque nationale de France, Renaud, Albert (1855–1924). Retrieved 7 January 2022.

List of works For organ Quatre pièces d'orgue (Op. 101, No. 1 (Entrée, processional), No. 2 (Angelus), No. 3 (Pastorale) and No. 4 (Marche funèbre)) Improvisations - soixante pièces classées par tons pour orgue ou harmonium (Op. 106) Deux toccatas (Op. 108, No. 1 (in D minor) and No. 2 (in D major)) Quatre pièces d'orgue (Op. 116, including No. 1 (Offertoire in E minor) and No. 3 (Communion in F major)) Esquisses - trente pièces pour orgue ou harmonium (Op. 120) Grand choeur, Op. 123 (No. 1 in D major)

Opera Le petit chaperon rouge (1885)

Ballet Roknedin (1892)

Other Un voyage à Venise (1896)

References

External links