Among all French post-classical organists, the most famous, the most celebrated, the most greeted by his fellow musicians was Nicolas Séjan (1745 † 1819). Even Fétis or Choron, who had few interest in the French organ art of the beginning of the XIXth century, point him out as a great master. He was a genius of improvisation, beeing organist of Notre-Dame of Paris and at the Invalides, but mainly in Saint-Sulpice where he held Clicquot’s giant masterpiece.
Unfortunately he just published a Book of piano works. His widow collected some manuscripts which he left and issued the only organ works that we know from him : three fugues and three Noels. They show us the musical language used by Séjan, often in advance on that of his colleagues (chromatisms, far modulations, appoggiaturas), and also how Séjan was taking advantage of the special features of his huge instrument (keyboards down to low A, pedals down to low F, bassoon stop, etc).
A first modern new edition of these pieces had been made some time after Word War II, but in limited print and with errors (one variation missing, wrong keyboard indications, etc). Also, one fugue (g minor) had been published in an anthology. So this volume fills an important gap in the history of the French post-classical organ.
Contents
Foreword
First Fugue (d minor, on the Kyrie) Second Fugue (g minor) Thrid Fugue (D major)
First Noël (A la venue de Noël) Second Noël (Chantons je vous prie) Third Noël (Noël suisse)