Boellmann, Leon

1862-1897

French organist and composer, whose work is marked by grace and clearness. He was an excellent organplayer, and wrote much music for the organ; many short pieces; two suites; and a fantastic dialogue for organ and orchestra. He left sixty-eight published works, among them a symphony; famous variations symphoniques for violoncello and orchestra; a sonata for piano and violoncello; songs; pieces for the piano; much church music; a trio; and his quartet for piano and strings which gained the prize, in 1877, of the Societe des Compositeurs. L6on Boellmann was born at Ensisheim, Alsace, and at an early age went to Paris for study. He was a pupil at the school founded by Niedermeyer, where his teacher was Gigout, the celebrated organist. Boellmann taught for a period in Gigout's Organ School; for awhile was sub-organist, and later became chief organist at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Paris. He died in Paris in the autumn of 1897.