Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor (21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher of the late Romantic era. As a composer he is known for his ten organ symphonies, especially the toccata of his fifth organ symphony, which is frequently played as recessional music at weddings and other celebrations. The Sixth Symphony is also famous for its opening movement Allegro. The Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the longest and least performed of Widor's Symphonies. The Seventh Symphony contains six movements, and the first version of the Eighth Symphony had seven. (Widor subsequently removed the Prélude for the 1901 edition.)

The ninth and tenth symphonies, respectively termed "Gothique" (Op. 70, of 1895) and "Romane" (Op. 73, of 1900), are much more introspective. They both derive thematic material from plainchant: Symphonie Gothique uses the Christmas Day Introit "Puer natus est" in the third and fourth movements, while the Symphonie Romane has the Easter Gradual "Haec dies" woven throughout all four movements. They also honored, respectively, the Gothic Church of St. Ouen, Rouen and the Romanesque Basilica of St. Sernin, Toulouse, with the new Cavaillé-Coll organs installed in each. The second movement of the Symphonie Gothique, entitled "Andante sostenuto", is one of Widor's most-beloved pieces. Dating from this same period, and also based on a plainsong theme, is the "Salve Regina" movement, a late addition to the much earlier second symphony.

Widor's best-known piece for the organ is the final movement of his Symphony for Organ No. 5, a toccata, which is often played as a recessional at wedding ceremonies and at the close of the Christmas Midnight Mass at Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. Although the Fourth Symphony also opens with a Toccata, it is in a dramatically different (and earlier) style. The Toccata from Symphony No. 5 is the first of the toccatas characteristic of French Romantic organ music, and served as a model for later works by Gigout, Boëllmann, Mulet, Vierne and Dupré. Widor was pleased with the worldwide renown this single piece afforded him, but he was unhappy with how fast many other organists played it. Widor himself always played the Toccata rather deliberately. Many organists play it at a very fast tempo whereas Widor preferred a more controlled articulation to be involved. He recorded the piece, at St. Sulpice in his eighty-ninth year; the tempo used for the Toccata is quite slow. Isidor Philipp transcribed the Toccata for two pianos.

Over his long career, Widor returned again and again to edit his earlier music, even after publication. His biographer, John Near, reports: "Ultimately, it was discovered that over a period of about sixty years, as many as eight different editions were issued for some of the symphonies."

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue et orchestre, Op. 42

|1882

|repr. A-R Editions

|organ and orchestra (arr. by Widor of movements from Op. 42)

|-

|Chant séculaire, Op. 49

|1881

|Julien Hamelle

|soprano solo, chorus and orchestra

|-

|Symphony No. 2, Op. 54

|1882

|Heugel

|orchestra

|-

|La Nuit de Walpurgis, Op. 60

|1887

|Julien Hamelle

|chorus and orchestra

|-

|Fantaisie, Op. 62

|1889

|Auguste Durand

|piano and orchestra

|-

|Suite, from Conte d'avril, Op. 64

|1892

|Heugel

|orchestra

|-

|Symphony No. 3, Op. 69

|1894

|Schott

|organ and orchestra

|-

|Choral et variations, Op. 74

|1900

|Éditions Alphonse Leduc

|harp and orchestra

|-

|Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 77

|1906

|Heugel

|piano and orchestra

|-

|Sinfonia sacra, Op. 81

|1908

|Otto Junne

|organ and orchestra

|-

|Symphonie antique, Op. 83

|1911

|Heugel

|soloists, chorus, organ and orchestra

|-

|Ouverture espagnole

|1897

|Heugel

|orchestra

|}

Organ solo

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Composition

!Year

!Publisher

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 1, Op. 13 No. 1

  1. Prélude
  2. Allegretto
  3. Adagio
  4. Intermezzo
  5. Marche pontificale (revised 1887)
  6. Méditation (revised 1887)
  7. Final

|1872 (revised 1887, 1901 and 1918)

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 2, Op. 13 No. 2

  1. præludium circulare
  2. Pastorale
  3. Andante
  4. Scherzo (version 1872 La Chasse – revision 1901 Salve Regina)
  5. Adagio
  6. Final

|1872 (revised 1901)

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 3, Op. 13 No. 3

  1. Prélude
  2. Minuetto
  3. Marcia
  4. Adagio
  5. Final (the 1872 version has a Fugue instead of the Final)

|1872 (revised 1887, 1901 and 1918)

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 4, Op. 13 No. 4

  1. Toccata
  2. Fugue
  3. Andante cantabile
  4. Scherzo
  5. Adagio
  6. Final

|1872 (revised 1887, 1901 and 1920)

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Marche américaine (transc. by Marcel Dupré: No. 11 from 12 Feuillets d'album, Op. 31

|???

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 5, Op. 42 No. 1

  1. Allegro vivace
  2. Allegro cantabile
  3. Andantino quasi allegretto
  4. Adagio
  5. Toccata

|1879 (revised 1901 and 1918)

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 6, Op. 42 No. 2

  1. Allegro
  2. Adagio
  3. Intermezzo
  4. Cantabile
  5. Final

|1879

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 7, Op. 42 No. 3

  1. Moderato
  2. Choral
  3. Andante
  4. Allegro ma non troppo
  5. Lento
  6. Final

|1887 (revised 1900-1 and 1918)

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Symphonie pour orgue No. 8, Op. 42 No. 4

  1. Allegro risoluto
  2. Moderato cantabile
  3. Allegro
  4. Prélude (later removed)
  5. Variations
  6. Adagio
  7. Final

|1887

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Marche nuptiale, Op. 64 (1892) (transc., from Conte d'avril, Schott)

|1892

|???

|-

|Symphonie gothique pour orgue [No. 9], Op. 70

  1. Moderato
  2. Andante sostenuto
  3. Allegro
  4. Moderato (Final)

|1895

|Schott

|-

|Symphonie romane pour orgue [No. 10], Op. 73

  1. Moderato
  2. Choral
  3. Cantilène
  4. Final

|1900

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Bach's memento

|1925

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Suite latine, Op. 86

|1927

|Auguste Durand

|-

|Trois Nouvelles pièces, Op. 87

|1934

|Auguste Durand

|}

Chamber work

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Composition

!Year

!Publisher

!Instruments

|-

|6 duos, Op. 3

|1867

|Regnier-Canaux/Renaud/Pérégally & Parvy/Schott

|piano and harmonium

|-

|Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 7

|1868

|Julien Hamelle

|piano

|-

|Sérénade, Op. 10

|1870

|Julien Hamelle

|flute, violin, cello, piano and harmonium

|-

|Piano Trio, Op. 19

|1875

|Julien Hamelle

|violin, cello, piano

|-

|3 Pièces, Op. 21

|1875

|Julien Hamelle

|cello and piano

|-

|Suite, Op. 34

|1877; 1898

|Julien Hamelle (1870) Heugel (1898)

|flute and piano

|-

|Romance, Op. 46

|???

|???

|violin and piano

|-

|Sonate No. 1, Op. 50

|1881

|Julien Hamelle

|violin and piano

|-

|Soirs d'Alsace (4 Duos), Op. 52

|1881

|Julien Hamelle

|violin, cello and piano

|-

|Cavatine, Op. 57

|1887

|Julien Hamelle

|violin and piano

|-

|Piano Quartet, Op. 66

|1891

|Auguste Durand

|piano

|-

|Piano Quintet No. 2, Op. 68

|1894

|Auguste Durand

|piano

|-

|Introduction et rondo, Op. 72

|1898

|Éditions Alphonse Leduc

|clarinet and piano

|-

|Suite, Op. 76

|1903

|Julien Hamelle

|violin and piano

|-

|Sonate, Op. 79

|1906

|Heugel

|violin and piano

|-

|Sonate, Op. 80

|1907

|Heugel

|cello and piano

|-

|Salvum fac populum tuum, Op. 84

|1916

|Heugel

|3 trumpets, 3 trombones, drum and organ

|-

|4 Pièces

|1890

|???

|violin, cello and piano

|-

|3 Pièces

|1891

|???

|oboe and piano

|-

|Suite

|1912

|???

|cello and piano

|-

|Suite florentine

|1920

|???

|violin and piano

|}

(Salvum fac populum tuum Op. 84 is also known in English as "Lord, Save Thy People")

Piano solo

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Composition

!Year

!Publisher

|-

|Variations de concert sur un thème original, Op. 1

|1867

|Heugel

|-

|Sérénade, Op. 3 No. 4 (arr. Leistner)

|???

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Airs de ballet, Op. 4

|1868

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Scherzo-valse, Op. 5

|1868

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|La Barque (Fantaisie italienne), Op. 6

|1877

|Auguste Durand

|-

|Le Corricolo (Fantaisie italienne), Op. 6

|1877

|Auguste Durand

|-

|Caprice, Op. 9

|1868

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|3 Valses, Op. 11

|1871

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Impromptu, Op. 12

|1871

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|6 Morceaux de salon, Op. 15

|1872

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Prélude, andante et final, Op. 17

|1874

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Scènes de bal, Op. 20

|1875

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|6 Valses caractéristiques, Op. 26

|1877

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Variations sur un thème original, Op. 29 (revision of op. 1)

|1877

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|12 Feuillets d'album, Op. 31

|1877

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|5 Valses, Op. 33

|???

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Dans les bois, Op. 44

|1880

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Pages intimes, Op. 48

|1879

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Suite polonaise, Op. 51

|1881

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Suite, Op. 58

|1887

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Carnaval, 12 pièces, Op. 61

|1889

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Nocturne, from Contes d'avril, Op. 64

|???

|???

|-

|5 Valses, Op. 71

|1894

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Suite écossaise, Op. 78

|1905

|Joseph Williams

|-

|Introduction

|???

|Julien Hamelle

|-

|Intermezzo

|???

|Julien Hamelle

|}

Songs and choral works

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Composition

!Year

!Publisher

!Instruments

|-

|O Salutaris, Op. 8

|1868

|Julien Hamelle

|contralto or baritone, violin, cello and organ

|-

|6 Mélodies, Op. 14

|1872

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|Tantum ergo, Op. 18 No. 1

|1874

|Julien Hamelle

|baritone, chorus and organ

|-

|Regina coeli, Op. 18 No. 2

|1874

|Julien Hamelle

|baritone, chorus and organ

|-

|6 Mélodies, Op. 22

|1875

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|Quam dilecta tabernacula tua, Op. 23 No. 1

|1876

|Julien Hamelle

|baritone, chorus and organ

|-

|Tu es Petrus, Op. 23 No. 2

|1876

|Julien Hamelle

|baritone, chorus and organ

|-

|Surrexit a mortuis (Sacerdos et pontifex), Op. 23 No. 3

|1876

|Julien Hamelle

|chorus and organ

|-

|Ave Maria, Op. 24

|1877

|Julien Hamelle

|mezzo, harp and organ

|-

|3 Choruses, Op. 25

|1876

|Julien Hamelle

|SATB choir

|-

|3 Mélodies, Op. 28

|1876

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|2 Duos, Op. 30

|1876

|Julien Hamelle

|soprano, contralto and piano

|-

|3 Mélodies italiennes, Op. 32

|1877

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|3 Mélodies italiennes, Op. 35

|1878

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|Messe, Op. 36

|1878

|Julien Hamelle

|baritone chorus, SATB chorus and two organs

|-

|6 Mélodies, Op. 37

|1877

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|2 Duos, Op. 40

|1876

|Julien Hamelle

|soprano, contralto and piano

|-

|6 Mélodies, Op. 43

|1878

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|6 Mélodies, Op. 47

|1879

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|6 Mélodies, Op. 53

|1881

|Julien Hamelle

|voice and piano

|-

|Ave Maria, Op. 59

|1884

|Julien Hamelle

|voice, harp and organ

|-

|O salutaris, Op. 63[bis]

|1889

|Julien Hamelle

|voice, violin, cello and organ

|-

|Soirs d'été, Op. 63

|1889

|Auguste Durand

|voice and piano

|-

|Ecce Joanna, Alleluia!

|???

|Schola Cantorum

|SATB choir and organ

|-

|Psalm 112

|1879

|Julien Hamelle

|baritone, chorus, organ and orchestra

|-

|Chansons de mer, Op. 75

|1902

|???

|???

|-

|Da pacem

|1930

|Auguste Durand

|SATB choir and organ or piano

|-

|Non credo

|1930

|Auguste Durand

|voice and piano

|}

Stage music

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Composition

!Year

!Publisher

!Stage Music Type

|-

|Le Capitaine Loys

| 1878

|unpublished

|comic opera

|-

|La Korrigane

|1880

|Julien Hamelle

|ballet

|-

|Maître Ambros, Op. 56

|1886

|piano reduction published by Heugel

|opera

|-

|Conte d'avril, Op. 64

|1885; 1891

|Heugel

|incidental music

|-

|Les Pêcheurs de Saint-Jean

|1895; 1904

|Heugel

|opera

|-

|Nerto

|1924

|Heugel

|opera

|}

Writings

  • Technique de l'orchestre moderne faisant suite au Traité d'instrumentation de H. Berlioz (1904, Paris: Lemoine)
  • L'Orgue moderne, la décadence dans la facture contemporaine (1928, Paris: Durand)
  • Vieilles Chansons pour les Petits Enfants: avec Accompagnements de Ch. M. Widor From the Collections at the Library of Congress

Recordings

  • Complete organ works by Ben van Oosten
  • The 10 symphonies for organ, by Pierre Pincemaille, on 10 Cavaillé-Coll organs - Solstice SOCD 181-185.
  • , et symphonies for organ, performed by Marc Dubugnon at the Swiss Reformed Church of Saint Martin, in Vevey, the three symphonies on YouTube

Notes

References

  • Hobbs, Alain (1988). Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937). L’Orgue, Cahiers et mémoires, No. 40. L’Association des Amis de l’Orgue.
  • Near, John R. editor (2024). Autobiographical Recollections of Charles-Marie Widor. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press ()
  • Near, John R. (2011). Widor: A Life Beyond the Toccata. Series: Eastman Studies in Music, Book 5 of 48. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press ()
  • Near, John R. (2019). Widor: On Organ Performance Practice and Technique. Series: Eastman Studies in Music, Book 29 of 48. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press ()
  • <!-- Aprahamian wrote the foreword- not very interesting information? -->
  • (Embellishments), John R. Near, The Complete Organ Symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor
  • Toccata in F from Symphony No. 5 interactive hypermedia (Shockwave Player required) at the BinAural Collaborative Hypertext
  • Performances of organ works by Charles-Marie Widor in MIDI format at Logos Virtual Library