Premier livre d'orgue (1995)

Gilles Maurice Leclerc (b. 1960) — Premier livre d’orgue (1995)

1) Grand jeu
2) Fugue
3) Duo
4) Trio
5) Basse et dessus de trompette
6) Récits
7) Dialogues

“Premier livre d’orgue” (1995) is a set of pieces inspired by music of the French classical organ school of the 17th century, a period of the organ literature in which there were a number of characteristic forms employed by many composers in individual ways. Leclerc has extended both the forms and harmonies of these traditional genres in various directions to produce a distinctly contemporary result in his own style.

Canadian composer Gilles Maurice Leclerc (b. 1960) was born in Ottawa and educated at the university there where he studied organ with Gerald Bales and Patricia Wright and composition with Steven Gelmann. His works for choir and organ have been performed around the world, and he was one of the laureates of the 1985 SOCAN National Competition for Young Composers. Leclerc served as national vice-president and president (2009–12) of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, the first French-Canadian to hold this position. Leclerc has been the organist of Saint-François-d’Assise Church in Ottawa since 1977.