Pierre Pincemaille
Pierre-Marie Pincemaille was a French organist, improviser, and pedagogue. He was known for his organ improvisations, both in concert and on CD and for his recordings of Charles-Marie Widor's complete organ symphonies played on organs built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, as well as his recordings of the complete organ works of Maurice Duruflé and César Franck, and organ works of Pierre Cochereau and Louis Vierne in particular.Biography
Pincemaille was born in Paris and began piano studies in 1965; in 1968, he started to study the organ. He graduated from the Paris Conservatory with five first prizes and was taught by Henri Challan, Jean-Claude Raynaud, Marcel Bitsch and Rolande Falcinelli.
He was appointed titular organist at the Basilica of St Denis in St Denis in 1987. He was succeeded in June 2018 by his student Quentin Guérillot.
Between 1978 and 1990, he won five international organ competitions:
- 1978: First Prize at the Concours International d'Improvisation in Lyon
- 1987: Grand Prix at the Concours Européen d'Orgue in Beauvais
- 1989: First Prize at the Concours International d'Improvisation in Strasbourg
- 1989: Grand Prix at the Concours International d'Improvisation in Montbrison
- 1990: Grand Prix in improvisation at the Concours de Chartres
He was a professor of counterpoint at the Paris Conservatory, professor of organ improvisation at the Regional Conservatory in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, and professor of harmony and counterpoint at the Regional Conservatory in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
He is known to be a master of improvisation.
As an improviser, he improvised during the ceremonies at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, and his recitals, in the tradition of French organ school.
As a composer, he has published an Ave Maria for mixed choir a capella, En Louisiane for trombone and piano, and Prologue et Noël varié for organ. In November 2017, three motets, published with A coeur joie editions received their premiere performance at the Basilica of St. Denis.
He gave more than 1000 concerts and recitals all around the world.
He was Chevalier de l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and Chevalier de l'Ordre de Saint-Grégoire-le-Grand.
Pincemaille died on 12 January 2018, at the local hospital in Suresnes, of lung cancer, aged 61.
After his death, some events were given in memoriam, like concerts or radio broadcasts.Discography
Pierre Pincemaille recorded around twenty CDs, among which:
