Yves Devernay


Yves Devernay was a 20th-century French organist, improviser and composer.

Biography

First a pupil of Jeanne Joulain at the Roubaix conservatory, in 1958 he joined Rolande Falcinelli's class at the Conservatoire de Paris, after spending one year in the Lille Conservatory. Laureate of the Organ Prize in 1961, he also studied briefly with Marie-Claire Alain and won several international competitions, including the in 1971, tied with Daniel Roth.
A professor of organ at the conservatories of Roubaix and Valenciennes, he was also a virtuoso organist with a great technique combined with an undeniable talent for improvisation. Appointed in 1985 co-titular of the organs of Notre-Dame de Paris alongside Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefèbvre and Jean-Pierre Leguay, following Pierre Cochereau's death, He was also titular organist of the from 1965.
On 10 December 2010, a plaque was affixed at the entrance of the cemetery of the town of Mouvaux, where he rests.
During 40 years, his uncle Édouard Devernay played the organ of the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church in Trouville-sur-Mer.

Works

1. Improvisation "néo-classique" ; 2. O. Messiaen : Transports de joie ; 3. Improvisation : paraphrase sur un thème de Nabucco de Verdi ; 4. F. Liszt : Prélude et fugue sur B.A.C.H. .
Production : Visual Communication.
C.-M. Widor : Allegro extract of the Fifth Symphony; E. Devernay: Le Miracle de la Tempête; M. Duruflé: Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d’Alain; J. Guillou: Sinfonietta; J. Langlais: Nazard, extract of the Suite française; M. Dupré: Variations sur un noël; E. Gigout: Toccata.
Improvisations au cours d’offices