Louis Vierne – Sheet Music & Scores

Louis Victor Jules Vierne (1870-1937) was one of the most important French organists and composers of the pre-war, late Romantic period. He is best-known for his Organ Symphonies, which are among the very best that are still performed. Browse our sheet music and scores, and discover first-hand all his wonderful works today.

His Life

At the age of three, Louis Vierne and his family moved to Paris. Despite suffering with congenital cataracts from birth, it was clear Louis had an incredible talent for music, and with the help of an iridectomy at the age of six, he was able to start studying the piano. In 1880 he heard César Franck play the organ, and from that moment on, Louis’ fate was decided. He completed his studies in organ, and organ improvisation at the Paris Conservatoire in 1894, under the tutorage of Charles-Marie Widor. The high point of his organ career was his appointment as Head Organist at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris 1900, which he held until his death in 1937.

His Work

Louis Vierne is one of the leading exponents of the symphonic organ movement, which aims to replicate the sound of a whole symphony orchestra on the organ. The top instruments of the 19th century came from the workshop of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. Charles-Maria Widor and Charles Tournemire were also prominent representatives of the symphonic organ movement. Vierne composed six organ symphonies, and he also devoted himself to piano works, chamber music, vocal works and the symphony.

Loss of Sight

Despite the iridectomy, Louis’ sight was strongly impaired all his life, and he used extra-large sheet music and a ’large pencil’ when he composed, as his friend Marcel Dupré describes it. Having learnt in early years, as his sight began to deteriorate, he began relying more and more on the braille system. In 1908, due to an onset of glaucoma, he lost his sight completely.

Death at the Organ

During his 1750th organ concert in Notre Dame Cathedral on June 2, 1937, Louis Vierne suffered a heart attack. He managed to finish the piece, but collapsed during the improvisation that followed. He died playing one single note on his beloved organ, after falling on one of the pedals.

More links for Louis Vierne

• Organ Works by Louis Vierne
• Piano Works by Louis Vierne
• Chamber Music by Louis Vierne
• Choral Music by Louis Vierne
• Vocal Music by Louis Vierne
• Sheet Music Downloads by Louis Vierne