Duruflé's career was halted in May 1975 due to a serious car accident, after which he rarely performed in public, though he and his wife recovered.
Composer Biography
Maurice Duruflé, a French composer, was appointed organist at the church of St Etienne-du-Mont in Paris in 1930, a position he later shared with his wife from 1953.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Duruflé was a highly self-critical composer whose musical language blended the impressionist traditions of Debussy and Ravel with the modal, Gregorian-inspired style of Gabriel Fauré.
Instruments
This recording features the Grand-Orgue Cavaillé-Coll at Notre-Dame d'Auteuil, Paris, originally built in 1884-1885 and later modified by Gloton-Debierre in 1937-1938.
Performer Biography
Henry Fairs, the organist on this recording, is the Organist to the University of Birmingham and an Organ Tutor at the Birmingham Conservatoire.
Performer Biography
Henry Fairs has won prizes in international organ competitions, including Paris and St Albans, and was twice awarded the Prix Maurice Duruflé at the Grand Prix de Chartres competition.
