2018 Concert Series Gallipoli to the Somme | Page 6

Te Deum
Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968)
You might think that Jeanne Demessieux would have found herself
barred from the concert organ world for two reasons — first because
she was a woman, and second because she was a provincial (from
Montpellier, in the deep south of France).
But Demessieux was a person of great courage and determination,
and she combined these qualities with astonishing musical gifts. As a
student in Paris, she swept up all the major prizes for her subject, and in
her mid-twenties, gave her first concert at the city’s Salle Pleyel. Thus
began a professional life of more than 700 concerts until throat cancer
eventually claimed her in 1968. By then, she had repeatedly toured
most of Europe and the United States, causing wide amazement with a
huge memory-cache that included the complete organ works of Bach,
Mendelssohn, Franck and Liszt.
Jeanne Demessieux also
composed some three
dozen pieces — for organ
of course, but also for
solo voice, choir, and for
orchestra. Her Te Deum
was completed in 1958,
and was inspired by one of
the organs she had played
during her 1955 US tour,
the organ of St. John the
Divine in NYC. She had been
specially impressed by the
organ’s massive State
Trumpet stop over the west
doors of the Cathedral, and
there are many thrilling
places in her Te Deum
where this effect comes
into its own.
The music is firmly based
on the Te Deum plainsong
chant,
especially
one
verse, whose regular re-
appearance
marks
the
breaks between all five
Jeanne Demessieux
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