André Isoir

Born July 20, 1935, in Saint-Dizier, France, André Isoir was one of the great masters of the French organ in the 20th century. At the beginning of his musical journey, he joined the César-Franck School in Paris, France and followed the teaching of Édouard Souberbielle (organ) and Germaine Mounier (piano). As a pupil of Rolande Falcinelli at the Paris Conservatory, he won the first organ and improvisation prizes in 1960. He then competed in several international competitions: he won the Prize for the Organ Improvisation Competition in St. Albans (England) in 1965 and won the Challenge Prize in Haarlem (Netherlands) a total of three times. From 1952 until 1967, he was the head organist at the Saint-Médard church in Paris. In 1967, he was the joint holder of the organ of the Saint-Séverin church alongside Michel Chapuis. In 1973, he was appointed head organist at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris. André Isoir began his teaching career at the Orsay Conservatory (1974-1983), then at the National Conservatory of Boulogne-Billancourt (1983-1994). During the first half of the 1970s, André Isoir recorded 22 releases devoted to the Golden Book of the French Organ, which focused on French composers such as Grigny, Lebègue, Marchand, Louis and François Couperin, Geoffroy, Clérambault, Corrette, d'Andrieu, Guilain, Boely, Lefébure-Wely, Widor and César Franck. He also recorded thematic recitals such as L'Orgue Français au Grand Siècle (1972), L'Orgue Français under Louis XIV (1973), L'Orgue Français au XVIIe Siècle (1973), L'Orgue Français à la Révolution (1974), Franck: Intégrale de L’Oeuvre D’Orgue (1975), and Noëls Français au XVIIIe Siècle (1974). Johann Sebastian Bach was the subject of 15 different releases issued between 1975 and 1991, all of which were later gathered together in a 15 CD box set. His catalog includes over 60 titles, eight of which won the prestigious Grand Prix du Disque between 1972 and 1991. Named Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters and Knight of the National Order of Merit, he won the Victoire de la Musique for Instrumental Soloist of the Year in 1986. André Isoir died on July 20, 2016, his 81st birthday.