Choral Evensong and Organ Recital

MAURICE CLERC joins in the continuity of the grand French tradition while drawing his energy from the dynamism of our time. His numerous concerts, approximately 1300 recitals in some twenty countries including 28 tours in North America (U.S.A and Canada), have merited his international reputation.
Traveling four continents over forty years, from Europe to Australia, he played in prestigious places such as Notre-Dame de Paris, St Patrick’ Cathedral of New York,  the Dom de Lübeck, the St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, the St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, St. Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, the N.H.K. auditorium in Tokyo, and Hong Kong Cultural Centre.   In 1987, he was invited to give two of the inaugural concerts of grand Flentrop Organ in the new auditorium of Taipeï.   In 1999, he went to Seoul for a convention of the organists. In 2003, he was again in Hong-Kong, then China, Mexico and South Africa. In June 2019 he returned to New Zealand and Australia. In 2020, he went to Hong-Kong and Japan. This international career has lead him to appear in leading festivals such as those in Bruges, Ravenna, Madrid, Morelia, Saint Eustache in Paris, Milstatt, Frankfurt, Budapest, Warsaw, Buenos-Aires and Montevideo.

Born in Lyon in 1946, Clerc was awarded a diploma at the Ecole Normale of Music in Paris where he studied with Suzanne Chaisemartin, At the Higher National Conservatory for Music of Paris, he obtained, in 1975, a First prize in organ under the tutelage of Rolande Falcinelli. With Gaston Litaize, he pursued this course for several years deepening his interpretations of the repertory of the 18th century.   In 1972, he had the opportunity to study improvisation which gave Pierre Cochereau at the International Academy of Nice, and in 1977, he won the Improvisation Prize in the international competition of Lyon.

Clerc is Emeritus organist of the cathédral in Dijon after being the titular organist of this great instrument for 46 years from 1972 to 2018. He was also a professor to the Conservatory of Dijon and lecturer at the University. Clerc has recorded a dozen CDs,  among which include the music of Bach and German baroque masters. Having built up a reputation in the romantic and modern repertory and considered one of the specialists in French music, he performs the major works of Franck, Vierne, Dupré, Fleury, and Langlais. His most recent recordings present Cochereau and French transcriptions.  Maurice Clerc is Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

His program will include:

SUITE OF DANSES form the 14th and 17th centuries   Anonymous
(restitution of Francis Chapelet)
Intrada, Danse française, Danse anglaise, Danse allemande,
Danse espagnole, Danse hongroise, Saltarelle italienne, Danse Autrichienne.

Two Ricercada sobre la cancion doulce mémoire  Diego Ortiz (1510-1570)

Two Chorales Dietrich Buxtehude  (1637-1707)
Nun Komm, Der Heiden Heiland  (Hymn 54)
Ein Feste burg ist unser Gott (Hymn 688)

Concerto in c minor Benedetto Marcello (1868-1739)
Andante

24 Liturgical préludes                    Gaston Litaize (1909-1991)
Andantino in A major
Allegretto in  B major

Postlude for the office des complies    Jehan Alain (1911-1940)

Suite Médiévale                         Jean Langlais (1907-1991)
Prélude
Tiento
Acclamation caroligiennes

A Festive Reception will follow the program.