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Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély (13 November 1817 – 31 December 1869) was a French organist and composer. He played a major role in the development of the French symphonic organ style and was closely associated with the organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, inaugurating many new Cavaillé-Coll organs. His playing was virtuosic, and as a performer he was rated above eminent contemporaries including César Franck. His compositions, less substantial than those of Franck and others, have not held such a prominent place in the repertory. ==Biography== Lefébure-Wély was born in Paris, son of an organist.〔Sanger, David. ("Lefébure-Wély, Louis" ), Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed 27 January 2013 .〕 He studied with his father, Isaac-François-Antoine Lefebvre (1756–1831), who had changed his name to Antoine Lefébure-Wély after being appointed organist of the fashionable church of Saint-Roch in the 1st arrondissement.〔Smith, Rollin. "Lefébure-Wély: 'Prince of Organists'," ''The American Organist'', September 2012, pp. 62–70.〕 The boy was musically precocious. In the manuscript of an unpublished Mass by his father is a note: Within two years of that occasion Antoine Lefébure-Wély suffered a stroke, paralysing his left side. For the next five years his son deputised for him. When Alfred was fourteen Antoine died, and the son succeeded the father as official organist of Saint-Roch.〔 While holding the post he entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1832, studying with François Benoist. In 1835 he won first prize for organ. Following that he studied composition with Berton and Halévy.〔 In 1838 he began a long association with the organ-builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, performing to a huge audience on the new instrument at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.〔Ochse, pp. 32–33〕 A reviewer in ''La France musical'' praised Lefébure-Wély's technical skill, but advised him to play music of a more serious style than he had developed. Lefébure-Wély, however, knew what the public wanted, and continued to perform music of a popular type.〔Ochse, p. 33〕 When a new Cavaillé-Coll organ was installed at Saint-Roch in 1842 Lefébure-Wély incurred critical disapproval for playing a fantasia on themes from Meyerbeer's popular opera ''Robert le diable''.〔Ochse, p. 37〕 A French government website about Cavaillé-Coll calls Lefébure-Wély an "exceptionally talented dandy who, better than anyone, had grasped the musical potential of the new tones and combinations to create music that was thrilling, renewing, impressive and at times heartrending". The site says of the composer, "A protégé of the aristocracy, he frequented the bourgeois salons where he often performed with his wife, a singer … and his two daughters who were pianists. He was the incarnation of the organ of the Second Empire."〔("Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, Organ Builder" ) Ministère de la culture et de la communication, Direction de l'architecture et du patrimoine, accessed 27 January 2013〕 Even Gioacchino Rossini, not known for the solemnity of most of his own music, once told Lefébure-Wély, "You are admired more for your faults than your virtues."〔 In 1847 Lefébure-Wély moved to the Église de la Madeleine, exchanging posts with the previous organist, Charles-Alexandre Fessy.〔Ochse, p. 43〕 In 1849 he was in charge of the music for the funeral of Frédéric Chopin, when he transcribed some of Chopin's piano works for the organ, attracting critical praise.〔Ochse, p. 47〕 Lefébure-Wély was awarded the Légion d'honneur in 1850. His contemporary, César Franck became better known as a composer, but was not as highly regarded as an organist. Adolphe Adam commented, "Lefébure-Wély is the most skilful artist I know"; Camille Saint-Saëns, Lefébure-Wély's successor at the Madeleine, observed, "Lefébure-Wély was a wonderful improviser … but he left only a few unimportant compositions for the organ."〔Ochse, pp. 49 and 51〕 He was the dedicatee of the "12 études pour les pieds seulement" (12 Studies for organ pedals alone) by Charles-Valentin Alkan and of the "Final en si bémol" for organ, op. 21, by Franck.〔 Lefébure-Wély resigned his post at the Madeleine in 1858 to devote himself to composing a three-act opéra comique, ''Les recruteurs''. It was premiered at the Opéra-Comique on 11 December 1861, but was not a great success.〔 From 1863 until his death he was organist at Saint-Sulpice, where the Cavaillé-Coll instrument was the largest in France.〔 He died in Paris at the age of 52. Many musicians and other leading figures attended his Requiem Mass. Ambroise Thomas gave the eulogy, in which he said, "Lefébure-Wély has taken his place among the most eminent organists – not only of his time, but of all periods and of all schools!" Lefébure-Wély was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery; his tomb was designed by the architect Victor Baltard.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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