BOELLMANN Entrée & Communion

Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897) studied and later taught at l'École Niedermeyer in Paris, and married the niece of his teacher Eugène Gigout. From the age of 19 until his early death, he was organist at the church of St. Vincent de Paul, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. His two volumes called Heures Mystiques—Opp. 29 & 30 from 1896—were written for harmonium, and many of the pieces are playable on American reed organs as well; they are still in print and are well worth finding. From the second volume, I present the fifth Entrée, in B major, and the third Communion, in E major. The Entrée is played on the four principal ranks (16' 8' 8' 4') or "Grand Jeu." I chose to play the Communion with the 8' (4) Basson in the left hand, and the 16' (2) Clarinette and (6) Voix Celeste in the right hand, played up an octave. The instrument is an art-harmonium built by the Mustel firm in Paris, their # 470, dated 1887, and # 4321 in the Reed Organ Society database. Performed by Michael Hendron, recorded 27 July 2024.