Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata

Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata brings to light the life and work of one of France’s most distinguished musicians in the most complete biography in any language of Charles-Marie Widor. He is considered one of the greatestorganists of his time, a prolific composer in nearly every genre, professor of organ and composition at the Paris Conservatory, academician and administrator at the Institute of France, journalist, conductor, music editor, scholar, correspondent, inspired visionary, and man of deep culture.

An appendix constitutes the most complete listing ever compiled of Widor’s oeuvre. Each work is dated as accurately as possible and includes the publisher, platenumber, dedicatee, and relevant commentary. Another appendix lists Widor’s complete published writings, other than the scores of press reviews he penned over several decades.

Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata illuminates the life and work of one of France’s most distinguished yet neglected musicians of the belle epoque.

JOHN R. NEAR is Professor Emeritus of Music, Principia College.