Marcel Dupré

Marcel Dupré (May 3, 1886–May 30, 1971), was a French organist and composer.

He was born in Rouen in France, the son of Albert Dupré and Alice Chauvière. From a musical family, he was an early prodigy. He started at the Paris Conservatoire in 1904, and studied under Charles-Marie Widor, Alexandre Guilmant , Louis Vierne and Diémar . Dupré won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1914 for his cantata Psyché . In 1926, he returned to the Conservatoire as Professor of Organ.

He became famous throughout Europe and U.S.A. for his organ recitals (more than 2000), which in 1920 included a recital series of 10 concerts of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach by memory.

In 1947, he was appointed General Director of the American Conservatory .

Dupré was director of the Fontainebleau Conservatoire from 1947 to 1954 and of the Paris Conservatoire from 1954 to 1956. His pupils included Olivier Messiaen, Jehan Alain and Jean Langlais.

Dupré's works include an organ concerto and many chorales. He also wrote on improvisation, which was the basis for many of his complete works.

He died in 1971 in Meudon (near Paris). Well over a hundred different recordings of his work are available.