Louis James Alfred Lefebure-Wely 1817-1869

[giles.enders]

Louis James Alfred Lefebure-Wely Born Paris  13.11.1817  Died Paris  31.12.1869

He was the son of Isaac Lefebure* an organist and minor composer.  From the age of eight he was deputising for his father at the Paris church of Saint-Roch, where on the death of his father he was appointed principal organist.  He was only fifteen at the time. A year later in 1832 he entered The Paris Conservatoire, taking lessons from Jaques Halevy, Henri Berton and organ with Francois Benoist and Sejank.  In 1835 he won the premier prix for piano and organ. He also took the opportunity to study privatly with Adolph Adam.  During this time he continued at Saint-Roch until 1847 and was then appointed organist at La Madeleine, where a year earlier Aristide Cavaille-Coll had completed his first large symphonic organ. This led to a life long friendship between the two,  though they had first met in 1836.   He remained at La Madelein until 1858 and from 1863 until his death was organist at Saint-Suplice. In his day he was generally recognised as one of the great virtuoso organists, he certainly filled the churches where he performed.


Early in his career he added Wely to his surname. In order to support his wife and growing family he composed a substantial amount of music for piano solo.  It was only later in life that he really composed a substantial amount for organ.

Personal note: I first heard  a piece of his music on Radio 3, 50 years ago. Until that point I had found solo organ music too 'arch' and dry.  L-W made organ music sound fun and full of life, one wanted to almost dance to it. He is now considered rather vulgar and most organists turn their noses up at his music.  This may be a reason for the fact that organ music only appeals to a tiny minority, it is all too precious.  Try one of his Sorties.

Orchestral

Symphony No.1 Op.163
Symphony No.2
Symphony No.3

Chamber

'Mignon' (opera) paraphrase for violin piano and organ
Allegro, andante & finale for harmonium and piano  Op.61
Duo brillante sur l'opera 'Le PereGaillard' for piano & four strings  Op.75
Fantasie sur 'Les Sabots de la Marquise' (opera)  for piano & 4 strings  Op.86
Grande fantasie de concert for piano & melodium on themes from opera Robin des Bois  Op.97
La Guirlande de Roses - five grand waltzes for piano and 4 strings


Piano

Rondo  Op.1
24 Etudes  Op.23
Twelve pensees musicales  Op.28
Recollections of Italy  Op.20
Les Cloches du Monastere - nocturne  Op.54  pub. by Chappell & Co.
Saltarelle  Op.57
Le Calm de Matin  Op.60/1
Le Calm de Soir  Op.60/2
Josephine - grand galop  Op.62
Aure, ou La Retraite Militaire - caprice  Op.65  pub. by Wessel & Co
La Garde Montante - caprice  Op.71
Etude, Moyen-age  Op.76
Reverie - andante  Op.77
La Danse des Oiseaux - bluette  Op.78
Les Jeures recrues - caprice militare  Op.79
La Couronnement de la rosiere - bluette  Op.80
Les Pappillons d'or Op.81
La Brise de Main - bluette  Op.82
Le nid des fauvettes - caprice  Op.83
Larmes du Coeur! - romance  Op.84
Apres la Victoire - march for piano  Op.87
Grand valse  Op.89
Pensees intimes  Op.91
Romance sans paroles  Op.92
Les Pifferari - aubade Italienne  Op.98
Le Reveil des Anges  Op.99
Florence - mazurka  Op.100
Reverie - mazurka  Op.101
Les Clochette du Patre  Op.102   pub. by Chappell
Polonaise  Op.106
'Impressions de Voyages' 3 morceaux characteristiques  Le reve bGraziella Op.113, ?114 and ?115
Delaissee - reverie  Op.116
Les Babillards - caprice  Op.117
La Tunisienne - marche militaire  Op.118
Danse Souvenence - nocturne  Op.119
Mere et enfant - nocturne  Op.125
Fetes de Abeilles - caprice  Op.127
Fetes de Noel - 3 fantasies  Op.129
La Chasse fantasie-valse  Op.135
L'heure l'Anglais - fantasie  Op.136
Roverido - fantasie Tyrolinne  Op.137
La Bergerie  - scene champetre  Op.138
Les Noces Basques  Op.139
Romance sans paroles  Op.141
Blondette  valse   Op.144
Six Romance san paroles  Op.160
Duo Symphonique for two pianos  Op.163
Un Reve a Rome  Op.164
Titania  Op.170
Bolero  1860  Op.175
Le Reve de Cherubin Op.176
Esmeralda - caprice for piano Op.177
Qui s'y frotte pique - caprice de Salon  Op.178
Le Defile, pas redouble  for two pianos  Op.180
Duo Symphonique for two pianos  Op.181
Impromptu  Op.182
Nuits napolitaines  Op.183
Hop! - caprice brillante  Op.186
Juanita - sequedille
La Serenade du Gondolier - nocturne
La Manitza - Orientale
La Noce du Village
The Pilgrim's march
Les Legumes - nocturnes
L'heure de la priere - nocturne
La Madeleine - piano based on offertore in G
Le Pre aux Clerics - grand duo
The Sylphe's Danse
Valse des Sylphes
Paolina - polka
Rondo - polka
Nuit d'orient - reverie
Trois etude de Salon
Un Rayon de Soleil - valse
Bouree & La Danse des Paysons
La Cascade - morceau de Salon  1854
Chanson du Moulin et Musique de Geneve

Organ

Lecons methodiques pour Orgue-Melodium  Op.196 Offertoires in A minor, G, B flat, D, C & F  Op.34
6 Offertoires  in B flat, F, C, G, A, C minor  Op.35 composed for St Eustache, Paris
6 Organ pieces  Op.38
Les Chants du Soir  Op.50 (orig for piano)
4 Morceaux for service divine  Op.51
L'heur de la priere   Op.54b  (orig for piano)
'Brands'  Op.85
Romance sans Paroles   Op.92 (orig for piano)
Meditations religieuses  10 pieces  inc. Marche in B flat major  Op.122  pub. by Regnier-Canaux
En avant  march   Op.147
L'Office Catholique  Op.148
Andante in F major
Benediction in C major
Benediction
Bolero de Concert  Op.166  pub. by Regnier-Canaux
March in F major
March in E flat major
March in C major
Morceau pouvant sevir a une messe de marriage ou pendant une procession in F major
Noel Varie in F major   pub. by Richault
Offertoire in D minor
Offertoire in D major
Offertoire in G major
Offertoire in G minor
Postlude in A major
Postlude in E flat major
The Hymn of Nuns - andante for organ
Sortie in A major  pub. by Richault
Sortie in E flat major   pub. by Richault
Sortie in B flat major   pub. by Richault
Steeple-chase  Op.107
Verset in G major   Op.187
O Salutaris  for soprano or tenor and organ  1857
Fantaisie sur 'Guillaume Tell'   Op.29
Fantaisie sur 'La Sonnambula'   Op.40
Fantaisie sur 'La Flute Enchantee'
Fantaisie sur 'Don Pasquale'

Harmonicords

6 morceaux  3 marches, 3 elevations  Op.38   pub. by Peregally
Caprice for two harmonicords  Op.120
Suite No.1 de morceaux pour l'harmonicorde  Op.104
Suite No.2 de morceaux pour l'harmonicorde  Op. ?
Suite No.3 de morceaux pour l'harmonicorde  Op.123

Opera

Les Recruteurs  1861

*Isaac Francoise Antoine Lefebure 1756-1831 organist and composer

[Gareth Vaughan]

The Sorties are great fun - I love them. There is one in G minor too (not listed). The Bolero de Concert is also pleasantly vulgar. There is a story (doubtless apocryphal) that one of the canons at La Madeleine once accosted Lefebure-Wely after a service and asked him rather testily when he was going to compose a serious piece of music, to which the organist replied, "When I hear you preach a serious sermon, monsignor!"

[Alan Howe]

Touché!

[giles.enders]

From what I can tell he packed the churches and was Cavaille-Coll's favoured organist to give the first performance on any of his new organs.
Gareth, L-W was not easy to research, any contributions to his composition list would be most welcome. There are three masses which I have no details of.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Giles, I will have scout around.