René Vierne

René Vierne (1878–1918) was a French organist and composer.

Biography

He was born at Lille in France on 11 March 1878 and was the younger brother of Louis Vierne.

Pushed by his mother, he entered the Catholic Seminary at Versailles in 1889 where he studied music with Canon Poivet. But not feeling a vocation to the priesthood, he left and instead devoted himself to music, taking lessons in organ, counterpoint and fugue with his brother Louis. Then he studied with Alexandre Guilmant at the Paris Conservatoire, and was awarded first prize for organ and improvisation in 1906.

In 1897, he obtained a post as organist at the Chapel of the Convent of the Dominicans, the Annunciation, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. In 1904, he succeeded Camille Andres (1864-1904), as organist titulaire at Notre-Dame-des-Champs.

At the outbreak of World War I he was mobilized and moved to the front on 8 August 1914. On May 29, 1918, at 8 am, on the Plateau Branscourt (Marne), he was killed by Austrian shrapnel.