Guilmant, Felix Alexandre 03/12/1837 - 03/29/1911

Félix André Guilmant (1837-1911) was born in 1837 in Boulogne-sur-Mer in northwestern France. His father Jean-Baptiste Guilmant was organist of the Church of Saint Nicolas and gave his son his first organ lessons. He was also taught by Gustave Carulli. The young boy played not only organ but also piano and violin.



In 1860 Guilmant went to Brussels, where he received his most important education from Jaak-Nicolaas Lemmens. After his studies, Guilmant stayed in Boulogne-sur-Mer as organist. He was appointed organist of the Church of Saint Joseph and Maître de Chapelle of the Church of Saint Nicholas Church. In Boulogne he started composing. The first works were all liturgical works for choir and organ, most of which were never published. He also wrote his first organ compositions, most of which were published after he moved to Paris.



In Boulogne Guilmant became professor of solfège at the École Communale and director of the Boulogne Société Orphéonique. He also was a member of the Société Philharmonique.



In 1868 Guilmant was one of the organists who performed at the inauguration concert of the new organ in the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. In 1868 the new church of Sainte-Trinité was built, for which Aristide Cavaillé-Coll built a new organ. In 1871 Guilmant was appointed organist there and moved to Paris, where he would live until his death.



Guilmant was a very famous organ player in his day. He made concert trips to many countries, including the USA. In 1878 he started a series of concerts in the Palace of Trocadéro in Paris, where he played old and almost forgotten music together with actual compositions and improvisations. In 1896 he became teacher at the Paris Conservatory and later the second organist of Notre-Dame.
In 1904 he played 40 concerts at the Saint Louis Exhibition.