Olivier Latry

Olivier Latry (born 22 February 1962) is a French organist, improviser and professor of organ in the Conservatoire de Paris.

Olivier Latry
Olivier Latry
Born(1962-02-22)22 February 1962
Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
EducationConservatoire de Paris
Occupation
  • Organist
  • Improviser
  • Composer
  • Academic teacher
Organization
Spouse(s)Shin Young Lee
Olivier Latry at a mobile central console of the new giant organ at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna (2020)

He became interested in the organ after listening to recordings by Pierre Cochereau. His first experience with a church organ was in 1974, when he played the organ at his local church at his older brother's wedding. During the homily, his arms supposedly fell on the organ console, causing a rather dissonant noise in the church.[1]

Latry was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer. After having begun his musical studies in Boulogne-sur-Mer, in 1978 he enrolled in the organ class under Gaston Litaize at the Academy of Saint-Maur, and took composition classes with Jean-Claude Raynaud at the Paris Academy. After becoming Professor of organ in the Catholic Institute of Paris in 1983 and subsequently at the Academy of Rheims, he succeeded Gaston Litaize at the Academy of Saint-Maur in 1990. In 1995, Latry was named professor of organ in the Academy of Paris, a post held jointly with Michel Bouvard.[2][3][4]

In 1985, at 23 years of age, Latry was awarded the post of one of four titulaires des grands orgues of Notre-Dame, Paris together with Yves Devernay, Philippe Lefèbvre and Jean-Pierre Leguay, following the death of Pierre Cochereau.[5][6][7]

In addition to this role and his teaching positions, Latry carries out a career as concert performer: he has played in over forty countries across five continents, in particular in the United States, where he made his first tour in 1986, becoming one of the most popular French organists in that country.[8][9][10]

Latry did not want to specialize in music of a specific time period, but has gained a reputation for performing music by his contemporaries. He is renowned for his performances of the works of Olivier Messiaen and has recorded the complete organ works of Messiaen for Deutsche Grammophon. Latry is also considered to be a distinguished improviser, in the tradition of a distinguished French line that runs from Charles Tournemire through to Pierre Cochereau. He based his 2007 organ composition Salve Regina, reflections on the Gregorian Marian hymn, on previous improvisations.[11][12]

References
  1. "Olivier Latry "On The Bench with Dr. Carol"". youtube.com. August 16, 2015. |first= missing |last= (help)
  2. Sacred Music at Notre-Dame de Paris in French
  3. On se rend compte que si on ne dompte pas l’orgue, il vous bouffe ! on France Musique
  4. Olivier Latry, le veilleur du grand orgue de Notre-Dame on Le Figaro
  5. La Marseillaise jouée à l’orgue de Notre-Dame de Paris
  6. Du désordre ? Non, des orgues
  7. Olivier LATRY on the site of the Conservatoire de Paris
  8. Artist listing at Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc.
  9. Olivier Latry // JS. Bach, “Bach to the future”
  10. Notre-Dame de Paris : Olivier Latry, un appétit d’orgue Le Parisien
  11. Réjean Beaucage, Olivier Latry: Playing the King of Instruments, La Scena Musicale - Vol. 8, No.10 July 2003, accessed at Olivier Latry: Playing the King of Instruments 6 November 2020
  12. Olivier Latry : « C’est un miracle que l’orgue de Notre-Dame ait échappé aux flammes » on Le Monde
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