Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers

The two most important works from this MA recipient from Paris University in 1661 are "Livers d'orgue" and "Traite de la composition." The former work established the foundations of the French organ school during late seventeenth century and the latter addressed theoretical concerns dealing with intervals, cadences, modes, part-writing and fugues. In "Livers d'orgue" Nivers combined elements of the Catholic liturgy with current trends inn French music and past traditions. Many of the pieces were arranged as suites with preludes, fugues, cantus firmi, duos, recitatives, dialogues, et cetera, employed as individual structures. Nivers also composed sacred vocal music in conventional terms, edited of Gregorian chants, composed motets for one and two treble voices and continuo, wrote two books on Gregorian chant and a discourse on continuo playing. During the time he served as an organist of St. Sulpice from about 1650 until his death, Nivers also served as an organist for the royal chapel in 1678, was the master of music to the queen in 1681, and played harpsichord for productions of Racine's "Esther" and "Athalie." ~ Keith Johnson