View source for Vingt-quatre Pièces en style libre

by [[Louis Vierne]]

==List of Pieces==
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" | No.
! scope="col" | Title
|-
|1|| [[Préambule]]
|-
|2|| [[Cortège]]
|-
|3|| [[Complainte]]
|-
|4|| [[Epitaphe]]
|-
|5|| [[Prélude]]
|-
|6|| [[Canon]]
|-
|7|| [[Méditation]]
|-
|8|| [[Idylle mélancolique]]
|-
|9|| [[Madrigal]]
|-
|10|| [[Rêverie]]
|-
|11|| [[Divertissement]]
|-
|12|| [[Canzona]]
|-
|13|| [[Lègende]]
|-
|14|| [[Scherzetto]]
|-
|15|| [[Arabesque]]
|-
|16|| [[Choral]]
|-
|17|| [[Lied]]
|-
|18|| [[Marche funèbre]]
|-
|19|| [[Berceuse]]
|-
|20|| [[Pastorale]]
|-
|21|| [[Carillon]]
|-
|22|| [[Élégie]]
|-
|23|| [[Epithalame]]
|-
|24|| [[Postlude]]
|}

==Background and General Perspectives==

Norbert Dufourcq considered the ''Vingt-quatre piѐces en style libre'' to be "perhaps Vierne's most beautiful works."<ref>Rollin Smith, Louis Vierne: Organist of Notre Dame Cathedral, 532. The Complete Organ No. 3. Hillsdale, New York: Pendragon Press, 1999.</ref>  They were influenced by Franck's ''L'Organiste'' and Bach's ''Well-Tempered Clavier'' and consist of one work for each of the major and minor keys.  They are published in two books that contain 12 pieces each, for harmonium or organ.  They are generally of medium difficulty and are useful for illustrating principles of manual and pedal technique, as well as learning about French registration practices.  These suites are a good introduction to the style of Vierne.<ref>John Longhurst, ''A Pedagogical Study of the Piѐces de Fantaisie and Vingt-quatre piѐces en style libre'', [https://urresearch.rochester.edu/filterSearchRepositoryItems.action;jsessionid=A2313EBFC83063DDBBF4B7E2D1474F80?rowStart=0&startPageNumber=1&currentPageNumber=1&mostRecentFacetName=contributor_names&mostRecentFacetValue=John+Longhurst&mostRecentFacetDisplayName=Author&facets=language%7Ccollection_name%7Ckeywords%7Ckeywords&facetValues=English%7CESM+Theses+%26amp%3B+Dissertations%7Cvierne%2C+louis%2C+1870-1937.+pie%CC%80ces+de+fantaisie.%7Cvierne%2C+louis%2C+1870-1937.+pie%CC%80ces+en+style+libre.&facetDisplayNames=Language%7CCollection%7CSubject%7CSubject&query=organ  John Longhurst], accessed February 2014.</ref>

Although some of the pieces have harmonium registration indicated, it is generally thought that Vierne intended the pieces to be for organ.  Many of the works take no regard for the break in the divided keyboard.  In addition, it is known that Vierne disliked the harmonium.  He described it as being a "'big nasal accordion' and a 'pitiful caricature of the pipe organ.'"<ref>Rollin Smith, Louis Vierne: Organist of Notre Dame Cathedral, 536-37. The Complete Organ No. 3. Hillsdale, New York: Pendragon Press, 1999.</ref>

According to Vierne, the registrations and tempos indicated are suggestions.  The performer should take into account the instrument to be performed on and use discretion and good taste when considering factors regarding registration and tempo.  

Chromaticism: Vierne usually does not have an ascending or descending chromatic line in the highest voice, but it can often be found in the other voices.  It is not uncommon to have a chromatic scale of an octave or more in a harmonizing voice.  Sometimes a second voice takes up a chromatic line after a different voice began it (as in ''Vingt-quatre piѐces en style libre,'' Volume II, p. 3, mm. 2-6).

The term ""Free style" denotes a freedom of expression, on the order of Mendelssohn's ''Songs Without Words'' or Chopin's ''Preludes,'' rather than a more formal fugal or sonata form.  In improvisation, the French distinguish between themes to be used as fugue subjects and free themes to be developed in any way the performer wishes, either formally or as a free fantasy."<ref>Rollin Smith, ''Louis Vierne: Organist of Notre Dame Cathedral,'' 531. The Complete Organ No. 3. Hillsdale, New York: Pendragon Press, 1999.</ref>


The most technically demanding of the 24 piѐces are: 
  No. 11 - ''Divertissement,'' 
  No. 14 - ''Scherzetto.''

Less demanding: 
  No. 24 - ''Postlude,'' 
  No. 21 - ''Carillon,'' 
  No. 23 - ''Epithalame''

The easier piѐces are: 
  No. 10 - ''Reverie''
  No. 15 - ''Arabesque''
  No. 13 - ''Legende''
  No. 19 - ''Berceuse''

Piѐces that exemplify Vierne's chromatic style:
  No. 22 - ''Elegie''
  No. 23 - ''Epithalame''

The naivete (non-chromatic) piѐces are:
  No. 5 - ''Prelude''
  No. 9 - ''Madrigal''
  No. 17 - ''Lied''

Piѐces with freshness and spontaneity of familiar improvisations are:
  No. 1 - ''Preambule''
  No. 9 - ''Madrigal''
  No. 11 - ''Divertissement''
  No. 18 - ''March funebre''
  No. 24 - ''Postlude''
  No. 20 - ''Pastorale''

Vierne taught the piѐces in the following order (note that the technically easier ones are not always easier to interpret):
  No. 10 - ''Reverie''
  No. 3 - ''Complainte''
  No. 7 - ''Meditation''
  No. 4 - ''Epitaphe''
  No. 1 - ''Preambule''
  No. 8 - ''Idylle Melancolique''
  No. 2 - ''Cortege''
  No. 9 - ''Madrigal''
  No. 12 - ''Canzona''
  No. 5 - ''Prelude''
  No. 6 - ''Canon''
  No. 17 - ''Lied''
  No. 15 - ''Arabesque''
  No. 19 - ''Berceuse''
  No. 20 - ''Pastorale''
  No. 13 - ''Legende''
  No. 21 - ''Carillon''
  No. 14 - ''Scherzetto''
  No. 16 - ''Choral''
  No. 18 - ''Marche funebre''
  No. 23 - ''Epithalame''
  No. 22 - ''Elegie''
  No. 24 - ''Postlude''
  No. 11 - ''Divertissement''

==Scores and Editions==

Durand, Masters Music Publications

''See the footnote in the "Notes" section at the bottom of the page'' <ref>This footnote was entered in the "Scores and Editions" article.</ref>

==Recordings==

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===Free Online===
[http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=vierne+24+pieces  Groove Shark Recordings]
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==Other Resources==

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==Notes==

<references/>

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