Preceded by Mederic Corneille Died 1755 Profession Organist | Succeeded by Armand-Louis Couperin Citizenship French | |
Name Guillaume-Antoine Calviere | ||
Guillaume-Antoine Calviere (c. 1695-1755) was a virtuoso French musician who was for many years organist of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris.
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Early years
Guillaume-Antoine Calviere was born in Paris around 1695, the son of Rodolphe Calviere and Jeanne Boundin. He was a pupil of Philippe Isore de La Fontaine, who spent his whole career until his death in 1733 as organist of Saint-Denis. Calviere was gifted and precocious, and made his first public performance at the age of eleven. Calviere's younger sister Cecile Louise Calviere, born in 1703, was also an organist.
Celebrity
Calviere became organist of Saint-Germain-des-Pres in 1722, and in 1730 succeeded Maderic Corneille as organist at Notre Dame. He became a national celebrity, and the Mercure published verses in his praise. He held the prestigious posts of organist of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1730 until his death 1755, and of the Royal Chapel from 1738. Calviere was appointed organist of Sainte-Chapelle in succession to Pierre Fevrier, holding this position from 1739 until his death. He was also organist at Sainte-Marguerite. For six months in 1754 he trained Jean-Baptiste Notre, who then became organist of the Toul Cathedral for more than half a century.
Work
Calviere was an admirer of Francois Couperin. His work included motets and pieces for organ. His Te Deum mimicked the sounds of wind and thunder. But apart from a short piece preserved in the library of the Brussels Conservatory, almost nothing has survived. After his death his widow gave his manuscripts to Louis-Claude Daquin for editing and publication. Daquin, his friend, colleague and also rival, neglected to do so. In fairness, Daquin failed to publish many of his own works.