Henri Constant Gabriel Pierne

Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné , 1863-1937, French organist, conductor, and composer; pupil of Massenet and César Franck. His cantata Edith won the Prix de Rome in 1882. He succeeded Franck as organist at Ste Clotilde, 1890-98, and was chief conductor (1910-32) of the Colonne Concerts. He was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1924. His most popular works are the oratorio La Croisade des Enfants (1905) and the piano piece Marche des petits soldats de plomb. He also wrote eight operas, instrumental and orchestral music, and songs.

Pierné, (Henri Constant) Gabriel (b Metz, 1863; d Ploujean, Finistère, 1937). Fr. composer, organist, and conductor. Succeeded Franck as org., Ste-Clotilde, 1890–8. Ass. cond., Concerts Colonne 1903, becoming prin. cond. 1910–34. Works incl. ballet Cydalise et le Chèvre-pied (Cydalise and the Satyr), 1923, from which comes the ‘Entry of the Little Fauns’; oratorios La Croisade des Enfants (The Children's Crusade), 1902, and Les enfants à Bethléem, 1907; pf. conc., incidental and chamber mus.