From Quatre Motets Sur Des Themes Gregoriens-Duruflé grew up in Louviers in the northern French region of Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy) where as a boy he was a chorister and studied piano. At the age of 17 he moved to Paris to study organ with Charles Tournemire. A year later Duruflé wasadmitted to the Paris Conservatoire where he studied organ piano and composition and was awarded five first prizes in various subjects. Upon graduation Duruflé became musical assistant to Louis Vierne at Notre Dame but soon after this wasappointed organist at Saint Étienne-du-Mont in Paris where he would remain for the rest of his life. In 1943 he was appointed professor of harmony at the Conservatoire a position he maintained for 27 years. From 1926 until 1977 Duruflé published 14compositions including the Requiem Op. 9 (1947). Duruflé traveled extensively as a concert organist and was active as a recording artist. Later in life he and his second wife often performed as an organ duo. The composer suffered severe injuriesin an automobile accident in 1975 which left him nearly bed-ridden for the final decade of his life.Composed in 1960 Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens Op. 10 (Four Motets on Gregorian Themes) were dedicated to Auguste le Guennant director of the Gregorian Institute in Paris. Each of the four motets begins with an incipit of Gregorianchant which serves as melodic inspiration for the composition that follows. The four motets are (in order): ?Ubi caritas ? ?Tota pulchra es ? ?Tu es Petrus ? and ?Tantum ergo.? ?Ubi caritas? is an early Christian antiphon traditionally used in the Maundy Thursday service during the washing of the feet an act of Jesus from the Last Supper. The antiphon has become closely associated with the Eucharist and is sometimes alsoused at weddings. Duruflé sets only the first of the four stanzas of the text.

All the uplifting waltz music from the classical chart topping album arranged for Piano solo, including The Blue Danube . With Forever Vienna , the Johann Strauss Orchestra has broken records to become the best selling orchestral album ever, topping the classical album charts from the time of its release for over three months. The album has also transcended its traditional market, reaching the number 2 spot on the pop charts. Much of this success is down to conductor André Rieu who has injected fun back into the waltz by not so much conducting as leading the orchestra with his Violin and a mixture of wit, humour and spontaneity rarely seen in the classical world. / Piano

Faure wrote Pelleas et Melisande in 1898 originally as incidental music to Maurice Maeterlinck's like-named play. After the premiere and subsequent performances, he set about reworking the musical material into an orchestral suite. The premiere of the originally three-movement suite took place in February 1901 under the baton of Camille Chevillard. In December 1912, the four-movement version of Pelleas et Melisande was finally premiered. The additional movement, the Sicilienne, was taken from the third interlude of the incidental music. This delightful piece would later become one of Faure's most popular compositions and now exists in countless arrangements. / Orchestre