# Joseph Bonnet

Joseph Élie Georges-Marie Bonnet (17 March 1884 – 2 August 1944) was a French composer and organist.

## Biography

One of the major French pipe organists, Joseph Bonnet was born in Bordeaux. He first studied with his father, an organist at St. Eulalie. At the age of 14, he became official organist, first at St. Nicholas and almost immediately at St. Michael. Bonnet also attended classes with Alexandre Guilmant at the Conservatoire de Paris. A few years later he finished with a first prize and, in 1906 was selected to become the organist at St. Eustache, Paris. In 1911 he had the privilege of succeeding Guilmant as concert organist at the conservatoire. He was actively teaching at this time and one of his notable students from his earlier years was Canadian organist Henri Gagnon.
On 28 January 1917 he moved to the United States, where he gave more than 100 concerts around the country until 1919. He was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity in June 1917. Bonnet founded the organ department of the Eastman School of Music in 1921. He composed a large number of organ pieces and compiled the six-volume Historical Organ Recitals.
A few years later, Bonnet returned to Paris, where Denise Restout attended one of his master classes in 1933. Four years later, he took Louis Vierne's position as organ teacher and specialist at L’École César-Franck.
In 1940, due to the outbreak of World War II, he was forced to leave France and returned to North America. He was organist at the Worcester Art Museum 1942–1943 and was appointed professor at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal in 1943. In Paris Bonnet had taught a student from Québec named Conrad Bernier who studied with him 1923–1926, who eventually became one of the premier advocates of French organ music in the United States as both professor of organ and head of the Organ Department at Catholic University of America.
Bonnet died on 2 August 1944, while vacationing in St. Luce-sur-Mer, near Rimouski, Quebec. He is buried at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, near Magog (Québec).

## Opus list

| Opus | Title | Publication date | Scoring | Notes |
| 1 | Variations de concert | 1908 | Organ | à M. Clarence Eddy |
| 2 | Ave Maria | 1908 | 4-part mixed chorus and organ | à mon ami Maurice Emmanuel, maître de chapelle à Sainte-Clotilde |
| 3 | Poèmes d’automne Lied des chrysanthèmesMatin provençalPoème du soir | 1908 | Organ | à mon cher maître Alexandre Guilmantà M. William C. Carlà M. & Mme Charles Tournemire |
| 4 | Unknown | | | |
| 5 | Douze pièces pour grand-orgue, Vol. 1 PréludeLamentoToccataNocturneAve Maris StellaRêverieIntermezzoFantaisie sur deux NoëlsÉpithalameLégende symphoniqueCanzonaRhapsodie catalane | 1909 | Organ | à M. Alfred Sittardà la mémoire vénérée de Mme Alex. Guilmantà M. Enrico Bossià M. Paul Combesà mes chers parentsà M. Jean Huréà M. Edwin A. Kraftà M. R. Meyrick-Robertsà M. et Mme Hubert Broussaultà M. Karl Straubeà M. Albert Schweitzerà M. Charles Galloway |
| 6 | Agnus Dei2ème Ave Maria(No title) | 1910 | Three voices, baritone solo, and organVoice and organFour voices and organ or harmonium | à M. l’abbé Lassier, curé de Saint-Eustacheà Melle Germaine Bonnetà M. l'Abbé Pottier, curé de Notre-Dame de Lourdes à Paris |
| 7 | Douze pièces nouvelles pour grand-orgue, Vol. 2 DédicaceÉtude de concertClair de luneStella MatutinaSonge d’enfantChant du printempsPrélude au Salve ReginaRomance sans parolesPastoraleDeuxième légendeElfesCaprice héroique | 1910 | Organ | à Mme Douglas Fitchà M. L. Vilainà Mme la Baronne de Froment de Vassalà M. Max Schlochowà M. l’abbé Callierà M. Karl Heyseà Mme la Princesse Edmond de Polignacà M. Breitenbachà M. Otto Barblanà M. Paul Fournierà M. Ludwig Schmidthauerau Docteur J. Kendrick Pyne |
| 8 | Pater NosterPie Jesu | Unknown | Tenor solo and organSolo voice and organ | à la Schola de Saint-Pierre d’Avensan (Medoc)à la mémoire de mon vénéré maître Alex. Guilmant |
| 9 | Unknown | | | |
| 10 | Douze pièces pour grand-orgue, Vol. 3 In Memoriam TitanicArielMéditationMoment musicalConsolationBerceuseMagnificatChaconnePaysageAngelus du soirInterludesPisen Ceskeho Naroda poème tchèque | 1913 | Organ | to the memory of the Titanic’s heroesto Mr. H. Matthias Turtonto Mr. W. Ray Burroughsà Melle M. Sulzbachau Comte Bérenger de Miramonau Marquis Melchior de Polignacà M. et Mme Douglas Fitchto Professor Samuel A. Baldwinto Mr. Reginald Waddyto Mr. Joseph C. Beebeà la Comtesse et au Comte Amédée de Vallombrosaà la Ville de Prague |
| No opus | Chant triste | 1925 | | à la mémoire de Joachim Gasquet |

## Sources

* William Self, For Mine Eyes Have Seen (Worcester, Massachusetts: Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, 1990)
* Norbert Durourcq, La musique d'orgue française, 1949