page_title: Théodore Salomé
section_title: Biography
hierarchical_section_title: Théodore Salomé / Biography
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Carte postale ancienne éditée par CM, N°232Paris&#160;: L'église de la Trinité et vue générale vers MontmartreOn distingue au milieu de la photo le terminus du Tramway Enghien - Trinité
context_page_description: Théodore-César Salomé was a French organist and composer.
context_section_description: Théodore Salomé was born in Paris.  He completed all of his musical studies at the Conservatoire de Paris, under the tutelage of François Bazin for harmony and accompaniment, and François Benoist for organ. He won several honorable awards, including: second prize in harmony (1855), second prize in organ and in harmony (1856), second and third prize in harmony and organ (1857), and second prize in harmony (1859). His cantata Atala was awarded the premier Second Grand Prix of the Prix de Rome in 1861. In the same year Théodore Dubois was awarded the first grand prize, and Eugène Anthiome and Titus Constantin won the deuxième Second Grand Prix.
  In 1863, the architect Théodore Ballu began the construction of the Église de la Sainte-Trinité in Paris. (He had already built the Basilique Sainte-Clotilde in 1861 and would construct the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) of Paris some ten years later). Situated in the 9th arrondissement of Paris on Estienne-d'Orves Square, Sainte-Trinité was blessed in November 1867. It was not consecrated, however, until 1913, the eve of World War I. The reason for this forty-six year gap is unknown. La Trinité, although rather austere, was in that period one of the most important churches in Paris. Among the parishioners of this affluent congregation were Charles Gounod and Georges Bizet, who were both quite fond of Salomé. Gounod sent several students to Salomé for organ lessons, including his dear friend, Paul Poirson. Jules Massenet, Ambroise Thomas and François Bazin also sent composition students to him.
  Aristide Cavaillé-Coll installed in this new church a grand organ of 46 ranks across three manuals and pedal, which was inaugurated March 16, 1869 by Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck, and Charles-Marie Widor. At the same time, Cavaillé-Coll also built a choir organ of 12 ranks over two manuals and pedal. Théodore Salomé, who had already occupied the post of choir organist for several years on a temporary organ, continued his services in this position until his death in 1895. Claude Terrasse, better known for his operettas (Monsieur de la Palisse, Le mariage de Télémaque, and Cartouche) rather than for his activities as a liturgical organist, succeeded him, a peculiar choice. Upon the completion of the new Cavaillé-Coll grand organ, Charles-Alexis Chauvet was awarded the post of organiste titulaire, which he held for only three years. And, upon Chauvet's untimely death in 1871, his post of was awarded to Alexandre Guilmant. Replacing Guilmant at the grand organ during the latter's concert tours in the United States. Guilmant and Salomé became great friends, dedicating numerous compositions to each other. Théodore Salomé played for masses and religious services with great talent and knowledge. His religious compositions were often sung by the choir of Sainte-Trinité, which was composed of some 20 children and 10 professional singers, under the capable direction of their choirmaster, Emile Bouichere. It was there, that on the 5th of June 1875, that Salomé presided at the organ for the funeral mass of Georges Bizet, in the presence of 4000 people. For a prélude, Salomé improvised on themes from Bizet's opera Les pêcheurs de perles ("The Pearl Fishers") then during the absolution improvised on themes from Carmen.
  Saint-Saëns highly recommended Salomé for the post as organiste titulare at La Trinité upon the death of Alexis Chauvet. In a letter to the pastor, Saint-Saëns writes: 
  "Permit me to recommend to you a young organist whom I am interested in your extending the warmest welcome. I had chosen him to replace me at the grand organ of the Madeleine, and I can add that he has fulfilled this task in the most brilliant fashion. I have only heard compliments. Your grand organ is destined for M. Salomé – and you couldn't make a better choice."
  Gounod wrote a letter to the pastor some four weeks later (a bit too late) after Guilmant was to be hired: 
  "I have learned in London at this very moment from one of my friends, the death of the poor organist Chauvet, [titulare] of the grand organ of our parish. It
caption: View of Église de la Sainte-Trinité towards Montmartre.
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