Renaud de Vilbac

Renaud de Vilbac was a prolific French organist and composer.

Biography

Vilbac entered the Conservatoire de Paris at age 13 to study the pipe organ with François Benoist and composition with Fromental Halévy. Two years later, in 1844, he won the second "Prix de Rome" with his cantata Le Renégat de Tanger on a text by Claude-Emmanuel de Pastoret.
Returning to Paris after his stay at the Villa Medici in Rome, Vilbac became the holder of the great organ Merklin-Schütz of the église Saint-Eugène-Sainte-Cécile in 1855.

Works

Lyrical works

1857: Au clair de lune, operetta on a libretto by Antoine de Léris, at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens.
1858: Don Almanzor, opéra bouffe on a libretto by Eugène Labat and Louis Ulbach, at the Théâtre Lyrique.

Music for piano

Menuet Louis XV, Op. 31Ophélia, nocturnePetite fantaisie sur la mélodie de TissotLili-PolkaPetite poupée chérie, waltzCaresses enfantines, mazurkaEcho du désert, rêverie arabeSonnez clairons, military marchCaprice StyrienFior di speranza, romance sans parolesÉcole complète et progressive du piano, in 7 volumes Les Arabesques, Op. 32 La Neige, mazurka russe Échos de l'enfance, 12 esquisses musicales 1re Polonaise Deuxième styrienne Fantaisie sur I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Bellini Fantaisie sur Norma by Bellini Potpourri sur Coppélia, for piano 4 hands Beautés de Coppélia, 2 suites for piano 4 hands Bouquet de mélodies sur La Mascotte, opéra comique by Edmond Audran, 2 suites for piano 4 hands

Music for organ and harmonium

Perles de l'harmonium, 80 Transcriptions of classical pieces L'Orgue moderne, twelve pieces applicable to harmoniums, small and large organs, in 2 series L’Organiste Catholique, in 3 vols.

*Vol. 1: 12 Offertoires, 12 Élévations ou Communions et 12 Sorties
*Vol. 2: Antiennes, Versets, Marches, Processions, Préludes
*Vol. 3: 12 Offertoires originaux pour les principales fêtes de l'année