The Baroque Offertoire: Apotheosis of the French Organ Art

Abstract

During the French Baroque period, the function of the organ was primarily to serve the liturgy. It was an integral part of both Mass and the office of Vespers. Throughout these liturgies the organ functioned in alteration with vocal music, including Gregorian chant, choral repertoire, and fauxbourdon. The longest, most glorious organ music occurred at the time of the offertory of the Mass. The Offertoire was the place where French composers could develop musical ideas over a longer stretch of time and use the full resources of the French Classic Grand jeu, the most colorful registration on the French Baroque organ. This document will survey Offertoire movements by French Baroque composers. I will begin with an introductory discussion of the role of the offertory in the Mass and the alternatim plan in use during the French Baroque era. Following this I will look at the tonal resources of the French organ as they are incorporated into French Offertoire movements. Finally, I will do a comparative analysis of the stylistic characteristics of extant French Offertoires. I will attempt to place these selected Offertoires in the context of the overall stylistic development of the French classic Offertoire. I will focus on Offertoire movements by the following composers: Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers, Nicolas Lebègue, André Raison, François Couperin, Nicolas de Grigny, and Gaspard Corrette.