Durand, Marie-Auguste
Durand, Marie-Auguste
Durand, Marie-Auguste, French organist and music publisher; b. Paris, July 18, 1830; d. there, May 31, 1909. He studied organ with Benoist, and in 1849 was organist at St. Ambroise; then at Ste.- Genevieve, St.-Roch, and (1862–74) St. Vincent de Paul. He also occupied himself with music criticism and composition (his Chaconne and Valse for piano were especially popular). In 1870 he entered into partnership with Schonewerk (acquiring Flaxland’s music publishing business), the firm then being known as Durand & Schonewerk. When his son, Jacques (b. Paris, Feb. 22, 1865; d. Bel-Ebat, Aug. 22,1928), replaced Schonewerk in 1891, the title became Durand & Fils. The house is now known as Durand & Cie., and has made a specialty of publishing works of the outstanding French composers. It also brought out French eds. of Wagner, as well as several eds. of early masters, including a complete critical ed. of Rameau. Jacques Durand publ. Cours professionel a I’usage des employes du commerce de musique (two vols., 1923), Quelques souvenirs d’un editeur de musique (two vols., 1924–25), and Lettres de Cl Debussy a son editeur (Paris, 1927).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire