Paul Wachs

Paul Étienne Victor Wachs (19 September 1851 – 6 July 1915) was a French composer, organist and pianist.^[1] He is most remembered for his salon compositions for piano.

Biography

Born in Paris, Wachs was the son of the French composer Frédéric Wachs (1825–1899).^[2] He was a student at the Conservatoire de Paris, where his teachers included François Benoist and César Franck for organ and Victor Massé and Antoine François Marmontel for composition.^[2][3]

After his studies, he became the second organist at the Church of Saint-Sulpice.^[2] In 1874, he left this position to be the choirmaster at the Church of Saint-Merri.^[2] This position had previously been held by Camille Saint-Saëns.^[3] He held this position until 1896.^[2] In 1908, Wachs bought a large property in Saint-Mandé, which he named Les Myrtles after one of his compositions.^[2] He lived there with his family until his death at age 63.^[2]

Among his works for piano, the most famous is Promenade à Âne.

List of compositions

Alphabetical list based on IMSLP.

• Angélus
• Au matin
• Baliverne
• Les Blés sont mûrs
• Boléro
• Brin de paille
• Capricante
• Carillonnettes
• Chanson du rouet
• Cœur léger
• Deux Pièces pour orgue
• Dormez, Ninon!
• Douce gaîté
• Doux aveu
• Hosanna
• Le Joyeux rémouleur
• Le Kangourou
• Madrileña
• Marche triomphale
• Les Myrtes
• Le Pas des bouquetières
• Rose et papillon
• Te Deum
• Une Noce au village
• Valse interrompue
• Valse parisienne