Yves Castagnet

Yves Castagnet, born in Paris on May 10, 1964, is a French organist and composer. Since 1988, he has been the organist of the choir organ at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Biography Yves Castagnet began his musical studies at the age of five, learning piano and then organ at the age of nine with Éliane Lejeune-Bonnier. He continued his studies at the Conservatoire de Paris, in the organ classes (with Rolande Falcinelli and then Michel Chapuis), harmony, counterpoint, fugue, orchestration, and improvisation. He won several first prizes there, including a first prize in organ in 1985. In 1988, he won the “Grand-Prix de Chartres” for Interpretation at the Chartres International Organ Competition, and started perform solo regularly in France, UK, USA, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary and Czech Republic. These psalms were recorded for the first time in July 2011 at the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption church at Saint-Dizier by the Saint-Christophe de Javel Choir School under the direction of Henri Chalet, on the "Duruflé - Requiem" CD released by Studio SM.

In 2002, Yves Castagnet composed a Mass "Salve Regina" for choir, soloists and two organs, based on themes from the solemn tone of the Salve Regina. He completed it in 2007 and performed for the first time in its entirety on October 9, 2007 for the opening of the 2007/2008 Sacred Music season at Notre-Dame. Then he recorded it in 2008 by the Hortus label with the Notre-Dame Choir School, Olivier Latry on the grand organ, and Yves Castagnet himself on the choir organ, a recording that was unanimously praised by critics. Although initially conceived for the cathedral's acoustics, this Mass was performed at the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris in May 2012.

From August 24 to September 5, 2010, Castagnet served on the jury of the Grand Prix de Chartres, along with Vincent Dubois and several international organists, under the chairmanship of Louis Robilliard.

Between 2010 and 2013, the seven volumes of the Hours of Our Lady were published, one for each liturgical season and feast day of the saints. These volumes compile all the notated Vespers services sung each evening in the cathedral and broadcast live on the KTO television channel. They contain chants drawn from the cathedral's centuries-old musical heritage and more recent works by Yves Castagnet, who composed a large portion of the antiphons and psalm tones, as well as some hymns and the Lucernarium.

In 2024, the official recording of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral was dedicated exclusively to the works of Yves Castagnet: Three Psalms and the Magnificat, composed a year after the Notre-Dame fire. On September 30, 2025, the world premiere of the Magnificat took place at Notre-Dame, performed by the Cathedral Choir under the direction of Henri Chalet, with the composer at the grand organ.

Compositions

Choir and Organ

Short Mass for mixed choir and organ (written 1990–1991. Lyon: Symétrie, 2020) Salve Regina Mass for mixed choir, soloists, and two organs (written 2002–2007. Lyon: Symétrie, 2015). Three Psalms for choir and organ (written 1996–2011. Lyon: Symétrie, 2015): Psalm 26 Psalm 18 Psalm 115 Veni Sancte Spiritus for mixed choir and organ (written 2013. Lyon: Symétrie, 2020). Magnificat for mixed choir, soloists, and organ (written 2020; unpublished).

Various Works

O Salutaris for mixed choir a cappella (written 1995. Lyon: Symétrie, 2014). L’Invitation au voyage for mixed choir and piano, after a poem by Charles Baudelaire (written 2006. Lyon: Symétrie, 2021). Poem on an imaginary chorale for two organs (written 2014; unpublished).

Editor

Gabriel Fauré: Requiem, op. 48, adapted for mixed choir, soloists and organ (Stuttgart: Carus, 2023).