List of compositions by Jean Guillou

Last updated October 02, 2025

Jean Guillou was a French composer, organist, pianist, and pedagogue. Titular Organist at Saint Eustache from 1963 to 2015, he was known world wide as a composer of instrumental and vocal music focused on the organ, improviser, and adviser to organ builders. For several decades, he held regular master classes in Zurich and in Paris.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Organ solo

Fantaisie, op. 1 (1952. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
18 Variations, op. 3 (1956. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Sinfonietta, op. 4 (1958/revised in 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Ballade Ossianique No. 1 ("Temora"), op. 8 (1962/1967 published by Leduc, Paris, as "Pour le tombeau de Colbert"/revised in 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Toccata, op. 9 (1962/revised in 2004. Mainz: Schott, 2004)
6 Sagas, op. 20 (1970. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Ballade Ossianique No. 2 ("Les Chants de Selma"), op. 23 (1971/published in 1971 by Leduc, Paris, as "Allen"/revised in 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
La Chapelle des Abîmes, op. 26 (1973. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Scènes d'enfants, op. 28 (1974. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Jeux d'Orgue, op. 34 (1978. Vienna: Universal Edition, 1984)
Suite pour Rameau, op. 36 (1979. Boston, MA: Wayne Leupold Editions, 1994)
Saga No. 7, op. 38 (1983. Vienna: Universal Edition, 1984)
Sonate en trio No. 1, op. 40 (1984. Paris: Durand, 1985)
Chamades!, op. 41 (1984. USA: H. T. FitzSimons, 1984)
Impromptu, for pedal solo op. 42 (1985. Vienna: Universal Edition, 1988)
Hypérion ou la Rhétorique du Feu, op. 45 (1988. Boston, MA: Wayne Leupold Editions, 1996)
Säya ou l'Oiseau Bleu, op. 50 (1993. Mainz: Schott, 2004)
Éloge, op. 52 (1994. Boston, MA: Wayne Leupold Editions, 1995)
Alice au pays de l'orgue for organ and narrator, op. 53 (1995. Mainz: Schott, 1998)
Pensieri pour Jean Langlais, op. 54 (1995. USA: H. T. FitzSimons, 1996)
Instants, op. 57 (1998. Mainz: Schott, 2015)
Pièces furtives, op. 58 (1998. Mainz: Schott, 2000)
Hymnus, op. 72 (in memoriam P. Japp Reuten) (2008. Mainz: Schott, 2009)
Regard, op. 77 (2011. Mainz: Schott, 2013)
Enfantines, op. 81 (2013. Mainz: Schott, 2015)
Sonate en trio No. 2, op. 82 (2013. Mainz: Schott, 2014)
Sonate en trio No. 3, op. 83 (2013. Mainz: Schott, 2014)
Macbeth – Le lai de l'Ombre, op. 84 (2009. Mainz: Schott, 2016)
Psyché, op. 87 (1978-2015. Unpublished.)
Périple, op. 87 (2016. Unpublished.)
Pensieri pour Claude Bernard, without Opus (Unpublished.)

Organ with other instruments

Colloque No. 2 for Organ and Piano, op. 11 (1956-1964/revised in 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Colloque No. 4 for organ, piano and two percussionists, op. 15 (1966/revised in 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2006)
Intermezzo for Flute and Organ, op. 17 (1969. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
Symphonie Initiatique, op. 18:
- Version for three organs (1969. Unpublished.)
- Version for two organs (1990. Unpublished.)
- Version for organ with two players (2009. Mainz: Schott, 2016)
Colloque No. 5 for Organ and Piano, op. 19 (1969/revised in 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Sonate for Trumpet or Violin and Organ, op. 25 (1972. Unpublished.)
Concerto for Violin and Organ, op. 37 (1982. Unpublished.)
Colloque No. 6 for Organ and two Percussionists, op. 47 (1989. Unpublished.)
Fantaisie concertante for Violoncello and Organ, op. 49 (1991. Mainz: Schott, 2009)
Fête for Clarinet and Organ, op. 55 (1995. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
Écho for Flute, Clarinet, String quintet, Choir, Piano and Organ, op. 60 (1999. Mainz: Schott)
L’Ébauche d’un souffle (Concerto for Trumpet and Organ), op. 64 (1985. Mainz: Schott, 2016)
Colloque No. 7 (Concerto for Piano and Organ), op. 66 (1998. Mainz: Schott, 2011)
Colloque No. 8 for Marimba and Organ, op. 67 (2002. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
La Révolte des Orgues for eight portative organs, great organ, and percussion, op. 69 (2005. Mainz: Schott, 2007)
Colloque No. 9 for organ and pan flute, op. 71 (2008. Mainz: Schott, 2009)
Répliques for Great Organ and Positive Organ, op. 75 (2009, Mainz: Schott, 2011)
Colloque No. 10 for solo trumpet, seven trumpets, organ and percussion, op. 86 (2016, Mainz: Schott, 2017)

Organ and Orchestra

Inventions (Organ concerto No. 1) for Organ and chamber orchestra, op. 7 (1960. Paris: Leduc, 1970)
Concerto héroïque ( Organ concerto No. 2) for Organ and orchestra, op. 10 (1963/revised in 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Organ Concerto No. 3 for Organ and string orchestra, op. 14 (1965. Paris: Leduc, 1972)
Organ Concerto No. 4 for Organ and orchestra, op. 31 (1978. Unpublished.)
Organ Concerto No. 5 ("Le Roi Arthur") for Organ and Brass quintet, op. 35 (1979/revised in 2010. Mainz: Schott, 2012)
Concerto 2000 for Organ and large orchestra, op. 62, (2000. Mainz: Schott)
Organ Concerto No. 6 for Organ and large orchestra, op. 68 (2002. Mainz: Schott)
Organ Concerto No. 7 for Organ and orchestra, op. 70 (2006. Mainz: Schott, 2007)

Orchestra

Triptyque for string orchestra, without opus (Paris: Leduc, 1965)
Le Jugement Dernier: Oratorio for choir, soloists, organ and orchestra (1965. Paris: Leduc, 1966)
Piano Concerto No. 1 for Piano and orchestra, op. 16 (1969. Paris: Leduc)
Judith-Symphonie for Mezzo-soprano and orchestra (Symphonie No. 1), op. 21 (1970. Mainz: Schott)
Symphony No. 2 for string orchestra, op. 27 (1974. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Symphony No. 3 ("La Foule") for large orchestra and two guitars, op. 30 (1977. Unpublished.)
Concerto grosso for Orchestra, op. 32 (1978/revised in 2008. Mainz: Schott)
Piano Concerto No. 2 for Piano and orchestra, op. 44 (1986. Mainz: Schott)
Trombone Concerto for Trombone solo, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 3 tubas and two percussionists, op. 48 (1990. Mainz: Schott)
Fantaisie concertante for Violoncello and Orchestra, op. 49 (1991/revised in 2015. Mainz: Schott, 2016)
Fête for Clarinet and orchestra, op. 55 (1995. Mainz: Schott)

Chamber music

Sonata Barocca for piano, oboe and flute, without opus (1944. Unpublished.)
Colloque No. 1 for Flute, oboe, violin and piano, op. 2 (1956. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Cantilia for Piano, Harp, Timpani and 4 Celli, op. 6 (1960. Paris, Leduc, 1968)
Colloque No. 3 for Oboe, Harp, Celesta, Percussion, 4 Celli and 2 double Basses, op. 12 (1964. Paris: Leduc, 1968)
Quatuor for Oboe and string quartet, op. 22 (1971. Schott 2016)
Cantiliana for Flute (or violin) and piano, op. 24 (1972. Mainz: Schott 2014)
Poème de la Main for Lyric soprano and piano, op. 29 (1975. Mainz: Schott, 2016)
Trio for 3 Violoncelli (excerpt from Diderot à corps perdu), op. 59 (1999. Unpublished.)
Co-incidence for Violin solo, op. 63 (2001. Mainz: Schott, 2010)
Epitases, op. 65:
- Version for pedal piano (Double Piano Borgato) (2002. Unpublished.)
- Version for two pianos (2002. Mainz: Schott, 2013)
Chronique for Percussion Trio, op. 73 (2009. Unpublished.)
Impulso for Flute solo, op. 74 (2009. Mainz: Schott, 2015)
Poème for 4 hands Piano and Percussion, op. 78 (2012. Mainz: Schott, 2014)
Main menue for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano, op. 80 (2012. Unpublished.)

Piano solo

Première Sonate, op. 5 (1958. Paris: Amphion, 1974)
Toccata, op. 9b (arranged for piano solo) (1962. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Deuxième Sonate, op. 33 (1978. Unpublished.)
Deux Pièces: Nocturne et Impromptu, op. 56 (1967. Mainz: Schott, 2015)
Augure, op. 61 (1999. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Valse oubliée, op. 79 (2012. Mainz: Schott, 2012)
Troisième Sonate, op. 88 (2014–2018. Unpublished.)
Variations, without opus (Unpublished.)

Vocal works

L'Infinito for Bass and Organ, op. 13 (1965. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Andromède for Soprano and Organ, op. 39 (1984, rev. 1990. Mainz: Schott, 2007)
Peace for mixed Choir (8 voices) and Organ, op. 43 (1985. Mainz: Schott, 2012)
Aube for mixed Choir (12 voices) and Organ, op. 46 (1988. Mainz: Schott, 2016)
Missa Interrupta for Soprano, Organ, Brass quintet, Percussion and Choir, op. 51 (1995. Mainz: Schott)
Echo for mixed choir and small orchestra (1999. Mainz: Schott)
Ihr Himmel, Luft und Wind for 8 voices Choir, op. 76 (2010, Mainz: Schott, 2010)
Stabat Mater for Organ, Soli and Orchestra, op. 85 (1985-2015. Unpublished.)

Various works

Diderot à corps perdu (1978. Unpublished.)
Cadenzas for concertos by Handel, C. Ph. E. Bach, Mozart, Widor (Mainz: Schott, 2017)
Pièces brèves pour l’émission "Échappée par le ciel" (Unpublished.)
Cadenza for Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue BWV 903 by J. S. Bach (Unpublished.)

Transcriptions for organ

Johann Sebastian Bach: Musical Offering BWV 1079 (Transcription from 1952. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (Unpublished)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sarabande from Partita for lute – BWV 997 (Unpublished)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Badinerie from the orchestra suite no. 2 BWV 1067 (Unpublished)
George Frideric Handel: Alla Hornpipe from "Water Music" (Mainz: Schott, 2014)
Franz Liszt: Fantaisie et fugue sur le nom de BACH (syncretic version from 1977) (Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Franz Liszt: Orpheus (Transcription from 1976. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Franz Liszt: Prometheus (Mainz: Schott, 2008)
Franz Liszt: Valse oubliée No. 1 (Mainz: Schott, 2007)
Franz Liszt: Psalm XIII (Mainz: Schott, 2009)
Franz Liszt: Tasso (Mainz: Schott, 2012)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Adagio and Fugue in C minor K. 546 (Paris: Éditions Musicales Amphion)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Adagio and Rondo in C minor K. 617 (Paris: Éditions Musicales Amphion)
Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (Transcription from 1988. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
Sergei Prokofiev: March from the opera "The Love for three oranges" (Bonn: Robert Forberg)
Sergei Prokofiev: Toccata op. 11 (Bonn: Robert Forberg)
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances op. 45 – Version for two organs and for four hands and feet (Mainz: Schott, 2015)
Igor Stravinsky: Three dances from "Petrouchka" (Transcription from 1968. Unpublished.)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: "Scherzo" from Symphony No. 6 ("Pathétique") (Mainz: Schott, 2006)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker Suite (Mainz: Schott, 2014)
Giuseppe Verdi: "Quattro Pezzi Sacri: Te Deum and Stabat Mater"
Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in D major (Paris: Éditions Musicales Amphion)
Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in D minor (Mainz: Schott, 2014)

References

↑ Abbing, Jörg. Jean Guillou – Colloques – Biografie und Texte. St. Augustin, Germany: Dr. Josef Butz Musikverlag, 2006.
↑ Jean Guillou on the Schott Music Website. Accessed February 26, 2019.
↑ www.jean-guillou.org. Accessed February 26, 2019.

Bibliography

Abbing, Jörg. Jean Guillou – Colloques – Biografie und Texte. St. Augustin, Germany: Dr. Josef Butz Musikverlag, 2006. ISBN 3-928412-02-7.
L'ORGUE n° 281: numéro spécial sur Jean Guillou, sous la direction de Sylviane Falcinelli, 2008.
Cantagrel, Gilles. "Jean Guillou", in Guide de la musique d’orgue, edited by Gilles Cantagrel. Paris: Fayard, (1991) 2012, pp. 514–520.
Cook, Mary Jean. "Errata in the published organ works of Jean Guillou", in The Diapason 67 (May 1976): 4–5.
Hodant, Jean-Philippe. Rhétorique et Dramaturgie dans l'œuvre musicale de Jean Guillou Paris, France: Université Sorbonne, 1993.
Orengia, Jean-Louis. Jean Guillou, interprète, compositeur et improvisateur. Mémoire de maîtrise de musicologie. Paris: Sorbonne, 1981/1982.
Rhodes, Cherry. "Introducing Jean Guillou", in The A.G.O.R.C.C.O. Magazine (March 1974): 29 and 53.
Terry, Mickey Thomas. "An Interview with Jean Guillou" in The American Organist 28, No. 4 (April 1994): 56–59.
VV.AA. '"Regards". Hommages à Jean Guillou – Augure éditions, Paris 2014.

External links

Jean Guillou : La Révolte des Orgues on YouTube

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Abbing, Jörg. Jean Guillou – Colloques – Biografie und Texte. St. Augustin, Germany: Dr. Josef Butz Musikverlag, 2006.

[2] Jean Guillou on the Schott Music Website. Accessed February 26, 2019.

[3] www.jean-guillou.org. Accessed February 26, 2019.

[1]

[2]

[3]