born Dec. 10, 1822, Liège, Neth.
died Nov. 8, 1890, Paris, France
Belgian-French composer.
A piano prodigy, he arrived in Paris at age 14 to study at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1858 he became organist at the large church of Sainte-Clotilde, where he would remain the rest of his life. In 1872 he became professor of organ at the Conservatoire. His compositions, which tend to be serious, German-influenced, and often religious, include the famous Symphony in D Minor (1888); the tone poems Les Éolides (1876), Le Chasseur maudit (1882), and Psyché (1888); the oratorio Les Béatitudes (1879); chamber works including a piano quintet (1879), a violin sonata (1886), and a string quartet (1889); and many works for organ and piano.