User:Goldinturin/Marie-Madeleine Duruflé

Marie-Madeleine Duruflé-Chevalier (May 8, 1921-October 5, 1999) was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.

Biography
Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Chevalier was born in Marseilles, in Southern France. Her parents originally intended on naming her Marie-Madeleine Jeanne, but since she was born on the feast of Jeanne d'Arc, they decided to reverse the names to Jeanne Marie-Madeleine, though she went by Marie-Madeleine her entire life.

When she was six, her family moved to Cavaillon and she began her piano studies with her Grandmother. In October 1931 her family moved to Paris for eight months so she and her sister could study with more advanced teachers. They intended to stay longer, but her father lost his job and they were forced to move back south to Cavaillon. Though she made her career as an organist, she always credited her piano teachers for having taught her everything she needed to know for her career.

In 1938 Marie-Madeleine met Marcel Dupré after a recital he played in Avignon. Because of the outbreak of World War Two, she was unable to attend the Conservatory in 1940. She remained in Cavaillon, and continued growing her technique and repertoire. After the war, in 1945 she was finally able to move to Paris. Before entering the Conservatory, Dupré had his prized pupil Jeanne Demessieux work with Mlle. Chevalier and instill the basics of her prodigious organ technique in Marie-Madeleine. She finally began her studies at the Conservatory in January, 1947.

Between 1947 and 48, Dupré left on a North American recital tour, and had Maurice Duruflé teach his students while he was way. This is when Marie-Madeleine met her future husband. At this time, she also became Duruflé's assistant at St-Étienne-du-Mont, where she continued to play until 1998. Mlle. Chevalier worked well with Duruflé, and gained a premier prix in organ in June, 1949. In 1953, she competed in the Premier concours international Charles-Marie Widor at the Festival de Lyon-Charbonnières. After many rounds of full memorized repertoire, and improvising, Marie-Madeleine won the first prize which included 400,000 francs. To her surprise after the competition, Maurice Duruflé asked for her hand in marriage. After thinking about it non-stop for three days, she accepted the proposal and they couple had a Civil Ceremony on September 12, 1953 followed by a Religious Ceremony at St-Étienne-du-Mont on September 15 of the same year.

The couple created a career together, performing duo concerts across the world. In May, 1979 the Durufle's were hit by a drunk driver on the way back from their summer home in Menerbes. Marie-Madeleine spent the next 11 years tending to her husband until his death in June, 1986. Marie-Madeleine eventually returned to her career as a performer, and made a few American tours in the late 80's and 90's.

In 1997, she contracted pneumonia, and later shingles. She went on vacation in the summer of 1999, but upon returning to Paris suffered a fall and broke her wrist. She moved to a medical clinic in Louveciennes thirteen years earlier. She passed on October 5, 1999. Her funeral was at St-Étienne-du-Mont on October 13th. A public memorial service took place on January 22, 2000 at St-Étienne-du-Mont.