Abel Decaux

Abel-Marie Alexis Decaux (11 February 1869 – 19 March 1943) was a French organist, composer, and pedagogue, best known for his piano suite Clairs de lune, some of the earliest pieces of dodecaphony.

A student of Théodore Dubois, Jules Massenet, and Charles-Marie Widor, among others, he was the titular organist of the grand organ of the Sacré-Cœur basilica.

Alexis, an amateur composer, would later publish a pedagogical book on pianism in 1885 and followed in his father's footsteps, eventually becoming mayor of Auffay.

As a result, Widor and Guilmant nominated Decaux to fill in the post of junior organ professor at the Schola Cantorum, which he also cofounded.

Decaux was also introduced to Déodat de Séverac, titular organist at the Bourg-la-Reine church, quickly forming an important friendship.

On 23 June 1902, he married socialite Jeanne Félicie Marie Lescarcelle,[d] who apparently toughened his personality and made him focus on teaching.

From 1914 to 1919, a new Cavaillé-Coll organ, with modifications by his successor Charles Mutin, was installed from the residence of Baron Albert de L'Espée in Ilbarritz.

He then left for the United States to teach organ at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York in 1923, while still keeping his titular position.

Having been appointed by presidential edict as a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur the preceding year (André Laboulaye, French ambassador to the United States had physically bestowed the medal upon him), he returned to his homeland in 1935, accepting a teaching position at the École César Franck, the successor of the Schola Cantorum (succeeding Vierne); and at the Institut Grégorien in Paris.