Gabriel Pierné – French composer, pianist, organist, and conductor – was born and raised in a family of musicians. At the Paris Conservatoire, he formed a stimulating musical friendship with Debussy, one year his senior, and was led by masters such as Massenet and Franck to the Prix de Rome, which he won in 1882. Celebrated as a performer – he succeeded Franck at the great Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Basilica of Saint Clotilde and took over from Mr. Colonne at the head of his eponymous orchestra – Pierné was also honoured as a composer, leaving an inventive and witty body of work with more than fifty opus numbers. This edition presents his compositions in dazzlingly diverse performances, with the composer himself at the piano and baton, inviting the listener on an exciting exploration of his marvellous career