Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy

He was born around 1633; the French Wikipedia article gives his birthplace as Vitry-le-François, the English article considers it unknown, and the BnF keeps to “163.”. Nothing is known of him before about 1690. He was probably a pupil of Nicolas Lebègue. Around 1690 he was organist of the church of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet in Paris and was regarded as an expert in organ building; the German article rather links this reputation with his years in Perpignan. From 1692 he was titular organist of the Cathedral of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Perpignan, the city where he died.

His principal work is a manuscript harpsichord book, a non-autograph copy kept at the Bibliothèque nationale de France: suites in every major and minor key, the only example in the 17th century of so systematic an exploration. The French article counts 217 pieces, the English 255; the German article reconciles the two figures, with 217 pieces by Geoffroy and 38 arrangements of works by others.

He also left church music, including a four-voice Stabat Mater, a Messe pour les fêtes doubles and the psalm Memento Domine David. The German article stresses that his liturgical works, in which accompanied choruses alternate with organ versets, had no equivalent in France in his time.

In 1974 Jean Bonfils published with Heugel a Livre d’orgue attribué à Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy: noëls, liturgical pieces and transcriptions from Lully’s operas. The title itself signals the reservation, and the French article speaks of a “pseudo organ book”. The two organ pieces the site lists under his name, a Prelude in A major and a fugue on Lucis Creator, call for the same caution.