French composer, conductor and organist.

Born on 16 August 1863 in Metz (France), and passed away on 17 July 1937 in Ploujean (France). Son of Jean-Baptiste Pierné, a baritone and music teacher, and Marie Souteyrant de Montpellier, a piano teacher. Father of the painter Jean Pierné and cousin of the composer and organist Paul Pierné.

In 1870, he moved to Paris together with his family, when Metz was invaded by Prussian troops during the Franco-Prussian War. His music education began with his parents, and continued at the Conservatoire of Paris, where Antoine François Marmontel, César Franck and Jules Massenet were among his instructors. In 1882 he won the Prix de Rome, with the cantata "Édith". After three years perfecting his knowledge at Villa Médici, he returned to Paris and began teaching at his parents' private school. In 1890 he married Louis Bergon, and that same year he was named organist of the church of Sainte-Clotilde in Paris, a post he held until 1898. In 1903 he became assistant conductor of the Concerts Colonne, was promoted to chief conductor in 1910 and served as president until 1934. With this orchestra, he premiered works like Claude Debussy's "Ibéria" in 1910 and the orchestra version of Maurice Ravel's "Tzigane" in 1924. Between 1920 and 1923 he corresponded with Manuel de Falla, repeatedly congratulating the composer on his works and signal performances, such as "El amor brujo", with Enrique Fernández Arbós conducting the Orchestre Colonne. Between 1928 and 1931, Pierné recorded pieces by Hector Berlioz, Ravel and others with this symphony orchestra for the Odéon label.

He was inducted into the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1925, and made a Commander in the Legion of Honour in 1935. He was an active composer as well as a conductor. In addition to songs and pieces for chamber groups, piano and organ, he wrote incidental music like "Izéÿl" (1894), or "La samaritaine"(1897); operas like "Vendée" (1897), or "Fragonard" (1934); ballets like "Bouton d'or" (1893), "Cydalise et le chèvre-pied" (1923), "Giration" (1934), or "Images" (1935); oratorios like "La croisade des enfants" (1902), "Les enfants à Bethléem" (1907), and "Saint François d'Assise" (1912); and works for orchestra like "Divertissements sur un thème pastoral" (1932).