If the number of reprints of a composers music are indicative of his/her reputation then Lebegue was a prominent keyboard artist. The only positions he was known to have consist of a permanent organist position at St Merry's in Paris (1664) and an organist of the king (1678). Lebegue enjoyed repute as an organ builder, composer, organist and teacher. Contemporary players who were also "organiste du Roi" included Nivers, Thomelin and Buterne. Lebegue's students included Grigny (who perfected the musical language of the organ), Dagincour, Geoffrey, Jullien and Garnier. Fortunately a number of his compositions are extant including five books of keyboard pblications -- two "books for the harpsichord" and three "books for the organ." Chracteristics of his harpischord compositions include straight-forward titles, formality, conventional organization of suites (allemande-courante followed by various combinations of gavottes, minuets, canaris, gigues, sarabandes, chaconnes, et al). The merits of these compositions were comparable to those of Couperin. Lebegue's organ compositions illustrate his innovative technique dismissing the severity of the countrapuntal style and employing neologistic terminolog such as "trio a deux dessus," "trio a deux claviers et pedalle," and "dialogue entre le dessus et la basse." The independence of the pedal parts was a first for French music. The first book of organ pieces by Lebegue required an instrument of qualitative superiority but the seond book was set for more modest means. The third book illustrates an unique secularity within French keyboard music with its symphonies, noels and picturesuqe pieces. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi