Marcel Dupré was born in 1886 in Rouen, France. He was grandson, son, nephew and father of musicians, and began studying music at a young age. His compositions renewed the language of the royal instrument while his interpretations reshaped the repertoire of organ music entirely.
He attended the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied with Alexandre Guilmant and Louis Vierne. Dupré became known for his performances of the works of J.S. Bach, and he also composed a number of works for organ, including his famous “Symphonie-Passion” for solo organ.

One of his best known works is Le Chemin de la Croix, which is based on a poem by Paul Claudel. Marcel Dupré improvised a musical commentary for each station on February 13, 1931 in Brussels, during a recital at the Conservatoire Royal.

Marcel Dupré possessed an extraordinary memory which allowed him to reconstitute some of the spontaneous works that had particularly impressed the public or himself.
In addition to his work as an organist and composer, Dupré was also a teacher and served as the organist at the Church of St. Sulpice in Paris for many years. He died in 1971 at the age of 84.