After an intense musical activity in Paris and Bordeaux,

Ermend Bonnal (1880 -1944) was appointed Director

of the Music Conservatoire in Bayonne (France).

He made his mark as conductor (and the founder of the

Concerts Rameaux), organist and composer.

A former pupil of Guilmant and Tournemire, at the end

of his career he succeeded Tournemire at the organ of

the Ste Clotilde church in Paris and was appointed Inspector for music.

Besides his organ works, he wrote an oratorio "Adon Olam" which was awarded the San Francisco International Prize, chamber music, melodies, trios for female voices, choral works, a symphonic poem (Tombeau d'Argentina), a vast oratorio on a libretto by Francis Jammes "Poèmes Franciscains", a "Ballet Basque", a choral symphony ...

All those musical scores are pervaded with radiant poetry.

From the article by Norbert Dufourcq

in the Larousse music dictionary