DUPRÉ Marcel (1886-1971). MANUSCRIT MUSICAL autograph, 24 Inventions for organ op. 50, [1956]; titles+52 pages in-fol. (plus 1 page of table leaf in-4) in 2 notebooks in titled folder. Complete manuscript of the two books of the 24 Inv entions for organ. The Inventions were the only work composed by Marcel Dupré during his two years as director of the Conservatoire, following the sudden death of Claude Delvincourt in April 1954; Dupré was then 68 years old, and was busy with many administrative tasks; he finished composing his Inventions in early 1956, and they were published that same year in two books by Bornemann; he dedicated them to the memory of Marcel Samuel-Rousseau (1882-1955), organist and composer, in whose chair Dupré had just succeeded the Institute. "These refined and exquisite pieces were composed in all 24 major and minor keys and, like the Inventions and Symphonies of J.S. Bach which had served as his model, had a pedagogical purpose. ...] In these brief miniatures, Dupré displays his rich compositional inventiveness and contrapuntal mastery. ...] They ... are mostly in three or four voices and, despite their conciseness, present an extraordinary diversity of textures, contrapuntal developments, atmospheres, styles and colours in the registration" (Ben van Oosten). The manuscript is carefully traced in black ink on 14-line paper; the registrations are indicated at the head of each piece, and Dupré has carefully inscribed the fingerings for the hands and for the ped