The church of Saint Étienne-du-Mont, originally called Sainte Geneviève-du- Mont, stands on the highest hill in Paris south of the Seine, behind the Panthéon. It was established there as a dependency of the rich and powerful Abbaye Sainte-Geneviève (founded from Abbot Suger of Saint Denis, in 1146). It received official status as a parish from Pope Honorius III in 1222, and eventually was surrounded by the numerous colleges of the Latin quarter. After the Reign of Terror, when the church was designated a Temple of Theophilanthropy, Saint Étienne-du-Mont was reopened to worship in 1802, and since 1803 has housed a shrine containing the relics of Sainte Geneviève, the patroness of Paris. Through the centuries the church has been the focus of Catholic devotion during times of pestilence, famine, and war.

Until the second half of the twentieth century, the church had a relatively undistinguished musical pedigree, a remarkable fact in view of its long history. Indeed, through 1929, when Duruflé was named its titular organist, the musical tradition of the parish was probably average, at best. And because of the vicissitudes of the church's grand orgue during the first half of the twentieth century, Duruflé could not fully make his distinct mark on the church's music until after 1956. The musical renown of Saint Étienne-du-Mont is thus the direct result of Maurice Duruflé's tenure there.

There is no available information regarding the musicians of Saint Étiennedu- Mont from its founding in 1222 through the first three centuries of its independence. Beginning in the sixteenth century, however, the names of organists Florent Moret, Nicolas Cohanet, and Philippe Racquet are recorded during the hundred-year construction of the present building. The list of titular organists shown in table 18.1 represents an amalgamation of several sources and makes no attempt to reconcile apparent discrepancies.

A contract dated March 25, 1635, describing the exhaustive duties of the organist for Saint Étienne-du-Mont, was certainly the one awarded to Marin Deslions, the first titular in the newly completed church.