Passacaille in B minor, Op. 31

Dupré's Passacaille (1929–30), part of his Op. 31 suite of organ pieces, is a landmark of twentieth-century organ literature. Built on a six-bar ground bass that persists through 23 variations, the work displays Dupré's mastery of both polyphonic invention and the virtuosic capabilities of the French symphonic organ. The variations grow from quiet simplicity to cataclysmic climaxes before a serene dissolution, demonstrating Dupré's deep roots in the Bach tradition while speaking the harmonic language of his own era. It is a standard of international organ competitions and recital programmes worldwide.