Born in Paris, Cantagrel studied physics, art history and music at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and at the Conservatoire de Paris. He also practices organ and choral conducting. Since 1965, he has been focusing on journalism and communication and writes in magazines such as Harmonie and Diapason.
He became a producer of radio programs in France and abroad and directed the programmes of France Musique between 1984 and 1987. Artistic advisor to the director of France Musique, he was vice-president of the musical commission of the European Broadcasting Union.
He is the author of a series of films on the history of the pipe organ in Europe (4 DVDs). A teacher, lecturer, and animator, he took part in 1985 in the creation of the classical music fair "Musicora".
He was president of the "Association des grandes orgues" of Chartres from 2003 to 2008. He is a director of institutions such as the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, and member of the Supervisory Board of the Bach Foundation in Leipzig.
In 2001, he was appointed member of the High Committee on National Commemorations by the Minister of Culture.
He has been a lecturer at the Paris-Sorbonne University, lecturer at the Conservatoire de Paris and at various conservatories and universities in France, Switzerland and Canada. He lectures in Europe in North America and participates in international competition juries.
Le Moulin et la Rivière; Air et variations sur Bach. Les chemins de la musique (in French). Paris: Fayard. 1998. p. 664. ISBN 2213601283. OCLC 467090761. BnF 36709207j. (À partir de l'analyse des œuvres et des textes, des documents historiques, des traités musicaux, de la théologie, de la rhétorique, etc. (Grand Prix de littérature musicale de l'Académie Charles-Cros, Prix Catenacci de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts).)
Passion Bach, l'album d'une vie (Paris, 2000), évocation du temps, de la vie et de la création de Jean-Sébastien Bach à la lumière de l'iconographie du XVIIIe
Bach, Ars oratoria, Bach Pilgrimage (London, 2000)
Unter dem Zeichen des Wassers, Triangel (Leipzig, 2000)
Tempérament, Tonalités, Affects. Un exemple : si mineur, Ostinato Rigore (Paris, 2001)
Musica e gola, Enciclopedia della Musica (Turin, 2002) - French edition Paris, 2004
Georg Philipp Telemann ou le Célèbre Inconnu (Geneva, 2003-2005), first book in French about this composer ISBN 2940310157
La Rencontre de Lübeck, Bach and Buxtehude (Paris, 2003) ISBN 9782220058085 New edition Paris, 2015
Les plus beaux manuscrits de la musique classique on Babelio (Paris, 2003) ISBN 2-7324-2989-9
Le Baroque et le Signe (Lyon, 2004)
Les plus beaux manuscrits de Mozart (Paris, 2005) ISBN 2-7324-3266-0
L'Europe du Baroque, ou le Concert des Nations (Paris, 2005)
Mozart, Don Giovanni, le manuscrit (prix des Muses, Musicora), Paris, 2005 ISBN 2732432660
Buxtehude et la musique en Allemagne du Nord dans la seconde moitié du XVIIe on WorldCat Paris, 2006 (prize René Dumesnil of the Académie des Beaux Arts, prize SACEM/Deauville de la biographie musicale et prix du Syndicat professionnel de la critique de théâtre, de musique et de danse) ISBN 221363100X
Mozart (Paris, Académie des Beaux Arts, 2007)
De Schütz à Bach. La musique du baroque en Allemagne (Fayard, 2008) ISBN 2213638322 OCLC 311743762
J.S. Bach, de l'angoisse à la création (Paris, Académie de médecine, 2009)
Les Cantates de Jean-Sébastien Bach (Fayard, 2010) ISBN 9782213644349
J. S. Bach, Passions, Messes et Motets (Fayard, 2011) ISBN 9782213663029
Bach, la Chair et l'Esprit, CD Book with 6 CD (Paris, Alpha, 2011),
Mozart. Le Quintette en ré majeur (Paris, 2013),
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach et l’âge de la sensibilité (Geneva, 2013).