Jehan Alain

Synopsis

French composer and organist

• 1911, born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye
• 1927-39, Paris, pupil at Paris Conservitoire where he studied with Marcel Dupre
• 1929-39, Paris, main period of composition
• 1935-39, Paris, organist of St Nicolas de Maisons Lafitte
• 1940, died in Saumur in combat

His most famous work today is his AWV 100 (JA 119), Litanies. He was known to be influenced by the music, dance and philosophies of the far east. His musical output was viewed by many to have been among the most original of the 20th century.

For details, see the Wikipedia article on Jehan Alain.

List of Organ Works

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Opus	Opus	Title	Year
AWV 86	JA 069, 070, 082	Suite	1934
AWV 64	JA 079	Climat	1932
AWV 77	JA ???	Prelude et fugue	????
AWV 75	JA 067	Choral dorien	1935
AWV 76	JA 068	Choral phrygien	1935
AWV 120	JA 138	Aria	1938
AWV 29	JA 027	Variations sur l'hymne Lucis creator	1932
AWV 5	JA 007 bis	Berceuse sur 2 notes qui cornent	1929
AWV 57	JA 064	Prelude profane No. 1	1933
AWV 58	JA 065	Prelude profane No. 2	1933
AWV 109A	JA 135	Monodie	1938
AWV 8	JA 009	Ballade en mode phrygien	1930
AWV 62	JA 134	Choral cistercin pour une Élévation	1934
AWV 99	JA 118	Variations sur un theme de Clement Jannequin	1937
AWV 63	JA 071	Le jardin suspendu	1934
AWV 100	JA 119	Litanies	1937
AWV 73	JA 063	Fantasmagorie	1935
AWV 119	JA 120A	Trois sanses: Joies, Deuils, Luttes	1937
AWV 36	JA ???	Grave	????
AWV 37	JA 033	Petite pièce	1932
AWV 74a	JA ???	"Fileuse"	????
AWV 10	JA 014	Lamento	1930
AWV 59	JA 072	Fantasie No. 1	1933
AWV 91	JA 117	Fantasie No. 2	1936
AWV 61	JA 077-078	2 Danses a Agni Yavishta	1932
AWV 35	JA 038	Complainte à la mode ancienne	1932
AWV 30	JA 028	Fugue en mode de Fa	1932
AWV 19	JA 006	Verset-choral	1931
AWV 87	JA ???	Berceuse	????
AWV 72	JA 062	De Jules Lemaitre	1935
AWV 33	JA 037	Chant donné	1932
AWV 65b	JA ???	Andante from Suite monodique	????
AWV 13	JA 029	Postlude pour l'Office des Complines	1930
AWV ???	JA 131A	Variations sue un chant donné	1930
AWV ???	JA 143	Pièces d'après François Campion	1931
AWV ???	JA 030-032	Trois minutes	1932
AWV ???	JA 132	Chant nupital (for baritone and organ)	1932
AWV ???	JA 026	Variations chorales sur Sacris solemnis (for 5 mixed voices and organ)	1933
AWV ???	JA 094A	Invention à trois voix (for flute and organ)	1937
AWV ???	JA 133A	Fugue sur un sujet de Henri Rabaud	1933
AWV ???	JA 066 bis	Intermezzo	1934
AWV ???	JA 095	Vocalise dorienne (for soprano and organ)	1937
AWV ???	JA 120D	Sarabande (for organ, quintet)	1937
AWV ???	JA 120 bis	Danse funèbre pour honorer une mémoire héroïque	1937
AWV ???	JA 122	Tantum ergo ( for 2 voices and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 136	Messe modale en septuor (for soprano, alto, flute and string quartet or organ	1938
AWV ???	JA 101A	Noël nouvelet	1938
AWV ???	JA 112A	Que j'aime ce divin Enfant	1938
AWV ???	JA 113	D'où vient qu'en cette nuiée (for 4 equal voices and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 115	Transcription du Récit de NAzard de Clérambault (for flute and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 121	MArche de Saint Nicolas (for 2 trumpets, drums and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 121A	Marche des Horaces et des Curiaces (for 2 trumpets, drums and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 126	Fragment de la cantate de J.S. Bach Erschallet, ihr Lieder (for 2 trumpets and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 127	Allegro du Concerto en sol majeur de Händel (for two trumpets and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 128	Concerto en si bémol majeur de Händel (for two trumpets and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 139	L'année liturgique israëlite	1938
AWV ???	JA 137	Prière pour ous autres charneld (for tenor, bass and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 140	Tantum ergo (for sporano, tenor and organ)	1938
AWV ???	JA 141	Salve, virilis pectoris (for soprano, tenor and organ)	1939
AWV ???	JA 142	O salutaris (for soprano and organ)	1939

Background and General Perspectives on Performing Alain Organ Works

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Registration and Organs

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Fingering and Pedaling

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Articulation and Phrasing

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Ornamentation

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Tempo and Meter

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Scores and Editions

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Recordings

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Free Online

• Litanies as played by Marie-Claire Alain on Youtube
• Playlist of Alain pieces as played by Dragan Trajer on Youtube

Pay to Listen

• jehan alain: the complete works for organ as performed by Kevin Bowyer on NAXOS
• Jehan Alain: Complete Works for Organ as performed by Lars Notto Birkeland on NAXOS

Other Resources

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Notes

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