Anyone knowledgeable on Jehan Alain?

Recently, Ive taken such a liking to Jehan Alain and his “Litanies” piece. I’ve become very fascinated with the man and this piece of music.

I certainly dont have the musical ability to play this piece but I’m learning the last page of this piece albeit at a snails pace.

I’ve googled his life and sad ending in WWII at such a young age.

I’ve listened to the Litanies piece numerous times and keep wondering as I hear the ending…….
Does anyone have any info the he was “angry” at the world when he wrote this piece, or something along those lines…. Only because to me, the grand finale is so “fiery” and I just can’t help but wonder if there was some “maddening” to this composer as he wrote this piece.

I just got to wondering this after listening to this piece in my headsets so many times.

Thanks for anyone who might have some insight on Jehan Alain.

PS…. My interest in this has become pretty strong amazingly enough, so that I just might take an organ crawl next year to France and find a resting place for him as well as Jehan Revert.

Jehan Alain was tragically and heroically killed in the second world war, and his music was primarily popularized by his sister, Marie-Claire Alain, whom I consider to be the one who understood his pieces and played them the best. I also think she's one of the best performers of Bach I've ever heard. He was a young man who was a very talented organist and composer, and who really liked modernist (of the time) music, but who came from a pious and musical Catholic family, and who died too young. I would listen to Marie-Claire Alain's renditions of his work.

A litany is a repetitive petition, and like a lot of expressionists of his day, I think Jehan was trying to show what is going on "behind the scenes," that is the power and energy of the prayer that isn't necessarily tangible. I think the chromaticism is more meant to express glory or intensity than it is "madness." It's not that easy to play those chromatic passages that fast! But both Jehan and his sister were extremely talented organists. I feel like if they're played too slow, you might not get the right impression! If you read the Wikipedia article, it quotes the preface he wrote for it, which helps to understand his vision of the piece.

If not actually madness, it's very close. There's something of the de profundis about Litanies, I think - an act of utter desperation.

When I was learning the piece I found several videos of different players, including Marie-Claire Alain. Her rendition was by far the freest and least polished - the filthily difficult tumbling chromatic passage with diminuendo over the last page turn was hugely approximate.

For me, the last chord is so powerfull, so magical, that I still don't wan't to look at the score to know how it is made !!
I'm sure that if I understand what kind of chord it is, the magic won't work anymore !

Guys,

Thank you so much for your insight and knowledge of the man and his music!!!!! I must play the Litanies piece about 5 times a day in my car or at home and each time it seems I get something different from the piece. It simply amazes me that a person… can come up with such compositions. Sheer brilliance!!

@sesquialtera: I will not reveal the last chord, but I will say…. It is a “Handful” of notes and is both brilliance in sound and composition!!!

Jehan Aristide Alain is remembered (buried?)at the Pere Le Chaise Cemetary at the Saint Nicolas Church in Paris.

Pat

Hello, have a look on :
https://youtu.be/5NjlLlT9sds?t=989
Guy Bovet is playing "Litanies" on the organ of the family Alain...

And the website https://jehanalain.ch/

I've heard this piece many times and by many organists and feel that the definitive performance is by Loreto Aramendi. The 1863 Cavaille-Coll (Basilica de Santa Maria del coro de San Sebastian) sounds absolutely marvellous in its magnificent acoustic.

I attempted this piece but quickly gave it up.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx3VGzVmGdY

Thanks for this Antoni!

This is extraordinary with that acoustic!!! I think you mentioned those are her daughters doing stop change duties?

Pat

The Litanies, as played by Loreto Aramendi, is a definitive performance, in my opinion. The two ladies accompanying Loreto at the console to aid in stop registration are her daughter Sarah ( to her right) and her sister ( to her left). All three are musicians.

I understand that the Cavaille-Coll she plays on has been recently restored. From what I heard, the organ is totally original.

In this era of "bigger is better" thinking, it is remarkable to me how this average size three manual organ has such amazing dynamics.

That was pretty great, I have to agree that is probably the definitive performance! Her daughter and sister are almost as busy as she is! The frequent registration changes really add a lot. The look on the daughter's face when she plays the final chord is priceless! Remember they are probably being blasted with 100+ decibels with that final chord! I agree even a medium sized Cavaillé-Coll has tremendous power for expression, and can play almost anything convincingly. That's why I use the Notre Dame de Metz more than any other sample set. I think I would have to grow a few more arms to play like Loreto Aramendi though!

Litanies is obviously Alain's most famous piece, but there are some other real gems in his output. Trois Danses are amazing, for example, although I find them quite difficult to play (i.e. I can't play them!)

I played Litanies in a recital once, and didn't even come close to playing the right notes in that infamous section. Good to know that was an authentic approach.

All:
It's nice to read by many in this Forum that we agree Ms. Aramendi's performance of the Litanies ranks as definitive. I had the good fortune to hear Ms. Aramendi perform this piece to a closed audience inside the Atlantic City Covention Hall organ on the 429 stop Midmer-Losh. At the time it was about 60% complete which is about 260 stops. It's difficult to describe the sound in words, especially the final chord !!!!!!!!!
Yes, Jehan Alain composed some wonderful pieces during his short life time which was unforftunatly cut short during WWII. His sister, Ms. Marie-Claire Alain continued his legacy by admirably performing his works.

Why are these wonderful pieces so difficult to play ?????