Litanies
and other organ works
Jehan Alain (1911-1940)
Jehan Alain was born into a musical French family in 1911, in the town of St Germaine-en-Laye. His father, Albert, was a composer, organist, and organ builder, and Jehan grew up in a household overflowing with musical influence. His father even built a small organ in the living room of their home, providing Alain with constant access to a musical instrument during his childhood years. He first received instruction on the organ from his father and the piano from his grandmother. Ultimately, Alain ended up attending the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied various musical concepts under teachers such as Bloch, Caussade, Dukas, Roger-Ducasse, and even Marcel Dupre. Although organ is the primary focus of his compositional output, Alain also covered the genres of piano, choral, vocal, and chamber music. Out of around 120 pieces composed throughout his lifetime, about 25 percent are for the organ. Some of these works, such as Litanies and Trois danses, are vital parts of the organ repertoire of the 1900s.
Litanies is one of the more vibrant organ pieces composed by Alain. The work is prefaced with this text: "When, in its distress, the christian soul can find no more words to implore the mercy of God, it repeats, times without end, the same fierce-faithed prayer. Reason reaches its limits and only belief can chase its flight." In reference to the text, Alain begins the work with a bold opening statement, which is influenced by his fascination with the rhythmic flexibility and melismatic passagework of the Gregorian chants. After the quick, chant-like opening passage, the music immediately begins developing through the use of louder, syncopated harmonies contrasted with quieter sections. The work continues to build momentum until the final climax, ending with huge, sustained chords. Litanies features quite virtuosic organ playing, but many of Alain's other organ works focus more on creating an expressive texture through which he conveys an image or emotion. Le jardin suspendu begins almost mysteriously with a contemplative melody in the upper register of the organ. The tones blend together, creating a quiet wash of sound that never builds to more than a mezzo-forte. The wandering pitches invoke a sense of hypnotism in the “suspended garden.”
As an organist myself, I was drawn to Litanies immediately upon hearing it. Alain's grasp of the combinations of organ stops and registrations is fabulous, and the way he plays between the various sounds of the instrument creates an almost orchestral sound. In Litanies, he takes full advantage of the principal stops of the organ, which sound like the typical “organ” sound we are used to hearing. However, by using sharp dynamic contrast, the piece never seems dull or predictable. In many of his other works, he utilizes the other stops on the organ, such as strings, flutes, and reeds, which provide orchestral color and texture. These stops simply mimic the sounds of various string, flute, and reed instruments by using organ pipes that have different shapes or materials. Alain masterfully layers these stops to create registrations that bring his compositions to life.
Numerous musical influences appear in many of his works, but Alain always seems to remain original and fresh. I would consider his compositional sound to be described as intriguing, introspective, and most of all, creative. Even so, he composed alongside other organist-composers such as Messiaen and Duruflé, which would limit his likeliness to be included in the canon. Also, none of his works are on a large enough scale to really stand on their own. That being said, his compositions can still be considered valuable in an organist's repertoire today.
