Jehan Alain considered his Trois danses to be among his most important works, seeing them as a symphonic poem dedicated to life, with movements titled Joys, Mournings, and Struggles.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Jehan Alain's later works, particularly those on this album, reflect a deep personal reflection on life and a preference for the 'incipient neoclassical' organ sound.
Compositional Technique
The Deuxième prélude profane by Jehan Alain, despite having no barlines, paradoxically bears the instruction "Avec une mesure inflexible" (With an inflexible measure).
Composition History
Jehan Alain won the 1936 composition competition of the Amis de l'orgue (Friends of the Organ) with his Suite, a significant achievement before he even graduated from Marcel Dupré's class.
Composer Biography
Jehan Alain (1911-1940) had a short but prolific life, dying in combat, which has contributed to a mythical perception of his existence.
Instruments
Jehan Alain greatly admired the organs of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, a renowned 19th-century French organ builder, considering them to embody a true aesthetic of the organ.
Recording & Production
The works on this album are performed on the main organ of Notre-Dame d'Auteuil, a Cavaillé-Coll instrument built in 1884 and restored to its 1937 state.
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