Albert Alain
Albert Paul Alain was a 20th-century French organist and composer.
Biography
Born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Clarisse-Alphonsine Fouquet and Paul François Alain, he entered in adulthood into the Conservatoire de Paris and obtained a first prize for harmony in 1904. He pursued counterpoint studies with Georges Caussade, fugue and music composition with Charles Lenepveu and Gabriel Fauré, at the same time as he worked on the organ with Guilmant and Louis Vierne. In 1924, succeeding Albert Renaud, he became organist of the church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a position he held until his death.Passionate about organ building, he built over the years an instrument with 4 keyboards and 43 stops in his house. This organ is now installed in Romainmôtier, Switzerland.
He married Magdeleine Alberty in 1910, and they became parents of four children with exceptional gifts: Jehan, Marie-Odile, Olivier and Marie-Claire.
Alain family tree
*Albert Alain- *Jehan Alain, organist, composer and soldier
- *Marie-Odile Alain, organist
- *Olivier Alain, organist, pianist, musicologist and composer
- *Marie-Claire Alain, organist and scholar
Works
As a composer of religious music, he is responsible for 469 pieces, among others:Organ and harmonium
- Final sur le carillon de Luçon Op. 324Scherzo pour grand orgueAndante pour grand orgue5 Pièces faciles en forme de Messe Basse
- Pièces pour orgue ou harmonium in Les Maîtres contemporains de l’orgue, by Joseph Joubert (abbot), Pièces d'orgue, 2nd series, Sénart, Paris : IV. Cortège - V. Andantino - VI. Rapsodie sur des Noëls connus.15 Pièces pour Harmonium ou Orgue sur des Thèmes liturgiques, L.-J. Biton, St-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, 1919.Suite héroïque in the 2nd issue of the series Les Voix de la douleur chrétienne published by abbott Joubert by A. Ledent-Malay in Brussel.
Vocal music
- Motets :
- * À la Sainte Croix
- * Ave Verum Corpus
- * Choral final: Chantons Jésus
- * Mystères Glorieux.
- * Quae es ista - 1903Messe de Noël sur des thèmes anciens
- Messe en l’honneur de Saint Louis Messe Royale du 1° Ton de Henry Du Mont.Cantate à Sainte Louise de Marillac La Cathédrale Incendiée lyrics by Henri Ghéon.
Discography
Albert Alain par Marie-Claire Alain au grand orgue Cavaillé-Coll/Haerpfer et orgue de chœur Cavaillé-Coll de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Calliope : Finale op. 429 - Andantino op. 346 - Aria op. 425 - Scherzo op. 423 - Élégie op. 396 - Andantino op. 437 - Toccatina op. 373 - Pas trop lent op. 345 - Assez lent op. 357 - Andantino con moto op. 347 - Berceuse op. 395 - Carillon sur « Lauda Sion » op. 424 - Carillon de Bougival op. 368 - Au temps de Noël op. 360 - Prière op. 427 - Andante op. 306 - Finale sur « Cantemus Domino » op. 323.- Complete discography by Alain Cartayrade on France Orgue.