Complete Organ Works : J-B.Robin (3CD)

Alain: Complete Organ Works

In his short life (1911-40) Jehan Alain composed some of the most fresh and original music for organ.The influences of composers such as Durufle and Dutilleux mingle with Gregorian Chant and jazz and the exotic - the latter Alain discovered at the Colonial Exposition of 1931. Interestingly, many of the organ works were conceived for other forms - orchestra in the case of the Trois Dances, String Quintet for the Suite for Organ: Introduction and Variations for example. Many of the works started life as piano pieces, or for small chamber ensemble.

This 3CD set contains recordings made in the 1930s of the composer performing his Les Fetes de l'annee Israelite and Synagogue Music - fascinating historical documents.

CD1
1. Litanies, JA 119 (August 1937) (04:26)
2. Intermezzo, JA 66bis (1934-5) (05:40)
3. Trois danses, JA 120A & 120bis (1937-8): I. Joies (06:00)
4. Trois danses, JA 120A & 120bis (1937-8): II. Deuils (11:25)
5. Trois danses, JA 120A & 120bis (1937-8): III. Luttes (04:02)
6. Choral cistercien pour une Elevation, JA 134 (1934) (01:52)
7. Deuxieme fantaisie, JA 117 (1936-) (07:35)
8. Suite, JA 69, 70, 82 (1934-5): I. Introduction et variations (08:02)
9. Suite, JA 69, 70, 82 (1934-5): II. Scherzo (05:01)
10. Suite, JA 69, 70, 82 (1934-5): III. Choral (04:20)
11. Choral dorien, JA 67 (1935) (05:22)
12. Choral phrygien, JA 68 (1935) (03:19)
13. Trois minutes, JA 30, JA 3 & JA 32 (1932): I. Un cercle d’argent (01:13)
14. Trois minutes, JA 30, JA 3 & JA 32 (1932): II. Romance (01:06)
15. Trois minutes, JA 30, JA 3 & JA 32 (1932): III. Grave (02:29)

CD2
1. Variations sur un theme de Clement Jannequin, JA 118 (1937) (05:46)
2. Fantasmagorie, JA 63 (1935) (02:49)
3. Chant donne, JA 37 (1932) (01:28)
4. Deuxieme prelude profane (Und jetzt), JA 65 (6 March 1933) (03:15)
5. Deux danses a Agni Yavishta: Premiere danse, JA 77 (13 October 1932) (01:16)
6. Deux danses a Agni Yavishta: Deuxieme danse, JA 78 (1932) (03:16)
7. Aria, JA 138 (November 1938) (06:59)
8. Berceuse sur deux notes qui cornent, JA 7 bis (August 1929) (02:30)
9. Prelude, JA 75 (1935) (03:36)
10. Petite piece, JA 33 (December 1932) (02:39)
11. Postlude pour l’office de Complies, JA 29 (1930) (05:04)
12. Ballade en mode phrygien, JA 9 (1930) (02:22)
13. Berceuse, JA 86 (17 April 1936) (02:31)
14. Lamento, JA 14 (February 1930) (04:04)
15. Variations sur Lucis Creator, JA 27 (January 1932) (03:47)
16. Monodie, JA 135 (September 1938) (02:13)
17. Complainte a la mode ancienne, JA 38 (1932) (00:41)
18. Climat, JA 79 (1932) (02:51)
19. Fugue, JA 57 (1935) (03:17)
20. Premier prelude profane (Wieder an), JA 64 (1933) (03:02)
21. Andante, JA 89 bis (Suite monodique pour piano,1935) (04:51)
22. De Jules Lemaitre, JA 62 (1935) (03:12)

CD3
1. Variations sur un chant donne de Rimski-Korsakov, JA 131A (World premiere recordings) (December 1930) (04:55)
2. L’Annee liturgique israelite, JA 139 (1938) (07:13)
3. Fugue en mode de fa, JA 28 (1932) (01:11)
4. Le jardin suspendu (Chacone), JA 71 (1934) (07:04)
5. Fugue sur un sujet de Henri Rabaud, JA 133A (World premiere recordings) (1933) (04:34)
6. Verset-Choral, JA 6 (March 1931) (01:43)
7. Canon en mode dorien pour piano et harmonium, JA 61 (World premiere recordings) (1932) (01:22)
8. Premiere fantaisie, JA 72 (1933) (05:01)
9. Deuxieme fantaisie, JA 117 (2nd version) (06:32)

Jean-Baptiste Robin, organ
Recorded: 2008

10. Les fetes de l’annee Israelite (06:08)
11. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): I. Oumordekhoy (02:47)
12. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): II. Osseko Edroch (04:07)
13. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): III. Ono Tovo (04:12)
14. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): IV. Vehakohanim (04:32)
15. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): V. Lekho Dodi (06:08)
16. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): VI. Adonoy Molokh (02:32)
17. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): VII. Kol Nidre (04:12)
18. Synagogue Music (World premiere recordings): VIII. Schivo Berokhoss (05:05)

Jehan Alain, organ
historical recordings by the composer, 1937/38