Jehan Alain

3 Pieces

Composed by Jehan Alain, Three Pieces is a set of upper intermediate / advanced works for organ, with pedal-use. The first piece, 'Variations sur un thème de Clément Jannequin (Variations on a Clément Jannequin's Tune), should beplayed'in the same way as Couperin's Préludes: freshly and softly. It contains four distinctive parts: Affetuoso, Maggiore, Fuggato and Grave. The second piece is called 'Le jardin suspendu (The hanging garden) and features three different parts that can't be played separately. The last piece, Litanies, is quite religious and consists of the repetition of lamentations. Its introduction in vivo is played only by the right hand, then followed by a'Lirico masempre vivo part. These are followed by switches between the main tempo and some vivacissimo parts, sounding declamatory. This third piece ends really harmoniously.

Jehan Alain is a French organist who became famous with his Suite for Organ. Student of Marcel Dupré and Roger Ducasse among others, he kept composing all his life. One of his most famous international pieces is Litanies.