Marie-Claire Alain plays Litanies by Jehan Alain

The world-famous French organist Marie-Claire Alain (died february 26th, 2013 at the age of 86) plays Litanies by her brother Jehan Alain (1911-1940) on the great organ of the Hofkirche in Luzern, Switzerland.

[@danielungermann7055]

What a ingenious work ! When Jehan Alain were not killed at the age of 29 years in the war, he would be one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

Her wonderful performance is unrivaled, and irreplaceble ,and beyond description and inspirational and off the charts

[@bbbbmer]

i am moved to tears, especially against the backdrop of world catastrophe and poverty.... may almighty GOD help us all......

[@richardhoover4471]

I will never forget meeting and talking Mme Alain at First Congregational Church Los Angeles when she played Litanies in recital many years ago. She was so kind and genuine and a true maîtresse de l’orgue. RIP. 🎹🎶

[@michmt79]

So sad for us all that Jehan left us at such a young age, but he left us some tremendous music. Marie Claire was a genius as well. She left us a long, wonderful legacy of some of the best organ recordings ever made. So few organists can play Jehan's music well. She was in a class by herself. RIP.

[@MichaelConwayBaker]

A wonderful composition beautifully performed by the composer's sister. A treasure!

[@stephenperagallo5929]

this piece of music changed my life as an young man. While we struggle to find God and meaning the struggle can be humiliating and yet Nobel and we are called to it. Jesus said seek and you will find and I did.

[@sharonstromley9350]

Stephen, what a perfect expression, representation of "deep calling to deep". Amazing how music, surely God's gift to Man, raises us to speak to our Creator, expressing what we cannot express without it. I am glad you found what God surely wants all His Creation to find... Himself.

[@georgefelty6357]

When I was an organ student of Dr. Clyde English from 1969-1971 at West Virginia University, I learned the Litanies and went to a workshop by Marie-Claire in Pittsburgh where I met her.

[@neilanyon4792]

This has to be the benchmark performance of Litanies. Incredibly articulate playing on an immensely responsive action. Superb combination. Thanks for posting.

[@josephR1938]

Many years ago I was most fortunate to be able to do a master class with Marie-Claire at the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. She was most gracious and a delight to listen to and to be with. I have never forgotten her and the wonderful time I had.

[@classicaldeb]

Lucky you!

[@sharonstromley9350]

Thank you for sharing both Marie and Jehan wirh us. What gifted people. Marie is often overlooked, her genius undervalued. In the male dominated world of organists, she shone ever so brightly. Again, thank you for this video. She is great in the pantheon of organist with other forgotten luminaries such as E. Power Biggs.

[@davebarclay4429]

Marie-Claire Alain "overlooked" and "undervalued"???? I don't think so. Most organists would regard her as one of the true greats of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. As to the organ world being "male dominated" that sounds rather like a chip on your shoulder and it's a bit insulting to the many influential and hugely respected organists who happen to be women - Gillian Weir, Jennifer Bate (Messaien's organist of choice), Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin, Jeanne Demessieux, Elfrida Andree, Marie-Madeleine Durufle, Emma-Louise Ashford, Margaret Phillips and Anne Mardsen Thomas are just a few names off the top of my head.

[@albertpeckham9515]

It is so sad that this genius was killed at a very young age. His legacy has outlasted the "third reicht" and they are basically forgotten but this man's music is still able to stir a deep recognition of what music truly is.

[@SissyShamrock]

The piece is used in the progressive rock band Renaissance's song "Running Hard" done on piano.

[@colinhazell6259]

Ha! Ha! Ha!

[@albertpeckham8708]

@J. K. Touche! I am a very poor typist!

[@tobiasstudtheol]

@J. K., he made two points at once. "Es reicht!" in a sense of "No more!" No more war! No more fascism!

[@butterflybeatles]

@@tobiasstudtheol Who started WW2?

[@simuloremus]

L'orgue de Marie-Claire Alain est magique. Vous êtes emportés dans un pays lointain et merveilleux. C'est rare et précieux. Merci.

[@saulknights6635]

This is such an overwhelming piece of music. The music is just so fearful and desperate and longing, as if begging with all your heart a God who isn't listening. Marie Claire's performance is simply astounding. The work is prefaced with the short paragraph: 'quand l’âme chrétienne ne trouve plus de mots nouveaux dans la détresse pour implorer la miséricorde de Dieu, elle répète sans cesse la même invocation avec une foi véhémente. La raison atteint sa limite. Seule la foi poursuit son ascension.' It's incredibly beautiful and deep in French, but in English: 'when, in a time of distress, the Christian soul can no longer find new words for begging God's mercy, it repeats endlessly the same prayer with a passionate faith. Reason has reached its limit. Only faith can take one further.' The death of Jehan Alain is one the most tragic losses to music of the 20th century.

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

Saul Knights I completely agree!!!!

[@jcarlson9609]

The words came through and it was beautiful!

[@TurtleFL]

The greatest thing about being the composer's sister is you can play it any way you want and say "This is how my brother did it." :-"

[@klaus-peterwende3269]

It's impossible playing it in any way- otherwise you miss the impression of pieces like this....

[@guidosarducci209]

I believe she was his granddaughter.

[@gregorysakal8492]

@@guidosarducci209 No, Marie Claire-Alain was Jehan Alain's sister. Jehan Alain died early on in WWII.

[@gregorysakal8492]

@Joel Saint-Hillier Thanks for catching my typo!

[@chucklambooy8457]

@@guidosarducci209 sister!!!

[@TurboVonCrim]

RIP, Marie, Jehan.. beautiful.. I love this piece!!

[@dudleyfisher9336]

Jehan was a motorcycle messenger in the French Army at the beginning of the war whilist taking a message he ran into a German patrol he killed a number of them single-handed before he was killed he died a war hero of the French Army. During her opening recital as assistant Musical Director at the Wall Street NY Episcopal Church, "Renee' Anne Louprette," speaks of this before playing Jehans's three dances. (This may be still available on the Church's site.) But what more can a sister do than play her brothers music perfectly, "Alain" a lost " "Bach," of the twentieth century, "Marie-Claire" who sadly is no longer with us but as left much behind.

[@davidcrook4166]

One of my favourites so EXCITING!! Whoever said church music is dull? Like? No contest!!!!!!!

[@mdd4567]

Grand respect pour Marie-Claire ALAIN. Comme elle interprète magnifiquement ces lithanies ! J'aime tout particulièrement la fin (à partir de 3'15) qui me donne le frisson à chaque fois...

[@OlivierHAMARD1967]

Hommage à cette grande organiste que j'ai beaucoup apprécié. Décédée en février dernier quelques jours après ma mère, organiste également, et adorait jouer les Lithanies.... Merveilleux souvenirs de cette rencontre avec Marie-Claire à la Cathédrale de Poitiers dans les années 70.... Reposez en paix..

[@organchoirman9698]

Stunning! I loved playing this when I was younger.

[@baritonebynight]

She played a recital were I used to go to church back in 2005. She had to be helped up the steps to the bench, but when she got on the bench, 50 years came off her age. At one point, she didn't have the right stops and started to play and said "oops!" and then reset and started again as if it was no big deal. People from all over came to hear her play. I'm wondering if that was perhaps one of her final public performances.

[@classicaldeb]

Wow!

[@amber40494]

Lucky you!

[@Musique3579]

I can well remember meeting, talking, and hearing her play back in the 70's. I have always remembered what she told me about the fast moving passages near the end of this piece with the 3 note chords. (I was not able to play them this fast.) She claimed Jehan had merely meant for "sound" and that she couldn't play them all either at that fast of a speed. Whew, was I ever relieved.

[@collincrowl6377]

I've heard several similar anecdotes like this from M.-C. Alain as well! collegeimportant note he heard from Alain when studying under her in France. She instructed that the effect of this rapid descent of sound should be prioritized over note accuracy. She even told him something along the lines of... if you're getting the notes 100% right, then you're probably not playing it fast enough! (A humorous quip that's really only half-joking!) However, I still strive to keep the chords' top notes (if nothing else!) as accurate as I can as they carry the descending "theme." I think only a MIDI file could play all those with 100% accuracy!!

[@starlord184]

I asked her the same question about the rapid chords at the end and got the same answer ... amazing. And I thought I was the only one to struggle with them.

[@karlrovey]

@@collincrowl6377 One of my organ professors had a story about when he asked how a certain figure should be played. Her response was along the lines of "if you have good upbringing, you would know." He interpreted it as "I don't know."

[@SternDrive]

She nailed it. And from memory. Wow !

[@MrClaudeholmes]

Magnificent ! This beautifully written piece and performance is a one of a kind. I heard this work " many " yrs. ago on a Philly Classical Radio station. To this date I haven't heard a better performance, or recording, even after purchasing it on cd.

[@frankkemble2103]

My uncle, organist Nicolas Kynaston played this at Buckfast Abbey in the 1960's. I've always been haunted by this music.

[@enterocinese]

I knew Litanies by the recording of Nicolas Kynaston a long time ago. I still think it's the best one.

[@user-qd9rh5yr8m]

definitive performance really

[@682J1]

RIEN à redire c'est PARFAIT maintenant j'espère qu'elle joue au ciel comme un ange PAIX à TOI chère Marie Claire

[@MartinSmithMFM]

Of course she had the same genius as Jehan, just as Nadia shared that of Lili. One of those comments down there is just plain absurd, and not a little ungracious. Genius simply presents itself in different ways: the great composer (Jehan) the great teacher (Nadia) the great Composer (Lili) the great performer Marie-Claire. What all four did was work very very hard and never lose a minute or ignore any fruitful path of enlightenment. They are thus angels and we can only bend the knee to them all...

[@classicaldeb]

Amen!

[@MrCjsb]

Sublime praise to the Lord God. Praise Him in the height, and in the depth be praise. In all His works most wonderful, Most sure in all His ways!

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

CJ SB Absolutely true!!!!

[@judithwhitehouse2149]

Can't get a more definitive interpretation than that - wonderful!

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

Judith Whitehouse Wonderful is absolutely right!!!!

[@ABDBV]

Albert Moerman played Litanies by Jehan Alain at our wedding! Life and dead generously together! It was a nerve thrilling experience in 't Woudt in Holland. I Love the video!

[@Matt52820]

We had Litanies played at our wedding, too!

[@Navoi7]

AWWESOME ORGAN MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE!! THANKS!!!

[@robertpoetprince7362]

Check out Maurice Durufle's composition: Prelude & Fugue on the name Alain.You'll recognize some of Jehan's passages in this work. They were classmates atthe Paris Conservatoire.

[@laurenteyer8321]

Comme adolescent, j'allais aux concerts d'orgues, c'était un moyen d'écouter de la musique sans dépenser beaucoup d'argent. C'était magnifique. J'ai écouté et rencontré Marie-Claire Alain. J'ai été ébloui par sa musicalité et surpris par sa gentillesse. La pièce de son frère est des plus splendides!

[@AnjaHuebel1]

Our organist Stephen Brown of St. Catherine's Church, Stuttgart, delighted us with this piece as a postlude this morning.

[@klausdreams4275]

Thank you Renaissance! 😍🇬🇧

[@davidleach1592]

One of the greatest french organ show stoppers I've ever heard. Amazing footage from his sister and Jehan, what a waste of a life. God bless both.

[@classicaldeb]

You mean too short a life, not a wasted one?

[@davidleach1592]

It’s a tragic waste of a talented artist. We will never know what he could have gone on to produce because his life was cut short in WW2

[@sidpheasant7585]

He died for his country struggling against a hideous and evil and merciless enemy. A sad, sad loss surely, but not a waste.

[@taster8588]

Best Performance i've ever heard...

[@jacoboVE_Cultura]

Sin duda la mejor a mi entender organista de todos los tiempos Marie Claire. 💖⚘⚘⚘

[@reynadeguanaquitoencanada]

WoOoO impresionante 😲 Caricias al piano 🎹 para sacar ese aire en música 🎶 Un conjunto de acordes muy bien coordinado. Me falta oído músical para entender sus notas. Felicitaciones 👏

[@jacoboVE_Cultura]

@@reynadeguanaquitoencanada La mejor organista femenina del mundo ya fallecida Marie Claire Alain, francesa. 💖⚘

[@uwe1941]

Es war eines der Werke, die ich zum Abschluß-Examen meines Musikstudiums in München gespielt habe - lang, sehr lang ist es her.

[@danielpetrarch847]

This video brought tears of joy to my eyes! RIP Marie-Claire!

[@joshuaschaeffer8327]

just simply outstanding.

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

Joshua Schaeffer I agree!!!!

[@JorgeTapiadelCampo]

..." The world-famous French organist Marie-Claire Alain (died february 26th, 2013 at the age of 86) plays Litanies by her brother HER FATHER Jehan Alain (1911-1940) on the great organ of the Hofkirche in Luzern, Switzerland. "... THANKS for give us this SUPER video Î Î Î

[@FromHolbergsTime]

A spectacular version of this evocative and powerful composition, vibrantly recorded and splendidly performed! Glenn

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

FromHolbergsTime This is absolutely true!!!!

[@tww1491]

Amazing! She is playing this memory. Fantastic rendition.

[@keithmansell206]

Mary-Claire Alain was and is still the greatest email organist even now,and I only wish that I had heard her live Keith John Mansell. England.

[@gerardbegni2806]

A very great rendition. A very great piece.

[@jmdujardin]

un très bel hommage rendu ce 1er mars 2013, 3 jours après le décès de Marie-Claire Alain, à cette très grande dame française de l'orgue, et à son frère Jehan prématurément décédé à la guerre ; Marie-Claire, isuue d'une grande famille de musiciens, a pris le relais de son frère. La famille Alain avait ses entrées à l'abbaye de Valloire , dans le val d'Authie, département de la Somme et y jouait de son très bel orgue. Jehan a d'ailleurs composé une pièce dédiée à cette belle abbaye. Je dois beaucoup à Marie Claire Alain pour avoir activé ma passion pour l'orgue, avec 2 disques 33T "cultes" , chez Erato, couvertures jaune et verte : les concertos pour Orgue de G.F. Haendel. Voilà, je m'associe à cet hommage à Marie-Claire ...et à Hehan Alain, et derrière à cette grande famille Alain férue de musique et d'orgue. Merci à vous !

[@TheB3Nut]

She was on fire...this has to be the best performance of this piece I've ever heard. She recorded a really good one at St. Sulpice years ago, too...

[@noahschuh9221]

You should listen to the song running hard by the band renaissance

[@amber40494]

By memory too

[@akelofgren9468]

The best thing to be a composer, you set the roles, never comparing or do as others

[@jmlec7817]

I have had the pleasure to meet her several times. she was a very nice lady. Long time ago time, my organ teacher was one of his students..and they kept very close friends. So that when she died, her daugther accepted that her personal rehearsal pipe organ was baught by the conservatory of music where my master was teaching. So now the all organ class has the opportunity to play it .

[@chrisbrosnahan9393]

One of my favorite French organ pieces since I first heard it play by E power Biggs in the late 60s

[@raphaelwebe7888]

Je vous souhaite d'être dans ce paradis auquel on aspire tous, avec votre cher frère disparu....

[@Peter-vc3zh]

Was Sie uns schenken , ist gewaltig ! Danke ist zu wenig .

[@DanJTWebb]

Absolutely sublime. So good.

[@yfrontsguy]

One of the most moving & beautiful compositions ever for organ. And exquisitely played by Mme Alain. I had the privilege of hearing her play this and many other works several times at The Royal Festival Hall in London some years ago.

[@Yolre]

Although Jean is Marie's older brother by 15 years, he is said to have liked her very much. From those good memories from my childhood, I can't help but play better than anyone else, as Marie is part of my family.

[@sidpheasant7585]

God bless you all!

[@michelbellin398]

Une magnifique pyrotechnie ! Interprétation très inspirée de Marie-Claire. Maudite guerre qui a fauché le grand Jehan son frère, si jeune, si vaillant… Bravo et merci aux deux musiciens.

[@Mezzotenor]

We are richer for Jehan Alain's music, what little of it we could get in his tragically short life, and lucky that his sister Marie-Claire, the organ virtuoso, has left us an authoritative record of how to play it. This piece is DIFFICULT to play - the left hand part from 3:04 to 3:12 is a graveyard for even the best players - and she just nails it. Nothing more to say.

[@WoodymC]

Watched that fast left hand passage over and over... HOLY SHIT!! :)

[@crazyorganist1609]

She Jehan Alain Sister

[@stearmankc]

Exactly...it is the effect, not really the notes that count here!

[@karlrovey]

Pretty sure she said if you play the notes perfectly, you're not playing them fast enough for that section.

[@TurtleFL]

The great thing about being the composer's sister is she can play that piece any way she likes and say "This is how my brother played it!" :->

[@TurtleFL]

Kidding aside, a truly great organist.

[@merillaccharlotte7106]

Merci notre grande Dame de l'orgue Français !!!

[@louannerber632]

Dear Lord! So Majestic!

[@mdd4567]

Magistralement interprété ! Grand respect pour Marie-Claire Alain.

[@charlesdavis5802]

Best version I've every heard. In a word "Definitive." Thank you KZbin for this post. Sent with love. CVD

[@alanbarthel1611]

C'est magnifique!

[@tommorris3688]

A most authentic performance. Thank you.

[@daveflanagan5723]

Superb!

[@peterbargmann7341]

Heard Marie-Claire Alain play this at 1st Presbyterian in Dallas, Texas... An instrument she woke from a deep slumber, and to which it has returned.

[@peteacher52]

I agree entirely, and couldn't have said better.

[@StefanoGiancarli]

WOW!

[@mdd4567]

Grandiose !!

[@cochetisabelle75]

Entièrement d'accord avec vous! Le frère de mon père était en classe avec lui et l'admirait beaucoup, bien que simple mélomane.

[@albertpeckham8708]

Merci Madame. C'est manifique!

[@joshuaschaeffer8327]

it's not dying. We're here.

[@jgdmlw]

THis is one of my favorite organ pieces

[@cedricschnyder]

Quelle grande Dame nous a quitté...

[@fbridge]

Powerful stuff...

[@dariogiorgiutti9418]

I see 59 "dislikes". But how can anywone dislike this video??? Marie Claire Alain playing Litanies is not questionable at all! Come on, explain your reason, if you have one!! Phrasing, articulation, stops, tempo, everything here is simply as it should be! But I see many people have the same problem with their own videos (me as well): someone puts dislikes without leaving comments to explain why - probably because there is nothing to complain about! ...poor envious cowards!

[@lordprotector3367]

I must admit 'Running Hard' by Renaissance brought me hear, years ago.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

The passage of time is visible to me There is time when I can see eternity I am a wanderer through time Someday , somewhere I will meet Marie Claire

[@albertpeckham8708]

It is the benchmark for all of those who come after her!

[@Longwood29000]

Mir gefällt das Tempo extrem gut. Sehr schön.

[@ulrichsteiger757]

….Nicht nur das Tempo ist extrem gut!!! Eine bessere Interpretation von der Litanies habe ich in den letzten 100 Jahren bis heute nicht gehört!!!…

[@lennekenitert2016]

Absolutely genius

[@MartinSmithMFM]

Listening to it again, it is lively, because the organ is modern and has a light tracker action and a German romantic sound, not a French one at all. She shows us quite how the puzzling meters can work together, and there is a freedom in this piece which I have never heard anywhere else. I yearn for someone to record 'Invocatio per organo' by Hans Eklund - which has something of the same flavour.

[@mdd4567]

Quelle brillance et quelle limpidité dans son jeu !! J'adore !!

[@camilloflaim8933]

These it' s one of more important video of the music for organ solo not only for the music of family Alain but to for the organ old but restored on Swiss. It's like one document of the music for organ of XX siecle. One other video of music of France it' s the Toccata op.5 Durufle' played by heart from Olga Zuhkova. BRAVO to 2 organists Excellent. It's important on witch organ they play the music.

[@famvelval]

Extraordinaria Organista, Lástima por su muerte . Música clásica en órgano es pura música celestial.

[@thetenor1000]

I know it's dangerous to suggest that any performance of a piece of music is the 'definitive' one however, this surely comes as close as possible to being THE performance of this wonderful and rightly famous work. Absolutely fabulous stuff. RIP M-CA & of course to JA himself.

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

Nick Warner Exactly as I see it!!!!

[@Jarvis2many]

The greatest

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

Jarvis Nash Truly!!!!

[@danielgracely355]

This powerful piece always gives me the shivers, especially when the pedal tones come in toward the end. Unforgettable.

[@TheManunderwater]

I cannot speak with authority as I'm not an organist but I also love this piece which is so powerful and have 5 different recordings. However, I find this performance rather frantic - as if the organist is trying to get the last train home. Just my taste.

[@jamesanthony8997]

C'est bon, magnificent! Whatever age.!

[@hansbeestman7460]

Is nog steeds prachtig Hans

[@DocSonix]

This is the heavy metal of the early 20th century. This is gold.

[@starwarez73]

Amazing!!

[@jaybruz.5688]

Sounds like the epic intro to "when the music's over" by the Doors.

[@TheGamingMotionTGM]

Don't you mean "light my fire"?

[@dissilymordentroge5818]

Possibly the first performance of a work you hear sets in mind a feeling it’s the only proper way to approach a piece. Whatever the explanation I can’t go past this rendition and I keep searching for others the may just happen to improve on this but to no avail.

[@X2O8MZV9]

one of the best versions. what a great organist

[@denniserrolhawley2762]

X2O8MZV9 This is absolutely true!!!!

[@organbuilder272]

What a work. How sad this man's life was wasted in such a useless endeavor as war. What would he have given the world had he lived another 60 years. How fitting that his Sister should bring this music to life. Then how strange that a new organ with electric combination action, should have all the pistons on the bottom manual when the organists of Europe use the 2nd and 3rd manual . You have to take you hands occ the keys in order to operate the pistons. I wander what has happened to the use of common sense in the current batch of organ builders. The new technology is put into the consoles as an after-though and without any real practical considerations. Of course, these organs are built for countries that have for many years had organs requiring at least one registrant to manipulate the stops while the organ was played. Pistons make little difference when you are used to assistants to change the registration. How practical the American builders. Thanks to Casavant, who invented the first adjustable combination action.