Olivier Alain

Olivier Alain (born August 3, 1918 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye , † February 28, 1994 in Paris ) was a French organist , pianist , musicologist and composer .

Life

Olivier Alain comes from a family of musicians in Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris. His father was the composer and organist Albert Alain, his siblings the composer and organist Jehan Alain and the concert organist Marie-Claire Alain . Olivier studied at the Conservatoire de Paris , where he received first prizes in composition (1951, class of Tony Aubin ) and analysis (1950, class of Olivier Messiaen ).

In 1950 he was appointed director of the Conservatory in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where he worked until 1964. 1960–1974 he was director of the École César Franck in Paris, and on the initiative of Marcel Landowski he founded the Conservatoire National de Région in Paris in 1976 , which he directed until 1985, where he also taught analysis and chamber music.

Olivier Alain's diverse catalog raisonné includes around 170 compositions, the majority of which have not yet been published. In addition, he wrote a theory of harmony that was published in Paris in 1965, as well as a monograph on Johann Sebastian Bach (1970). A comprehensive chronology and analysis of Bach's life and oeuvre has not yet been published. His discovery of the various canons on the first eight fundamental notes of the aria from the “Goldberg Variations” (BWV 1087) in Strasbourg in 1974 is one of the most important sources of Bach research in the 20th century.

Compositions

Organ solo

• Chanson de la brume en mer op.64 (1940. Ligugé: Éditions Europart)
• Suite op.135 (1951. Paris: Leduc)
• Lacrymae op.150 (1957. Paris: Éditions Schola Cantorum)
• Prélude-Introït-Récitatif op.158 (1959: Paris: Éditions Schola Cantorum)
• Offertoire-Fantaisie op.160 (1961: Paris: Éditions Schola Cantorum)
• Récit pour l'Élévation op.161 (1962: Paris: Éditions Schola Cantorum)
• Microludes op.166 (1981. Ligugé: Éditions Europart)

Chamber music

• Dithyrambe op.18 for oboe and piano or trumpet, flute and organ (1936. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Sicilienne op.24 for piano, flute and organ (1937. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Divertissement (nocturne) op.73 for flute and piano or organ (1942. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Ritournelle op.74 for oboe and piano or flute, violin and organ (1943. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Suite op. 98 for violin and piano (1945–47. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• String Quartet op.123 (1949. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Aventure op.144 for flute and organ (1953. Paris: Salabert)
• Suite française: Suite pour Rameau op.163 for trumpet and organ or flute and organ (1964. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Ballade op.163b for piano and organ (1948. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Songe ou Souvenances (Mneïa) op.164 for oboe and organ or flute and organ (1973. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Threnos op. 167 for piano and organ (1982. Sampzon: Édition Delatour France)
• 12 other unpublished chamber music works

Choral music

• Lucis Creator optimae op.55 for choir and organ (1939. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Petrus quidem op.76 for a cappella choir (1943. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Jesu, dulcis amor meus op.77 for choir, soloists and organ (1943. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Noël: Allons, ma voisine op.78 for a cappella choir (1943. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• Cibavit eos op.88 for a cappella choir (1944. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• 3 Repons du Vendredi Saint op. 136-138 for a cappella choir (1951. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• 3 Repons du Jeudi Saint op. 139–141 for a cappella choir (1952. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• 3 Déplorations: Repons du Samedi Saint op. 145–147 for voice and keyboard instrument (1954. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• 15 other unpublished choral works

Piano solo

• Intermezzo op.162 (1964. Paris: Éditions Choudens)
• 47 other unpublished piano works

Two pianos

• Première Ballade op.69 in E minor (1942, unpublished)
• Deuxième Ballade op.75 in A flat major (1943, unpublished)
• 4 Danses op.112 (1948, unpublished)
• 5 Pièces op.112a (1948, unpublished)

Singing and piano

• Stances du Banquet (Sponde) op.79 (1944. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France)
• 41 other unpublished compositions for voice and piano

Other works

• Tristan op.89.Ballet music in 12 scenes (1945, unpublished)
• La Samaritaine op.90. Incidental music in 5 scenes for oboe, harp and strings (1945, unpublished)
• Symphonie Argentière op.124 for orchestra (1949, unpublished)
• Chant funèbre pour les morts en montagne op.133.Oratorio in 12 scenes for soloists, choir and orchestra (1950, unpublished)
• L'Athlète aux mains nues op.134.Music for a film by Daniel Rops (1950, unpublished)
• Henri IV op.142.Film music (1952, unpublished)
• Fantaisies for the CNR Nos. 1 et 2 op. 165 for various instruments (1977. Sampzon: Édition Delatour France)
• Odoï op.168 for orchestra (1983, unpublished)

bibliography

• Alain, Marie-Claire (2008). "Homage to Olivier Alain." In: Association Maurice & Marie-Madeleine Duruflé: Bulletin No. 7-8 (2007-2008), pp. 99-101.
• Alain, Olivier (1951). "L'œuvre pour piano de Jehan Alain." In Le Conservatoire No. 14 (January 1951), pp. 59-62.
• Alain, Olivier (1951). "Le Requiem de Maurice Duruflé." In Le Conservatoire No. 14 (January 1951), pp. 62-64.
• Alain, Olivier (1956). "Maurice Duruflé, Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris." In Le Figaro , 1124 (December 1956).
• Decourt, Aurélie (2008). "Olivier Alain: Un artist déchiré entre ses passions." In: Association Maurice & Marie-Madeleine Duruflé: Bulletin No. 7–8 (2007–2008), pp. 106–111.
• Guillard, Georges (2008). "Olivier Alain: Passeur et accoucheur de musiciens." In: Association Maurice & Marie-Madeleine Duruflé: Bulletin No. 7-8 (2007-2008), pp. 102-105.