Alfred Desenclos (7 February 1912 – 3 March 1971) was a French
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
of (modern) classical music. Desenclos was a self-described "romantic" whose music is highly expressive and atmospheric and rooted in rigorous compositional technique.
To support his large family (he was one of ten children), Desenclos had to renounce continuing his general studies and work as an industrial designer in the textile industry until the age of 20, but in 1929, he entered the Conservatory in Roubaix, France, to study piano. Until that time, he had played only as an amateur. He was admitted to the Conservatoire de Paris in 1932, where he won prizes in fugue, harmony, composition and accompaniment, supporting himself by fulfilling the role of 'maître de chapelle' (
Kapellmeister
(, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...
) the music to the film '' The Blue Veil''.
Desenclos was the director of his alma mater, the Conservatoire de Roubaix, from 1943 to 1950 (where one of his pupils was film-maker
Claude Chabrol
Claude Henri Jean Chabrol (; 24 June 1930 – 12 September 2010) was a French film director and a member of the French New Wave (''nouvelle vague'') group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s. Like his colleagues an ...
's favourite composer
Pierre Jansen
Pierre Georges Cornil Jansen (28 February 1930 – 13 August 2015 at Saint-Pierre-Saint-Jean) was a French film scores composer. He was in particular the permanent collaborator of Claude Chabrol for whom he composed the music for many films.
Li ...
) and taught harmony at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1967 to his death at the age of 59.
Desenclos's ''Messe de requiem'' was written in 1963 and published by Durand et Fils in 1967. In 1999, the piece was reprinted under the name of Atlanta-based composer Tristan Foison. Foison's mass was given its "American premiere" on 18 May 1999 in a performance by the
Capitol Hill Chorale
The Capitol Hill Chorale is a 100-voice volunteer mixed choir with members throughout the Capitol Hill and Washington, DC metropolitan area.
; soon after, the piece was discovered to be a note-for-note duplicate of Desenclos's.
The oeuvre of Alfred Desenclos, most of which was little-known outside the world of liturgic music during his lifetime, has enjoyed a strong revival in the concert hall and the recording studio over the last two decades, his 'Quatuor de saxophones' in particular establishing itself in the 20th century chamber music repertoire.
Alfred Desenclos's son
(1961-) is an instrumentist who has performed internationally and currently is the organist at the Chapelle Royale of the
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...
*Aria & Rondo ''(double bass and piano)''
*Bucoliques (flute and piano)
*Cantilène et divertissements ( French horn and piano)
*Fantaisie (
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
and piano)
**In 1997, this piece was arranged for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra by Russell Peterson
**In 1999, this piece was arranged for Alto Saxophone and Winds by Donald Patterson and performed by Miles Smith with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band. The arrangement is available for rental from Theodore Presser Company.
***in 2007, this piece was arranged for Alto Saxophone and small wind band by the Dutch saxophone player Karl Veen. However, the ensemble parts of this edition contain mistakes.
*Quatuor (saxophone quartet)
*Salve Regina (SATB chorus)
*Suite breve (piano solo)
, direction, Les Elements: ''Desenclos: Requiem'' (
Éditions Hortus Éditions Hortus is an independent French disk label, offering largely unknown songs and works for the organ in addition to contemporary compositions. Specialised in organ and choir music, it has in particular presented disks recorded at the Notre ...