Olivier Georges Alain (3 August 1918 – 28 February 1994) was a French

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

and

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 ...

Life

Alain was born in

Saint-Germain-en-Laye Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the centre of Paris. Inhabitants are called ''Saint-Germanois'' or ''Saint-Ge ...

, near

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, into a musical family. His father was the organist and composer

Albert Alain Albert Paul Alain (1 March 1880 – 15 October 1971) was a 20th-century French organist and composer. Biography Born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Clarisse-Alphonsine Fouquet (born 1859) and Paul François Alain (born 1851), he entered in adult ...

(1880–1971), as well as his elder brother

Jehan Alain Jehan-Aristide Paul Alain (; 3 February 1911 – 20 June 1940) was a French organist, composer, and soldier. Born into a family of musicians, he learned the organ from his father and a host of other teachers, becoming a composer at 18, and compo ...

(1911–1940), and his younger sister, French organist

Marie-Claire Marie-Claire is a given name. It is a combination of the names Marie and Claire, which are both of French origin. It may refer to: *Marie-Claire Alain (1926–2013), organist and organ teacher * Marie-Claire Baldenweg (born 1954), contemporary art ...

(1926–2013). He studied at the

Paris Conservatory The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

, where he received first prizes in composition (1951, class of

Tony Aubin Tony Louis Alexandre Aubin (8 December 1907 – 21 September 1981) was a French composer. Career Aubin was born in Paris. From 1925 to 1930, he studied at the Paris Conservatory under Samuel Rousseau (composer), Samuel Rousseau (music theory), ...

) and musical analysis (1950, class of

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist who was one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex; harmonically ...

). In 1950, he became director of the conservatory in

, where he worked until 1964. From 1960-1974, he served as director of the

École César Franck The École César-Franck (César Franck School, named after César Franck) was a music school founded in Paris in January 1935 by Guy de Lioncourt, Louis de Serres, Pierre de Bréville and Marcel Labey. It was produced by a split from the Schola Ca ...

in Paris, and in 1976 founded the Conservatoire National de Région in Paris, whose director he was until 1985, and where he taught classes in musical analysis and chamber music. His notable students include composers

Alain Gagnon Alain Gagnon (22 May 1938 − 26 March 2017) was a Canadian composer and music educator based in Laval, Quebec. His compositions have been performed by ensembles throughout Canada. Early life and education Gagnon was born in Trois-Pistoles, Queb ...

. Alain's catalog of musical compositions contains almost 170 compositions of various genres, most of which are still unpublished. He also published a book on harmony (Paris, 1965) and a monograph on

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

(Paris, 1970). His comprehensive chronology and analysis of the life and complete works of J. S. Bach is still unpublished. His discovery of the 14 Canons on the first 8 fundamental notes of the aria from the Goldberg Variations (BWV 1087) in

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

in 1974 is often regarded as one of the greatest Bach-source finds of the 20th century. He died in 1994 in

Férolles-Attilly Férolles-Attilly () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Demographics Inhabitants of Férolles-Attilly are called ''Férollais''. See also *Communes of the Seine-et-Marne departmen ...

.Register of deceased person
/ref>

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 (Deuils)'' op. 167 for Piano and Organ (1982. Sampzon: Édition Delatour France) * 12 more unpublished chamber music works

Choral works

* ''Lucis Creator optimae'' op. 55 for Choir and Organ (1939. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France) * ''Petrus quidem'' op. 76 for Choir a capella (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 Choir a capella (1943. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France) * ''Cibavit eos'' op. 88 for Choir a capella (1944. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France) * ''3 Repons du Vendredi Saint'' op. 136-138 for Choir a capella (1951. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France) * ''3 Repons du Jeudi Saint'' op. 139-141 for Choir a capella (1952. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France) * ''3 Déplorations: Repons du Samedi Saint'' op. 145-147 for voice and keyboard (1954. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France) * 15 more unpublished choral compositions

Piano solo

* ''Intermezzo'' op. 162 (1964. Paris: Éditions Choudens) * 47 more unpublished piano compositions

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)

Voice and piano

* ''Stances du Banquet'' (Sponde) op. 79 (1944. Sampzon: Éditions Delatour France) * 41 more unpublished works for voice and piano

Miscellaneous works

* ''Tristan'' op. 89. Ballet music in twelve scenes (1945, unpublished) * ''La Samaritaine'' op. 90. Stage Music in five 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 twelve 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 pour le 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): "Hommage à Olivier Alain." In ''Association Maurice & Marie-Madeleine Duruflé: Bulletin'' Nos. 7-8 (2007–2008): 99-101. * Alain, Olivier (1951): "L'œuvre pour piano de Jehan Alain." In ''Le Conservatoire'' 14 (January 1951): 59-62. * Alain, Olivier (1951): "Le Reqiem de Maurice Duruflé." In ''Le Conservatoire'' 14 (January 1951): 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 artiste déchiré entre ses passions." In ''Association Maurice & Marie-Madeleine Duruflé: Bulletin'' Nos. 7-8 (2007–2008): 106-111. * Guillard, Georges (2008): "Olivier Alain: Passeur et accoucheur de musiciens." In ''Association Maurice & Marie-Madeleine Duruflé: Bulletin'' Nos. 7-8 (2007–2008): 102-105.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alain, Olivier 1918 births 1994 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century French male classical pianists 20th-century French composers 20th-century French conductors (music) 20th-century French musicologists 20th-century organists Composers for pipe organ Conservatoire de Paris alumni French choral conductors French classical composers French classical organists French composers of sacred music French male classical composers French male conductors (music) French male organists People from Saint-Germain-en-Laye Male classical organists