Composer

:

Jehan Alain

Genre

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1935

Publication Date

:

2000

Average_duration

:

4:28

Jehan Alain was a French composer and organist who lived from 1911 to 1940. He was known for his innovative and expressive compositions, which combined elements of traditional French music with modernist techniques. One of his most famous works is the "Prélude et fugue, JA 87a," which was composed in 1937. The "Prélude et fugue, JA 87a" is a two-movement work for organ. The first movement, the prelude, is marked "modéré" (moderate) and is in a loose ABA form. The opening section features a flowing melody in the right hand, accompanied by a simple chordal pattern in the left hand. This melody is then repeated in a higher register, with a more complex accompaniment. The middle section of the prelude is more agitated, with a faster tempo and more dissonant harmonies. The opening melody returns at the end of the prelude, but with a more elaborate and virtuosic treatment. The second movement, the fugue, is marked "animé" (animated) and is in a strict three-voice fugue form. The subject of the fugue is a lively and rhythmic melody that is introduced in the pedal. The other voices enter in turn, with the subject being developed and varied throughout the fugue. Alain uses a variety of techniques to create interest and tension in the fugue, including stretto (overlapping entrances of the subject) and inversion (playing the subject upside down). Overall, the "Prélude et fugue, JA 87a" is a highly expressive and virtuosic work that showcases Alain's skill as a composer and organist. The work premiered in 1938 at the Église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet in Paris, and has since become a staple of the organ repertoire.

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