Course 19

Course 19: Olivier Latry: The young Messiaen, the young Alain

Jehan Alain represents a unique sound in the pre-war French organ world. Like Messiaen, he was interested in Eastern sounds, but he used a freer, more improvisatory idiom than his contemporary, three years older. We can only guess at what Alain might have composed; his short life came to a dramatic end during the first months of the Second World War.
Olivier Latry knows both Alain's and Messiaen's works like no other and is able to unlock the secrets behind them.
After his appointment as organist at Notre-Dame - Olivier Latry was only 23 years old at the time - he was organ teacher at the Paris Conservatoire from 1995, where he became a trainer of a large number of French organists. As a concert organist and improviser he performs all over the world. As one of the most important French organists of his generation, Latry sees himself as an ambassador of French organ music of the past four centuries. He made several CDs and recorded, among other things, Messiaen's complete organ works.

Repertoire:

Jehan Alain: Complete works
Olivier Messiaen, pre-war compositions:
· Le Banquet céleste
· L'Ascension
· La Nativité du Seigneur
· Les Corps glorieux