Choral dorien was first published alongside Choral phrygien in 1938 by H. Hérelle & Cie., Paris. It was first performed in early 1936 by the American organist Virgine Bianchini (dedicatee of Litanies) in the Organ Hall of the former Paris Conservatoire building, Rue-Bergère.
Alain included some brief performance instructions in the manuscript. For the Choral dorien – ‘No metrical rigidity is required in regard to this entire piece. Nevertheless, refrain from even slightly prolonging the measures marked by this little reminder: (*)’. The sign does not appear in the published score.
The first recording of Choral dorien was made in 1948 by André Marchal in the church of Saint-Eustache, Paris. The recording lasted
3:56 minutes. Alain’s timing is
2:30 (‘in dry acoustics’). Marchal later revised his recording in 1957 on the same organ which lasted
2:55. Marie-Claire’s recordings range from between
4:00 to
4:45 minutes.
Choral dorien is dedicated to Father Michel Daumer who was professor of Physics, organist and choirmaster at the school of Saint-Jean-de-Béthune in Versailles where Alain studied Latin and Greek for a year in 1926/7. At Fr. Daumer’s request, Alain gave him harmony and counterpoint lessons and they worked together with the choir, Alain accompanying. The dedication reads, ‘in token of my very respectful friendship’.
An organ student of Alain’s, Father Jean Sarrazin (1938/9) wrote, ‘I studied with him the two Chorals dorien and phrygien… I played them several times, but I really felt that this did not please him. It was difficult for me to enter into his mysticism. I wanted to dodge numerous frictions when I should have emphasised them'. [He mentions the opening E minor chord over pedal F natural which he at first tried to avoid but 'should have brought out'].
A very rare opportunity to use the Voix celeste stop is given by Alain for the last two bars, ‘only if it is very soft’ .
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