‘L’année liturgique israëlite’ (Musique commerciale) AWV 85, 1938

The only recording of Jehan Alain playing the organ is of this selection of melodies that represent the Jewish liturgical year. Alain weaves these together using an improvisatory style. A manuscript sketch of the work also exists (T13 – Association Jehan Alain). This corresponds to the recording up until the final section.

Marie-Claire Alain has revised and arranged a score, published by Leduc (1993) which fills out the harmonies and provides a stylistically appropriate ending. For this, Marie-Claire used both the 1938 recording and the manuscript sketch.

It is a moving experience to hear Alain loudly managing the stops of the organ in the original recording which he made in 1938 and which was pressed onto 78 rpm discs by the firm Rinaphone. He used the organ in the Synagogue de la rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth in Paris where he was organist from 1935.

The organ in the Synagogue de la rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth is a modest two-manual instrument built by an unknown builder in the late 19th century. It consists of:
Grande-Orgue : Bourdon 16, Montre 8, Bourdon 8, Prestant 4, Doublette 2
Récit: Bourdon 8, Gambe 8, Trompette 8, Clarion 4
Pédale: Soubasse 16, Flute 8

Alain’s subheading ‘Musique commerciale’ seems to indicate that it came into being from a request and is not to be seen as an original work. In her preface to the 1993 edition, Marie-Claire wrote ‘le sous-titre de «musique commerciale» indiquant qu’il s’agissait d’une commande et non d’une œuvre originale’. For some reason, Jehan signs his manuscript ‘jahon Alsin’. Jahon is a Hebraic version of the French Jehan or English John and Alsin is a rare Swedish surname…

Seasons represented in the piece follow the order of Pesach (first day of Passover), Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), Purin (celebration of Esther), Rosch ha-Shannah (Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Succoth (first day of Tabernacles), Hanukkah (rededication of the second Temple) and a repeat of the pastoral theme for Pesach.