Suite Monodique AWV 65, 1934

The piano score is dated 1935. The first performance was given by the composer during a concert organised by 'Les Amis de la Jeune France' on 24 February 1939 in the home of the Sommiers, Paris. Published with Marguerite Evain’s financial help in 1938 by Hérelle. This was his Alain’s first published work, and he dedicated it to Evain.
The piano tryptique was influenced by his composition teacher, Paul Dukas. Alain wrote to Evain, ‘it is indeed this work which I consider to be the most characteristic and the most well-done, worthy for making my appearance in the piano world’.

1. 'Animato'
A folio of around forty original manuscripts, owned by Lola Bluhm, were acquired by Helga Schauerte-Maubouet in 1987. Among them was the organ version of this movement entitled 'Monodie pour Orgue'. This title was crossed out and replaced with '1ère Pièce Animato de la Suite monodique p[ou]r piano'. It is therefore thought that this movement was firstly an organ piece which became transcribed for piano when joined with the other two piano movements. The original organ version was edited by Helga Schauerte-Maubouet and published by Bärenreiter in 2011.

2. 'Andante'
This is a transcription by Alain himself of the second movement, ‘Adagio molto rubato’ from the piano triptych. The movement was published by Universal Edition in 1980 as the third piece in ‘Jehan Alain - Quatre Œuvres pour Orgue’.

3. 'Vivace'
Any original organ transcription by Alain has been lost or did not exist. The movement has been transcribed from the piano score by Helga Schauerte-Maubouet and published by Bärenreiter in 2011. Registrations and styles in the 2011 Bärenreiter edition are based on those found in the first movement 'Animato'.