Langlais, Jean (1946): Fête en mi majeur, op. 51 - Christopher Young

Dr. Christopher Young, organ professor of the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University, plays "Fête" by Jean François-Hyacinthe Langlais III (1907-1991), French composer and organist, at the dedication of the Maidee Seward Organ of Auer Hall. Called "Festival" in English, the piece was written to commemorate the first anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
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ABOUT THE COMPOSER:
Born on February 15, 1907, in La Fontenelle, Brittany, France, a small village near by the Mont Saint-Michel, Jean Langlais became blind from the age of two.
Sent to the Paris National Institute for the Young Blind in 1918, he studied piano, violon, harmony and organ with great blind teachers among other Albert Mahaut and Andre Marchal.
Later, he entered the Paris National Conservatory of Music in Marcel Dupre organ class, obtaining a First Prize in 1930. In 1931, he received the “Grand Prix d’Execution et Improvisation des Amis de l’Orgue”, after having studied improvisation with Charles Tournemire. He ended his studies with a Composition Prize in Paul Dukas class at the Paris Conservatory in 1934.
Professor for forty years at the National Institute for the Young Blind, he also taught at the Paris Schola Cantorum where, between 1961 and 1976, he influenced both french and foreign students.
In 1945, he became the successor to Cesar Franck and Charles Tournemire at the prestigious organ tribune of Sainte-Clotilde in Paris. He left that position in 1987 at the age of 80, having been titular for 42 years.
A great recitalist, he played more than 300 concerts in North America. A prolific composer, his catalog of works comprises 254 opus numbers (organ, vocal and instrumental music).
Jean Langlais died in Paris, on May 8, 1991, at the age of 84.
ABOUT THE PERFORMER:
A native of New England, Christopher Young is the winner of the 1988 National Young Artists Competition (NYACOP) of the American Guild of Organists and the 1988 Arthur Poister Competition (Syracuse University). He was also recognized by Musical America as one of their outstanding Young Artists of 1989. His concert career began under the auspices of a special young artist program provided by Karen McFarlane Artists, and continued under the Young Organists Cooperative, of which he was a co-director until 1993. (jeanlanglais.com)
Dr. Young has been a featured artist at national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists. He has been heard as a featured performer on American Public Media's "Pipedreams" and has appeared in concert with the Rochester (MN) Chamber Chorale, the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony and with his wife, violinist Brenda Brenner. His compact disc, "To Thee All Angels Cry Aloud," was released on the Pro Organo label.
In addition to concertizing, Young presents master classes, workshops, and lectures. He has given classes and performances at several church music clinics, including the Montreat Conference on Music and Worship, the St. Olaf Conference on Music and Theology, and the national convention of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. He has presented at several AGO National Pedagogy Conferences, as well national and regional conventions of the AGO.
Several presentations have focused on electronic media, including a virtual tour of North German Organs, interactive analyses of organ music, and the theoretical underpinnings to the organ music of Olivier Messiaen. Dr. Young serves as organist of First Presbyterian Church, Bloomington.
Dr. Young began organ lessons under the tutelage of Marion Anderson while a freshman at Bates College in Lewiston, ME, where, in 1982 he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with High Honors in Music. A graduate of The Eastman School of Music, he earned the MM and DMA degrees and the prestigious Performer's Certificate under David Craighead and Russell Saunders. (IU)

[@kempedkemp]

Nothing less than FANTASTIC! We love you here on Lake Ontario NY Professor Young!

[@joespeciale5875]

Great performance, Dr. Christopher Young. Thank you.

[@10jpmorgan]

Wow! I've never heard of this composer before. A refreshing, fascinating piece, and an excellent performance!

[@user-nk5jb8dj1s]

Quelle virtuosité. Et, quel orgue ! Voilà une oeuvre magnifique, digne de Stravinsky par moment, œuvre jamais jouée en concert ! Du très grand Langlais.

[@user-nk5jb8dj1s]

@@chronochromie772
Je veux dire que cette œuvre ne figure pas au répertoire des grands virtuoses français de l'orgue, et que c'est vraiment dommage.

[@RalphLooij]

Terrific!

[@joespeciale5875]

Ah: a 2008 Fisk installation: That is why the reeds are so clear and bright, and the mixtures equally so-but not piercing and scratchy. Sometimes a lost art in American organ building.

[@ericgarner6175]

What organ is this?

[@chronochromie772]

It is described in the description: 'the Maidee Seward Organ of Auer Hall' (Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA).

[@Durufle68]

@@ericgarner6175 infromation listed above

[@eremitaorgao]

excellent

[@joespeciale5875]

Great piece: not heard enough in general performance.

[@uglyyidochae4711]

Good piece
LEnglish

[@BostonBum15]

Opening sounds like the Chicken Dance, no?

[@BostonBum15]

@@chronochromie772 From the American youth song and dance tradition which has been engrained in many children in the USA which reminded me that the first 3 bars here are very chicken dance-esque

[@Jude1017]

@@BostonBum15 haha! Now I can’t un-hear it! Somewhat true! But it’s a marvelous piece, nonetheless. I play it, but slowed it down a little. At this recorded tempo (this organist is amazing btw), it can sound on the silly side.

[@sbareg]

@@BostonBum15 hum there's something in the rythm at the beginning, yes... But that's not the only thing you will remember from this piece, I hope 😅😅😅

[@davidminton5176]

The rhythm sequence is pretty much the same, but the "accent" is on slightly different beats, but yeah, I can definitely "hear" the chicken dance (or duck dance, depending on where one is from!).

[@lylecohen1638]

I thought the exact same thing!

[@yagiz885]

dankest organ piece ever

[@yagiz885]

4:52 now this is art

[@TheOneAndOnlyZeno1889]

Danks for the video le' Chronochromie

[@Hoe1963]

Too fast

[@chronochromie772]

Do you prefer Stamm's interpretation?

[@Durufle68]

it's a matter of prefernce, but it's fast and clean playing