French organist, composer, and great teacher Marie-Claire Alain, often referred to as the “First Lady of the Organ,” was born on August 10, 1926 in a western suburb of Paris, France called Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
She is known for her prolific work with the organ, having over 260 organ recordings, including multiple renditions of the complete organ works of J.S. Bach and her own compositions.
In an article for the British journal The Organ, she commented on recording Bach, “It’s because of the instruments, the instruments above everything else, and the fine state to which they have been restored—and the fact that they are now accessible. These recordings use instruments from Bach’s time, and we know that Bach even played some of them—it’s an extraordinary feeling, to put your hands on the keyboard, knowing that he was there 250 years before you!”
In this video, Marie-Claire Alain discusses the happiness and challenges from playing the organ.
