Marie-Claire Alain

Marie-Claire Alain (born August 10, 1926) is a French organist and organ teacher best known for her prolific recording career. She is particularly known for her ability to perform substantial works entirely from memory.

Background and education

Marie-Claire Alain was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris. Her father, Albert Alain (1880–1971) was an organist and composer, as were her brothers, Jehan (1911–1940) and Olivier (1918–1994). Alain studied in the Paris Conservatory, in the organ class of Marcel Dupré, where she was awarded four first prizes.^[1]

Musical career

Alain has recorded the complete organ works of J.S. Bach three separate times, and has also recorded the complete works of over a dozen other major composers for the organ, as well as many individual important works. She is the most-recorded organist in the world, with over 260 recordings in her catalogue.^[1]

Alain has had a long association with the St Albans International Organ Festival.

Her pupils include Dr. James M. Higdon, Jr, George C. Baker, Diane Bish, Guy Bovet, James David Christie, Monique Gendron, Gerre Hancock, Marcus Huxley, Wolfgang Karius, Jon Laukvik, Michael Matthes, Margaret Phillips, Daniel Roth, Wolfgang Rübsam, Dong-ill Shin, Thomas Trotter, and Fritz Werner.

Awards

• Sonning Award (1980; Denmark)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} retrieved 21st Jan 2010

• Marie-Claire Alain at Allmusic
• Interview with Marie-Claire Alain at The Organ magazine
• Short conversation with Marie-Claire Alain Organ Month Haarlem, 1988

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Name	Alain, Marie-Claire
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Date of birth	August 10, 1926
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