Jean Langlais was natural inside La Fontenelle (Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany), a little village touching Mont St Michel. Langlais turned unsighted patch exclusively both years old, & was sent to learn at a National Institute for a Young Blind within Paris, in which he began to learn the organ. From either there, he reach the Paris Conservatoire, obtaining prizes in each organ, which he exposed sustaining Marcel Dupré, composition which he studied sustaining Paul Dukas, and improvisation, which he exposed sustaining André Marchal.

When graduating, he returned a National Institute for a Young Blind to teach, & likewise taught at the Schola Cantorum from either 1961 until 1976. Still, these are as an organist that he manufactured his title, below in the steps of Cesar Franck as principal organist at a Basilica of Sainte Clotilde around Paris within 1945, a post where he remained until 1987. He was good deal desired as a concert organist, & toured widely through Europe and the United States.

Langlais was the prolific composer, composing 254 works sustaining opus numbers, the 1st of which was his Prelude & Fugue for organ of 1927, the survive Trio, a second organ piece inside 1990. Although better called the composer of organ music & sacred choral music, he as well composed a total of instrumental & chamber works, & a select few laic song settings.

Langlais’ music is written within the late, loose tonal style, representative of mid-20th Century French music, with rich & complex harmonies & overlapping modes, further tonal than his coeval & countryman Olivier Messiaen. His better known works include his 4 a portion people, Messe Solenelle, Missa Orbis Factor & Missa Salve Regina, his Mouevement Perpetuel for piano, and a variations on the Veni Creator Spiritus for organ.

Outside music, Langlais was a colourful & magnetic character, for numbers of years dwelling sustaining two his 1st married woman & his mistress & late to turn into 2nd married woman, & fathering the toddler at the age of 73.

Langlais died around Paris aged 84, & was survived by his 2nd married woman Marie-Louise Jacquet-Langlais.

Outside reference

[http://perso.wanadoo.fr/langlais/index.htm – Official tribute website (includes full list of works)] [http://www.classiccat.net/langlais_j/ - Langlais mp3 files]