Today I would like to honor my dear teacher and friend, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, on what would have been her 100th Birthday. This great lady changed my life and inspired so many.

I have selected two choral excerpts and we are including a link to one of her legendary performances.

As many of you may know, the music of Maurice Duruflé is a great passion of mine. I was introduced to his music my first year at Juilliard and it immediately entered my heart. In 1977 I spent the Winter in Paris studying with the great organ virtuoso and wife of the composer, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé. She became a dear friend and was one of the most important influences in my life. Duruflé’s Messe cum jubilo was dedicated to her. It is a very special, unique work, scored for a choir of baritones in unison and orchestra! The “Agnus Dei” begins in a plaintive manner, a feeling of uneasiness. But, in the final section, Duruflé creates one of the most beautiful and peaceful moments in all of choral music. For this recording we placed the great French Horn player David Jolley way in the back of the church to let his beautiful sound meld into the acoustic of the church. The Notre Père is a short, touching setting of the Lord’s Prayer, no doubt composed by Duruflé to be sung by congregants in church services. It was in the process of being published while I was studying with Mme Duruflé and she gave me a copy. I took it back to New York with me and gave the first US performance of the piece. Oh, how he could write something so simple with such beauty! My friend and colleague Mark Kruczek provides the exceptionally sensitive organ playing heard in these recordings.

As a special tribute to Mme Duruflé I have included this link to her unbelievable recording of the “Final” of Louis Vierne’s Symphonie 3

Besides the perfection of her interpretation and technique, her unique passion - the ”flame” inside her – is evident in every measure. One of the greatest organists in history!

– Dennis Keene, Artistic Director

DURUFLÉ: Agnus Dei from Messe Cum Jubilo and Notre Père

Voices of Ascension
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director

David Jolley, horn
Mark Kruczek, organ

from the Delos recording The Duruflé Album ℗ 1995 Delos
The singers in this performance are represented by the
American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.