Jean Langlais Documentary on DVD

Life and Music of Jean Langlais

Prepared for the 2007 centenary of the birth of Jean Langlais (1907-1991), this professionally created DVD documentary of his life and music is based on the research of Ann Labounsky, who is  featured as narrator and performer.

Using many original materials, the program includes photos, maps, music scores, interviews with students and associates of Langlais, and many performance excerpts of his music. You will also hear Jean Langlais speaking in both French and English.

As a leading American disciple of Jean Langlais, with whom she studied in Paris, Ann Labounsky is uniquely qualified to present his life story. She has also published a biography, Jean Langlais: The Man and His Music, and has made the first recording of his complete organ works.

Click to play a short trailer of excerpts from the DVD in your choice of media player:     Windows Media     QuickTime

Click to see the DVD cover in PDF format.

Available in two DVD formats from:
Emerson Music, Montclair CA

• For DVD players in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other areas using NTSC format, order here.
   
• For DVD players in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Israel, Africa, and other areas using PAL format, order here.

This documentary was produced by the Los Angeles Chapter, American Guild of Organists, and created by Mist Media Inc. of Burbank CA, with direction by William Mistretta, Ed.D.

Reviews

"[Ann Labounsky] is a long-time student and close friend of the composer, and her respect and affection for the man and his work is evident throughout the presentation. ... Labounsky's playing is superlative ... Both for enthusiasts of Langlais' music and for those who know his work only slightly, this documentary is invaluable."

— Victor Hill, Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians,
September 2008

"...blends the lines of the French tradition, the life in Paris during and after World War II, Langlais's experiences teaching his myriad students...and his many experiences in the United States. ...presents a plentiful collection of still images and some archival film all threaded into an authoritative tribute through Ann Labounsky's participation as host, player, and researcher. In sum, required viewing for anyone serious about recent organ literature, desiring to know firsthand the full flowering of the French idiom, or eager to demythologize one of the great organist/composer/teachers of the past century."

— Haig Mardirosian, The American Organist, June 2007

"... the viewing of Ann Labounsky's professionally produced DVD ... was a feast. Thanks to the Los Angeles AGO Chapter, we have the music, history, personal life, and critical evaluation of Langlais and his times summarized in one package available through laago.org. Covering Langlais's Breton heritage, his devotion to Roman Catholicism, his blindness and education, his family, friends, and sometimes generous or sometimes selfish personality traits, the DVD describes his relationship to important 20th-century musicians such as André Marchal, Olivier Messiaen, Paul Dukas, Gaston Litaize, Louis Vierne, and Marcel Dupré. Labounsky also discusses Langlais's teaching of blind students, his selection of repertoire, and his premier métier, improvisation. All this is set in the context of his growing up during the inter-war years and living through World War II. Rare footage details Langlais's biennial visits to the U.S. between 1964 and 1989 for concert tours and especially his summer workshops at Boys Town, Nebraska."

— Conrad L. Donakowski, The American Organist, Sept. 2007

From Claude Langlais

"I received the DVD about J. Langlais. I was of course eager to look at it and to listen to it. It is a very interesting work and for me very moving ... very well organized. You have realized a very good synthesis of the very active and also very complicated life of [my father]. ...

"The musical accompaniments and images are very well chosen and very well interpreted of course!

"A small detail about Boys Town: did you know that it was I who played the organ part for the Psaume Solennel [heard on the DVD] created at Boys Town? ...

"Bravo again for your work in memory of [my father]."

Viewers' Comments

"How impressed I was with every aspect of it — the content, the production values and the extremely generous and respectful treatment of Langlais. It is an achievement of which you must be quite proud, and I want to congratulate you on it."   — Thomas Sheets, Ann Arbor, Michigan

"It is wonderful, and I so enjoyed it! I will mention especially hearing Langlais speak, the wonderful photo of him by the Franck statue, seeing the organ in the house as that is where I studied, the list of students (how nice to see my name as well), your discussion of the struggles he went through with music in the church, and the views with composer, church and organ in one window. Visually it is beautiful, your speaking is excellent and like we are there with him, and your performances are still the highpoint. So, again, thank you for making this wonderful DVD."   — Rosalind Mohnsen, Boston

"We looked at your DVD which is really very lively. We watched it and listened to it with great pleasure. Your commentary is very interesting. It gives a great idea about the personality and life of Jean Langlais. Bravo!"   — Jean-Pierre Leguay, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris.

"Dear Ann: I finally had the opportunity to view your DVD on the life and music of Jean Langlais. It is splendid—your narrative is beautifully written and masterfully executed. Your playing is wonderful. What a tribute to your teacher, mentor, and friend. What a gift to the organ world! It will have a permanent place in the organ literature course at Seton Hill University. I have also read your book and plan to read it again. My gratitude and best wishes."    — Ed Highberger

"Your Langlais video is absolutely wonderful. Your playing is magnificent and you perform like a professional actress when delivering your lines. I can imagine the amount of work you put into this project and it was all worth it. Congratulations! The maître would have been delighted! I can't believe every Guild chapter in the country won't jump at the opportunity to run the video for a meeting. It's the ideal thing, and they'll all learn a lot."    — Rollin Smith

"Congratulations on producing a wonderful and authoritative video on the Life and Music of Jean Langlais. ... [a] loving portrait so beautifully narrated and presented ... you’ve done a masterful job."   — New York

"I especially enjoyed watching your technique – you’re very quiet. When I tried what I observed on myself, I felt very relaxed, and a lot less noisy. Wow! Thank you for coming to Indianapolis to give us the first-hand account of Langlais. I truly was glad to meet you. You really did make me feel as if I was in a European cathedral when you played!"    — A. Lee Barlow, Indiana

"[The DVD] is absolutely marvelous. So very well done. Highly informative, educational. ... This will be such an important educational tool for all in church music for years to come. How very fortunate we are to have this valuable contribution. Hats off to you, dear lady. I have always admired you greatly, and this helps explain why! ... Thank you, thank you, thank you."  
— Texas

"What a wonderful DVD! We watched every minute with interest, along with a friend who did not know anything about any of it, who also thought it would make a great teaching tool. No one was bored, and no one even dozed off. I consider that a major victory for the job you did. Congratulations, Ann! You have done a marvelous job, which will help place Langlais in history in a way that inspires."   — Susan Ferré, Texas

"Great job - wonderfully well done AND very enjoyable! The DVD is really excellent."   — Frederick Swann, California

"...an eye-witness appraisal of [Langlais's] music, historical context, and personal life. Covers his Breton heritage, devotion to Roman Catholicism, blindness & education, family, and friends—plus his sometimes generous and sometimes selfish traits. Establishes his relationship to the Ste. Clotilde tradition and important 20th c. musicians such as André Marchal, Olivier Messiaen, Paul Dukas, Gaston Litaize, Louis Vierne, and Marcel Dupré. Also discusses his teaching of blind students; selection of repertoire; and premier métier, improvisation. Set in context of Langlais’ growing up during the interwar years and his living through World War II; biennial workshops at Boys’ town, Nebraska; and US concert tours. Treats his conflicted relationship to the reforms that followed Vatican II."  — Conrad Donakowski, Ph.D., Michigan State University, Emeritus

"[We] had the opportunity of playing your DVD on Langlais ... We are both of the opinion that it is highly professional in every way. You have every right to be most proud of it. There was, naturally, considerable detail about Langlais which we did not know and were glad to learn through the DVD."  — George and Barbara Klump, California

"It is a magnificent accomplishment to document so much detail and to bring so many visual and aural materials together. It was a real joy to listen and to watch the entire DVD. Many congratulations on a spectacular achievement!"  — John Walker, Maryland